Shekel of Augustus, 27 B.C.-14 A.D., from the Ancient Coins series (N180) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This Shekel of Augustus, dating from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D., is part of the Ancient Coins series issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. These coins are artifacts of power, minted during the reign of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. They reflect not just an economic system, but a cultural and political landscape where imperial power was intimately tied to images and symbols circulated among the masses. The face of Augustus on one side, and perhaps a Roman deity on the other, speak to how identity, authority, and divinity were interwoven in the Roman world. Who was included and who was excluded in this visual language? What did it mean to hold an image of power in your hand daily? How might those under Roman rule have felt about money bearing the emperor’s image? The Shekel of Augustus offers a glimpse into the personal and the political of an ancient empire. It reminds us of how money and power were inextricably linked, then as now.