Nero As — Temple of Janus

The Story

The Temple of Janus in the Roman Forum had doors that stood open whenever Rome was at war — which was almost always. They were closed only during rare periods of complete peace. Before Nero, the doors had been closed only a handful of times: once under the legendary King Numa Pompilius, once after the First Punic War in 235 BC, and on three separate occasions under Augustus. Nero closed them in AD 64-65 following a peace treaty with Parthia. The irony is profound: while Nero celebrated peace, his reign was marked by the Great Fire of Rome, the persecution of Christians, and eventually a military revolt that led to his suicide in AD 68.

Historical Context

Peace with Parthia, aftermath of Great Fire of Rome

• •AD 64 — Great Fire of Rome destroys much of the city
• •AD 64-68 — First organized persecution of Christians
• •AD 65 — Peace treaty with Parthian Empire ends decades of eastern warfare
• •Construction of Nero's Golden House (Domus Aurea) begins

Profoundly ironic coin — celebrating peace while Nero's reign was marked by fire, persecution, and tyranny. The Temple of Janus had been closed only a handful of times in all Roman history.

Symbolism

Design

What Could This Buy?

The as was the basic unit of Roman bronze coinage, worth 1/16 of a silver denarius. With one as, you could buy a serving of ordinary table wine at a tavern, a simple snack, or perhaps a bunch of grapes.

Worth Knowing

• ◈The Temple of Janus closing was so rare that this coin type remains one of the most historically significant of Nero's reign
• ◈Nero reportedly sang and played the lyre during the Great Fire — though this story may be propaganda
• ◈The temple depicted no longer exists, making this coin an important archaeological record

Origin

Details