L. SULLA (84-83 BC)

"Imperator" "I have repaid in full measure anyone who did me harm"—these were the words of Sulla, inscribed on his tombstone. A denarius was struck by the military mint traveling with Sulla in the East after his successful campaign against Mithridates VI. Venus, Sulla’s patron deity, appears on the obverse, while two trophies on the reverse, won during the wars, symbolize the honorary title of imperator granted to him a second time by his soldiers.

Sulla was the first imperator to mint coins to pay his legions independently of the Senate's authority. These coins served as open propaganda, showcasing his personal strength and accomplishments. Sulla’s monetary "innovations" set a precedent for later imperatores and contributed to Rome's transformation from a Republic into an Empire.