"I came. I saw. I conquered. The great Roman emperors"

Incredible ups and downs of one of the most grandiose civilizations, lessons of honor and dignity, cunning and deceit from the most famous dynasties of their time - this is only a small part of what the exhibition “I Came. Had seen. Won. Great Roman Emperors”, dedicated to the greatest rulers who stood at the origins of modern civilization.

Amazing stories from the life of the Caesars will be told by witnesses and direct participants in the events - Roman gold coins. This choice is not accidental: it was the coins, each of which kept the exact portrait image of a particular ruler, that served as an effective means of mass communication in ancient times.

The name of the exhibition was based on Gaius Julius Caesar’s winged Latin expression "Veni, vidi, vici", sent by him to Rome after his victory in 47 BC. over the Pontic king Farnak. As you know, a lightning-fast military campaign brought victory and glory to the great Caesar, and the expression is still used to denote quick results and successes.

“The rise and fall of Rome for many centuries continues to excite historians, culturologists, archaeologists and numismatists. The events of this period are often characterized by experts as the most interesting problem of historical science (why did Rome fall after all?) or as the worst catastrophe in the history of civilization, and some believe that this is its most striking triumph,” commented the founder of the Museum of the International Numismatic club Vagit Alekperov.

At the same time, Roman history is unthinkable without the deeds of prominent people, emperors and generals. Ancient man was the center and main character, participant and cause of historical events. At the heart of Roman culture was the attention to the individual, his individuality and personal qualities.

At the exhibition “Come. Had seen. Won. Great Roman Emperors” you will see exhibits that have never been exhibited in Russian and foreign museums before: the largest collection of ancient Roman gold coins, unique gold medallions that served as imperial awards, the ancient Roman banner - the only priceless relic in the world, and weapons of the Romans.

The exhibition shows the origin and development of the image of the Roman emperor, the attributes and content of imperial power, tells about the main turning points in Roman history, and reveals the causes of dramatic crises.

“He came. Had seen. Won. Great Roman Emperors” is the first exhibition in Russia dedicated to Ancient Rome in many years.

The exposition was prepared by the Museum of the International Numismatic Club together with the State Hermitage, the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin, State Historical Museum.

Background information about the Museum of the International Numismatic Club

The Museum of the International Numismatic Club (MNC Museum) was established in 2015. It is located in Moscow, in Bolshoi Afanasevsky Lane, in a historic building of the 17th century (the chambers of the Zinovievs - Yusupovs). The exposition is formed on the basis of the personal collection of the founder of the museum - Vagit Yusufovich Alekperov.

The MNK Museum is a member of the most authoritative Russian and international organizations - the Union of Russian Museums, the International Council of Museums. The funds of the MNK Museum include more than 5,000 coins, including the most complete collection of gold coins of the Russian Empire, platinum coins, one of the best private collections of ancient gold coins in the world, thalers and commemorative coins of modern Russia.

The MNC Museum closely cooperates with the scientific and museum communities: it establishes grants and holds competitions, supports domestic numismatists and researchers, and publishes specialized literature.