Dupondius, monnaie romaine mieux connue sous le nom "As de Nîmes". (Entre 10 et 14 ap. J.-C.)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
History of the As de Nîmes
What do the crocodile and palm on the Roman coin known as the "As de Nîmes" represent?
Le repas de Cléopâtre et de Marc-Antoine (1754) by Charles-Joseph NatoireNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
In 31 BCE, 13 years after the assassination of Julius Caesar, Octavius (later Emperor Augustus) and Mark Antony, allied with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, battled for power over Rome.
This clash culminated in the naval battle of Actium! It was won by Octavius and his general Agrippa. Having become subject to Rome, Egypt was represented as a crocodile chained to a palm: a Roman symbol of victory.
Dupondius, monnaie romaine mieux connue sous le nom "As de Nîmes". (Entre 10 et 14 ap. J.-C.)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
On this example dated between 10 and 14 CE, the head side shows Agrippa to the left and Octavius to the right.
Agrippa wears a double wreath symbolizing the naval victory: a laurel wreath and a rostral wreath (from rostrum, the ram fitted to the bow of combat ships).
Octavius is depicted wearing a laurel wreath.
Dupondius, monnaie romaine mieux connue sous le nom "As de Nîmes". (Entre 10 et 14 ap. J.-C.)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
On the tail side of the coin, in addition to the crocodile chained to the palm, there is the inscription COL NEM (COLONIA AUGUSTA NEMAUSUS).
It was in Nemausus, the Latin name for the Roman colony of Nîmes, that this currency was minted and then distributed through the Empire.
Anciens sceaux de Nîmes (1758) by Léon MénardNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The city's weapons
In the Middle Ages, the city's seal and coat of arms took several successive forms.
In 1516, King Francis I granted the inhabitants of Nîmes the right for their coat of arms to feature a golden bull in a field of gules (red).
In 1535, with the discovery of ancient coins in Nîmes, the king ordered the people of Nîmes to use the crocodile – then confused with a snake or a salamander – chained to a palm as their coat of arms.
Visite de François Ier aux monuments de Nîmes (1836) by Alexandre-Marie ColinNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Francis I, who visited the city in 1533 and appreciated its many Roman monuments, justified this decision by arguing for the consideration of the venerable antiquity he had always loved, and the esteem he held for the city of Nîmes.
L'as de Nîmes, monnaie antique et le l'ancien sceau de la ville by inconnuNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
In the description of the motif adorning the ancient coin they gave to the king, the people of Nîmes used the term "palm tree". This would probably explain the transformation of the palm into a palm tree.
Whatever the case, since then, the crocodile and the palm tree have officially been the emblem of the city. So it was that the visual identity of Nîmes came about!
La Fontaine place du marché (1987) by Martial RaysseNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The crocodile in the city
Little by little, the image of the crocodile became a symbol of the city and its inhabitants. Take a good look around during a walk in the streets of Nîmes. No doubt you will find many crocodiles there...
La Fontaine place du marché (1987) by Martial RaysseNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Like here, Place du Marché, in the fountain designed by the French artist Martial Raysse. Notice that his crocodile is free of his chains!
Le crocodile, visible dans le Jardin du Museum d'Histoire naturelleNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
In the garden of the Muséum d'histoire naturelle...
... in the trompe l'oeil on Rue de l'Aspic...
Crocodile dans l'escalier de la mairie de NîmesNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
... or on the stairs of the Hôtel de Ville. Gifted to the city successively in 1597, 1671, 1692 and 1703, these four taxidermy crocodiles overlook visitors when they climb the steps.
Œuvres Coccodrillo (1), , Exode du dieu sacré, le crocodile du Fayoum Alexandrie (2), Senza tittolo (coccodrillo)(3) by Pino PASCALI (1), Anna BOGHIGUIAN (2), Mario MERZ(3)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Crocodiles can also be found in Nîmes' museum collections. The collection in Carré d'Art-Musée d'art contemporain offers some very contemporary interpretations, such as these works by Pino Pascali (1), Anna Boghiguian (2) and Mario Merz (3).
Crocodile du nilNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Taxidermy specimens of Nile crocodiles are preserved at the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. These same specimens probably served as a model for creating the motif that adorns the reverse of the As de Nîmes.
At the Musée du Vieux Nîmes, there are many objects that use the image of the crocodile, such as this weight or this humorous drawing by the Nîmes-based artist Eloy Vincent, dated 1921.
And of course, there are many copies of the famous antique coin in the Musée de la Romanité!
The city's logo
In 1985, the municipality of the time commissioned the star designer Philippe Starck to design the city's logo, based on the crocodile and palm tree motif.
Logo de la ville de Nîmes (1985) by Philippe StarckNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The city's coat of arms and the crocodile motif are permanently fixed as part of Nîmes' imagery.
In 1987, Philippe Starck also created marble urban furniture for Nîmes, delivering a very contemporary interpretation of the crocodile and palm tree of the city's coat of arms.
The Nîmes locals appreciate their logo so much that it can be found on the corner of the cobblestones of the city, or adorning the bollards on the sidewalks...
... and sometimes even tattooed on a forearm or calf!
Creation: City of Nîmes
Images: © City of Nîmes
