The Roman Republic and Roman Empire spanned the better part of 2,000 years and encompassed about 2.3 million square miles at their peak. The Romans had a tremendous influence on Western civilization and many aspects of their world survive to this day. Throughout their history, several leaders rose to lead their version of Rome to new heights. Each leader had unique coinage that would leave a small imprint of his/her legacy on the world. Let’s explore the lives of Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, and Justinian II to illustrate what impact they left on the Roman world and what beautiful coinage they left behind as part of their reign.
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Julius Caesar
During the end of the Roman Republic in the first century B.C., a social war occurred that caused the order of the old Republic to gradually crumble and decline. Over time, the elite oligarchs were replaced by warlords who opposed the Roman senate by the use of force. Their influence and reputation helped establish armies that would allow them to push for the top position within…
