Caligula promoting Marcus Agrippa
E2017.523, RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 58
Inscriptions
Obverse: M AGRIPPA L F COS III
Reverse: SC [1]
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, often called Caligula, was the third emperor of Rome, ruling from 37 – 41 AD. [2] The Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus both condemn Caligula due to rumours of his extreme eccentricity and cruelty, giving him one of the worst reputations of all Roman emperors. Caligula was assassinated after less than four years in power after his guards plotted against him, but despite this he managed to produce many different types of coins for different purposes.
The coin pictured to the left is an example of one of Caligula’s coin types. On the obverse is a portrait of his maternal grandfather Marcus Agrippa who was a renowned military commander and a trusted friend of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. [3] The legend surrounding the portrait of Agrippa identifies him, translating to "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, three times consul". Portraits on the obverse of coins usually wear a laurel wreath that was traditionally worn by emperors, but Agrippa did not hold this title and instead wears a rostral crown, which was awarded to commanders that won a great victory at sea. This crown can be identified by the prow of a ship that protrudes from its front, which can be seen on this coin between the L and F of the inscription. Agrippa’s greatest naval victory was in the Battle of Actium over the combined forces of Marcus Antonius (Antony) and Cleopatra. This battle eliminated Augustus’ rivals, allowing him to take complete control of Rome and create the Roman Empire. It also expanded the Roman Empire to include Egypt and its valuable resources. The coin therefore acknowledges the significant role Agrippa played in establishing and expanding the empire.
The reverse of the coin is also connected to Agrippa’s great naval victory at Actium because it depicts Neptune, the Roman god of the sea and affairs of navigation. Although the some of the details on this coin have been worn down over time, we know that Neptune holds a dolphin in his right hand and a trident in his left. These were traditional attributes of the god and symbolise his power to either grant a ship safe passage or send devastating storms. [4] Depicting Neptune and Agrippa together on this coin would have suggested that Agrippa had been granted the god’s favour, which according to Roman religion, would have been passed to his descendants, including Caligula.
Therefore, when viewed in conjunction, the two sides of this coin tell a story of Caligula’s remarkable ancestry. The portrait of Agrippa celebrating his success at sea, paired with the figure of Neptune and his traditional attributes of power, indicate that Caligula was descended from a naval hero whose victories were so significant that they enabled the establishment of the Roman Empire. Caligula wanted this coin to closely link him to Agrippa’s god-like success. Even without the coin mentioning Caligula by name, the people of Rome would have been familiar with his ancestry and would have recognised this as an attempt to link himself with the past success of his grandfather.
Another reason that Caligula produced coins depicting Agrippa was that it connected him to Augustus because, as mentioned above, Agrippa was one of Augustus’ closest friends. After the battle of Actium, Augustus had produced a similar coin type that depicted his portrait beside Agrippa’s on the obverse and a crocodile chained to a palm tree, symbolising Rome’s conquest of Egypt. Caligula may have been imitating this style of coin to associate himself with Augustus who perfectly embodied what Rome expected of its emperors.
It is also possible that promoting a connection to Agrippa on coins would have been intended to advertise that Caligula may have been planning to invade Britain (Cassius Dio, 59.21), which would have involved crossing the English Channel, a naval campaign that was last attempted by Julius Caesar in 54 BC. By linking himself to Agrippa’s naval success, Caligula may have sought to inspire confidence in this endeavour.
This coin was one of the most common coin types produced during Caligula’s reign because of its important message that Caligula was descended from a famous commander. Many of the coins Caligula produced promoted members of his family, such as his mother Agrippina, father Germanicus or three sisters. His Agrippa coin type fits well into this series, giving Caligula’s coinage an overarching message of familial success that would have firmly established his legitimacy as emperor. Like the emperors before him, Caligula believed that his lineage was what justified his power and he therefore promoted this message on his coinage.
Caligula’s decision to use the portrait of his grandfather Agrippa on his coinage therefore served many purposes. It showed that he was the descendant of a successful military commander, legitimised his right to inherit Imperial power and connected him to Augustus, something that all Roman emperors strived to do. Reminding the public of Agrippa’s success, popularity and proximity to other powerful historical figures would have strengthened the perception of Caligula as a good emperor who could live up to the achievements of his ancestors. Despite this, he is primarily remembered for the unpleasant rumours preserved by ancient historians and his brutal assassination that resulted from his ultimate failure to live up to those he aspired to.
[1] Online Coins of the Roman Empire - RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 58
[2] Encyclopedia Britannica - Caligula
[3] Encyclopedia Britannica - Marcus Vispanius Agrippa
[4] Dictionary of Roman Coins, Republican and Imperial, 570