Propaganda,and Fake News on Roman coins Guy de la Bedoyere

In the Roman world there was no mass media, no ready way for the state to get its message out to the wider population - true or false or in between - other than through coins. Everyone used them. Coins were the quickest way to publicise an emperor's image, his aspirations and achievements or even his successors. They vary from the specific claim to the general message, regardless of the truth of what was really going on. They are a vital source of information about the Roman world and tell us much about how all states and political parties to this day try to influence opinion and popular perceptions of their activities. Thanks to those individuals and organisations for the loan of these coins.