Final Draft - Preview Matter - Florida State University

of Juno and satyrs in a larger framework of mythological conflicts used as architectural
decoration. 423
Representations of Juno Sospita can be found on the coins of the Roman Republic and
Empire. When various members of the Roman elite from the area of Lanuvium came to power,
they took advantage of their standing to mint coins bearing her likeness. A silver denarius struck
by L. Roscius Fabatus (Fig. IV.7) is typical of issues that make use of Juno Sospita’s
iconography on the coin’s obverse. The earliest appearance of Juno Sospita on the obverse of a
coin occurs on an issue of L. Thorius Balbus ca. 105 BCE, 424 and takes a form similar to the coin
of Fabatus, i.e. a profile head shown wearing the goat-skin cap. 425 (The device represented to the
left of the goddess’ head is not clear.) On the reverse of Fabatus’ coin, an additional reference to
the cult of Juno Sospita can be seen in the maiden and snake that appear before her. This is no
doubt meant to represent a chthonic, oracular serpent, whose task it was to determine the purity
of the young maidens of Lanuvium in order to secure the prosperity of the city. (The device
behind the maiden is reminiscent of either the prow of a ship or a rudder.) Juno was also
associated with coinage in her guise as Juno Moneta, the goddess of the mint located in her
temple on the Capitoline hill. 426
Perhaps the most important Roman from Lanuvium to adopt this practice was the
emperor Antoninus Pius (Fig. IV.8). He continued the tradition of Roman notables before him
and referenced his place of birth on his coinage, in this case an issue minted in Rome. 427 We
may also speculate that by linking himself to this goddess, who was a protector of the state, the
emperor may have also have meant to cast himself in this role as a guarantor of the safety of the
Roman people and the government. In this instance, instead of showing just the goddess’ head,
as on the obverse of Fabatus’ coin, the whole body of the goddess is shown much in the same
way as in a statue from the Antonine Period currently housed in the Vatican (Fig. IV.9). On the
coin, Juno’s right leg is bent as if she is striding forward. She raises her right hand which holds a
spear, and a shield is strapped to her left arm. The inscription on this coin reads IUNONI
423 Brendel (1995, 234-6) discusses the Pyrgi columen plaque which demonstrates the conflict between Tydeus and
Melanippus and its peculiarly Etruscan character. This plaque is one of many striking examples of battle themes in
ancient architectural art, which is replete with Gigantomachies, Centauromachies, Amazonomachies, etc.
424 Gordon 1938, 23.
425 Both issues were minted in Rome.
426 Grueber 1910, 422; Mattingly 1960, 62-3.
427 Mattingly 1940, lxxxi.
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