Britannia is an anthropomorphic representation of the British Empire, depicted as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield with the Union Jack emblazoned upon it. Her name comes from the Roman name for the British Isle, the island of Great Britain itself, and the Roman province on Great Britain which the Roman Empire controlled. She first appeared during this time on coinage dating from the 2nd century. She would later be revived in her current form during Queen Elizabeth I's reign (1558-1603) and returned to coinage in 1672. Originally depicted with sword and shield, she swapped out her sword for Neptune's trident in recognition of Britain's Navy and increase in sea power.

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Britannia (Wikipedia)