How to be a Powerful Woman in the Roman Empire
As Revealed Through 3 Lives Immortalised on Roman Coinage
The Roman Empire was gripped by a patriarchal society; as a result, pretty much the only record we have of it comes from the voices of men. But there never could have been a Roman Empire without women, and just because they haven’t been written about, doesn’t mean they haven’t led powerful important lives. Their stories have simply been lost, hidden amongst the records we have today.
It was by no means easy being a woman in the Roman Empire, relegated to the back rows of theatres and gladiatorial arenas by restrictions made under Emperor Augustus, and given significantly more cramped public spaces in bathhouses; but they lived fascinating and full lives. They may not have had political rights or a voice in public life and were generally expected to conform to a set of ‘rules’ in society, but they did have a surprising amount of relative freedom and independence. After the death of her father, a woman could even own property, buy, sell, inherit or make a will and free slaves, actually possessing more rights than women in Britain did before the 1870s.
For us, one way we get re-acquainted with the Roman women history has forgotten, is through Roman coinage - one of the few places where the faces of elite Roman women are recorded. So who was deemed powerful and important enough to grace the palms of the Roman public?
Empress Flavia Maximiana Theodora
The ideal Roman woman.
Flavia Maximiana Theodora is probably best known for being the second wife to Constantius Chlorus (Constantius I) and the mother of future emperors Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans. A life which, in the history books at least, is recorded through the notable male stories surrounding her. As a result, we know very little about her, but she must have been noteworthy enough for her sons to immortalise her legacy under this issue of coinage, dating from 337-340 AD.
What we do learn, picking through the snatches of her mention and the imagery present on this coin, is that Theodora was your average Roman Woman elite, given no choice over her marriage; paired off strategically by her father (or stepfather!), Emperor Maximian, to an up and coming Roman General - a wiser, stable and more suitable choice of wife for an aspiring future-emperor, than his humble and low-status first wife (More on her shortly). She bore Constantius 6 children, 3 of them heirs, fulfilling the traditional role expected of her as a woman and likely earning herself several societal freedoms in return.
Theodora toed the line and did exactly what was expected of her; as a result, she is commemorated alongside the Roman Goddess Pietas - the personification of devoutness and duty to the state and the family. You may read this and think that there’s absolutely nothing remarkable about Empress Theodora, but regardless of her simple and dutiful life, she was enormously rich, likely had substantial freedom as a result of her choices towards duty, and was adored by her sons; chosen after her death to be a symbol of the strength and stability of the Roman Imperial family.
It’s important to remember, too, that Theodora was married to an emperor of Diocletian’s Tetrarchy, an incredibly unstable period of rule for the Roman Empire that was gripped by civil wars. Her husband’s part of the Empire included Roman Britain, which was in quite a state during this period—under the control of usurper Allectus. Fulfilling her duty and creating a stable Imperial Family had never been more important.
A depiction of ‘PIETAS’ she is the personification of dutifulness, and respect for the gods, parents, and the state.
Empress Flavia Julia Helena
A verified saint.
Flavia Julia Helena, or Saint Helena as she is best remembered, is credited with mothering Constantine I, one of the greatest Roman Emperors (quite literally called ‘The Great’), and the discovery of Christ’s True Cross. But how did a humble ‘stabularia’ (barmaid / stablemaid) from Bithynia find herself woven deeply into the history of the Church?
Helena’s story starts very humbly, falling for a Roman General and bearing him a healthy son, whom she adored. This Roman General was Constantius I, on his path to becoming future Emperor over the Western part of the Roman Empire; but this was a journey which couldn’t involve a wife from such humble origins, so Helena found herself replaced by a younger, higher-status model (enter Theodora). Little is known about the next portion of Helena’s life, but she must have been a doting mother to her son, Constantine, ascending from the depths of obscurity to Empress Dowager under his request after his succession to the throne - this also came with unrestricted access to the Imperial Treasury, which Helena used to pursue her favourite hobby: archaeology.
In 326 AD tragedy struck the imperial family - well, Constantine executed his son and second wife as the result of a scandal - and this seems to have been the motivation for Helena’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a mission to uncover the lost holy relics. As part of the turn towards Christianity, Constantine had started a series of Church building in the Middle East, so as a great show of piety (religious devotion and reverence) Helena, who was by now believed to be in her 70s, undertook the role of official inspector, and amateur archaeologist. Her journey was described as ‘the pilgrimage of an anxious mother’ by St Ambrose, perhaps hinting towards this drive of faith being used to cover over her son’s recent atrocities. But regardless she successfully excavated Christ’s True Cross, confirmed this by miraculously healing a local distinguished lady, and ordered the construction of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher on the site of its discovery - ultimately helping to consolidate the turn to Christianity.
Commemorated on this coin alongside Pax, the goddess of peace, Helena is immortalised as the perfect model of a Christian Empress, her legacy goes far beyond the values which made her impressive to Roman Society. From stabularia to saintdom, Helena seized every opportunity available to her, creating a powerful legacy of a woman unafraid to make a name for herself, and one which has stood for centuries.
A depiction of ‘PAX PVBLICA’ the goddess of peace.
Goddess Victory
A symbol of peace and victory.
Roman Society may have been a patriarchy, but the Roman Pantheon was not. Jupiter, the King of the Gods was surrounded by powerful Goddesses, with the main 12 deities split evenly between the sexes. There was no room for sexism when it came to Roman worship, as they believed each god and goddess held the strings of control over specific parts of their lives.
The Goddess Victory may not have been one of the 12 main deities in the Roman Pantheon, but as a symbol of military success, arguably she had one of the largest impacts on the highly militaristic Roman Empire. Rome held one of the most effective military forces of the ancient world, with half a million soldiers under its command at its peak, and every single one of them would have been well acquainted with Victory. She was so worshipped that a temple on the Palatine Hill in Rome was dedicated to her, and festivals and gladiatorial games were often held in her honour. But it wasn’t just victory that she stood for, often depicted holding a palm frond or laurel wreath, as a symbol of the peace and aftermath where stability and order were restored.
It’s no surprise, that Victory is one of the most common depictions of Goddesses on Roman coins, especially those of the later 3rd and 4th Centuries, wrought with turmoil and unrest. At a time of turbulence, who better than Victory to bring you faith that stability will return and after a conflict, what better propaganda to circulate than Victory by your side, celebrating your divine right to triumph? It seems her image held the power to control the Empire, decide the winners and losers, and ultimately the public belief in the Imperial Family itself.
It seems that the Roman Empire was full of powerful women. Although they may not have won battles, engaged in politics, or even had much of a voice in their lifetimes, without their contributions, the history of the Roman Empire remains remarkably incomplete. If women can be unquestionably worshipped in the Roman Pantheon, why not in their mortal lives as well??
