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Primary sourceArtifactc. AD 15

Sword of Tiberius

Roman workshop (Mainz) · c. AD 15

A decorated Roman sword scabbard showing Augustus depicted as Jupiter, carried by a legionary officer under Tiberius.

Augustus appears in a roundel on this military scabbard, showing his image was used to legitimise his successors' rule.

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A gilded metal sword scabbard displayed upright in a glass case against a grey background. Its upper section has a ring-and-band fitting, a central oval medallion with a figure, and horizontal decorated bands. The lower tapering end shows relief scenes of figures and architecture, ending in a small knob. Another object is partly visible at the left.
Sword of Tiberius, scabbard, c. AD 15. Mainz, Germany. British Museum, London.

About this source

What it is

This gilded bronze, iron and tin scabbard for a legionary officer's sword was made around AD 15 in a Roman workshop in Mainz, Germany, and is now held in the British Museum. Its decoration shows a central scene of Germanicus presenting a figure of victory to the enthroned Tiberius, with a roundel below depicting Augustus.

Why it matters

By placing Augustus in a roundel beneath Tiberius and Germanicus, the sword's design links the new emperor's authority back to the founder of the principate. This piece of military equipment shows how imperial propaganda about Augustus's legacy reached even the everyday gear of ordinary soldiers, despite the troops having actually mutinied when Tiberius became emperor.

Look closer

  • Why might the Roman state want to put images of emperors on a soldier's personal weapon?
  • What does the gap between this image of harmony and the real mutiny at Tiberius's accession tell you about propaganda?
  • Why is Augustus shown smaller and below the main scene rather than at its centre?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Augustus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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