When we think of Rome today, we think of the Vatican, charming outdoor cafes, and a city that’s lovably chaotic. These days, Rome and Italy don’t have much in the way of global influence. But times change, and it wasn’t always like this. During the time of Christ, the Roman Empire was the dominant military and cultural force in the world.

Rome commanded a massive swath of territory. They were in control of lands stretching from the dense forests of Germany to the arid wastes of the Sahara Desert. Within all of that territory was a dizzying diversity of cultures and religions, and while the dominant language spoken and read in Rome was Latin, to the rest of the world it was just a fairly obscure Mediterranean dialect. It was too much to expect initially that all of the subjects of the Empire would be fluent in Latin.

As battalions of Roman legionnaires expanded the reach of the Empire, they brought with them their language. In fact, Latin was the official language. Official records were kept strictly in Latin, and all business, legal or otherwise, was conducted in that language. This made things a little tricky, considering that not only did nearly the entire Eastern part of the Empire just speak Greek, but many educated Romans preferred conversing in Greek over Latin. As a result, up until approximately 300 AD, many coins were struck with inscriptions in Greek or in a strange hybrid of Latin and Greek.

However, in many parts of the Empire, literacy was confined to just the upper classes. In fact, if you traveled back in time and spoke to a random citizen, the odds are that the person would be illiterate. With high rates of illiteracy, plus a confusing jumble of cultures all under Rome’s control, money became an ideal means of spreading ideas.

It was certainly a better delivery system than paper. Remember that, during the time of the Empire, books didn’t exist. The written word appeared on scrolls made of papyrus. These were bulky and fragile, vulnerable to water and fire, and in order to get ideas across, the person looking at a scroll had to be able to read. However, coins were small, easy to transport, and far more durable as they were made of metal. On average, after a coin was struck, the engravings would last around 20 years. A coin can pass through a lot of hands in that time.

During the reign of an Emperor, it was common for them to have coins printed bearing their likeness, along with an aspect of their deeds. So when we look at ancient Roman coins, we’ll frequently see an engraved image of a certain Emperor on the obverse, or “heads” side. Upon the reverse side, the Emperor might have an image of grain portrayed, to show that he provided a bountiful harvest for his subjects. He might boast of his military prowess at a certain battle, or generally proclaim that he was brave, wise, or just. Since the image of these coins was partially used for propaganda purposes, it needed to be obvious and easy for anyone to grasp. Over 2,000 years later, you can examine one of these coins and immediately know the message that Emperor was sending.