Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition

First Floor Rome and Aventicum
The Emperor, the Imperial Family and the Province
12. Antoninianus, Tetricus I (AD 271 – 274).
13. Antoninianus, Aurelian (AD 270 – 275).
14. Follis, Diocletianus (AD 284 – 305).
15. A loaf of bread costs 1 as.
16-18. An oil lamp costs 2 as ( = 1 dupondius = 1/2 sestertius).
19-20. A goblet costs 1 as.
21. As, reverse depicting the personification of Money holding scales.
22. Coin balance with predetermined weight, Julio-Claudian period.
23. Denarius, silver, Augustus (27 BC – AD 14).
24. Official denarius, silver (with a Z-shaped mint mark), Tiberius.
25. Denarius, counterfeit, silver-plated copper, Nero (1).
26. Denarius, counterfeit, silver-plated copper, Domitian.
27. Denarius, cast counterfeit, alloy with low silver content.
28. Sesterce, counterfeit, copper (?)-plated iron, Marcus Aurelius.
29. Dupondius or as, counterfeit, copper (?)-plated iron, Marcus Aurelius for Faustina the
Younger.
30-36. Isolated finds from archaeological excavations.
37-42. Contents of a purse: 6 sesterces.
43. Hoard (?) of denarii.
44. Moneybox, 2nd century AD (2).
Rome and Aventicum
(Display cases 16-18)
The Emperor, the Imperial Family and the Province
Rome exercised its power and influence over its territory in various ways. A rigorous
organisation ensured the administration of the provinces. In general, the official
language (Latin in the West, Greek in the East), legislation, monetary and fiscal
systems as well as standard measures and weights were imposed upon the
provinces. Loyalty and obedience towards Rome and the emperor were expected.
The Latin term urbs, originally just the Latin word for “town”, was synonymous
for Rome, the capital of the Empire. It is often represented by the she-wolf feeding
the twins Romulus and Remus, the emblem illustrating the myth of the foundation
of the capital.
The power of the emperor and his family became very apparent in the imperial
cult (display case 17, no. 6), introduced by Augustus. The living emperor was
considered to be divine. At Aventicum the imperial cult was probably celebrated in
the Cigognier sanctuary where the gold bust of Marcus Aurelius was found. Images
of the emperor and of members of his family were present in the form of statues
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First Floor
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