Securitas

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The Roman goddess Securitas represented safety, security, and stability, particularly in the context of the Roman state. She was a personification of the security that allowed the empire to thrive, embodying the idea of a stable and prosperous government. Securitas was often invoked as a divine figure that protected the Roman state, its institutions, and its citizens from internal and external threats. The goddess was particularly important during times of political instability or military conflict, as her image served to reassure the people of Rome that the state was under control and that the public order would be maintained.

Securitas was frequently depicted on Roman coinage, where her image often appeared alongside inscriptions that emphasized the safety and peace brought about by the emperor or the Roman state. On coins, Securitas was sometimes shown standing with one foot on a globe, holding a scepter or a branch, symbols of her dominion and peaceful rule. Her presence on coins was meant to communicate the emperor’s role in ensuring the safety and stability of the empire. By highlighting the emperor’s ability to maintain peace and order, these coins also served a propagandistic purpose, reinforcing the idea that the emperor was the guarantor of Roman security.

As a deity, Securitas was not only symbolic of physical safety but also of economic and social stability. Her role was to protect the integrity of the empire’s governance, institutions, and laws. The Roman state saw its success and longevity as dependent on the preservation of these elements, and Securitas became a representation of the emperor’s power to ensure the continuity of the Roman way of life. She was a figure of reassurance to the Roman people, symbolizing the certainty that their lives and livelihoods were protected by the state’s institutions. Thus, she was an important emblem in the Roman ideology of leadership and governance.