Dea Segetia on Reverse of Coins of Empress Salonina

Abstract

The Ancient Romans knew a deity named Segesta and Segetia. In Gallia there was a cult of dea Segeta. A link between them in the contemporary interpretations became the antonimniani of DEAE SEGETIAE type issues under Valerian and Gallienus for empress Salonina (258–260 AD). According to some researchers, the figure on its reverses is Segesta/Segetia, a deity worshipped in Rome itself. Others suggest that dea Segeta, originates from Gallia. The advocates of both these views notice, however, that the only certain representation of this deity – known by name in the monetary legend – is her image in the coin iconography. Dea Segetia represented on the coins as a syncretic figure which possessed broad competences, all the more so that it received a very comprehensive iconographic form. The article is an overview of various interpretations put on the contents of aurei and antoniniani of DEAE SEGETIAE type, emitted for Salonina Augusta, the wife of the Roman Emperor Gallienus (253–268). Except for this case, the name of Segetia does not appear anywhere else in the imperial coinage while the image of the goddess on these coins combines several features more frequently found in the representations of other deities.

Keywords

• segetia
• segeta
• segesta
• roman coins
• monetary iconography