Two Athenian coins, Greek, 5th century.
Cornell Coin Collection,
The History of Art Department


Coins are "texts" that circulated publicly in the ancient world. In these identical coins, juxtaposed to reveal both sides, the word Athens is legible on one face while the owl--symbol of the goddess Athena, patron of Athens--is legible on the other. That the written word for the city was accompanied by its visual symbol suggests that images were also used to impart information. The symbol conveyed a different meaning: in this example the owl also provoked a chain of visual and mental associations with the city, goddess, wisdom, and age.

Caesar Augustus, Roman, 1st century.
Cornell Coin Collection,
The History of Art Department


Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Placing his visage on state-issued coinage implied that he was synonymous with the state, an association between personal power and the body politic that later emperors--and even today's governors--did not hesitate to make.

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