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Virtus, the personification of military virtue and courage, appears frequently as a reverse type on coins from AD 68 on. During the Republic a bust of Virtus was displayed on coins of the gens Aquillia (71 BC), she featured prominently on imperial coinage from the civil wars on until the time of Honorius. She is depicted as a helmeted warrior figure, similar in iconography to depictions of Roma. Virtus' attributes include a crested helmet, cuirass, military cloak, a spear, sometimes she holds a sword and a shield, a victoriola, or a wreath. She is often depicted showing a bare right breast. |
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The reverse type of Virtus usually glorifies the military victories of various emperors. On the denarius of Septimius Severus (above right), Virtus is displayed standing, holding Victory, a spear and a shield, the legend reads VIRT AVGG and refers to the valour or bravery of the emperors. Virtus is similarly featured on an antoninianus of Volusian (above left) - Virtus is standing left, holding a spear and a shield, VIRTVS AVGG. |