Britannia, a poetic name for Great Britain and the territories it controls. The name comes from the Latin name for Britain, and is characterized as a classical female figure. The presentation originated on a brass coin, called a sestertius, of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, who reigned from 138 to 161. The figure of Britannica first appeared on modern British coins in 1672, and the tradition has continued into the 21st century.
Britannia
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