(97) Antoninus Pius - AV aureus, A.D. 154-155, 7.35 g. (inv. 91.178).
Obverse: Draped and cuirassed bust of Marcus Aurelius r.; AVRELIVS CAESAR
AVG(VSTVS) PII F(ILIVS): Aurelius Caesar Augustus, son of Pius.
Reverse: Helmeted Virtus/Roma standing l. with Victoria in r. and parazonium
in l.; TR(IBVNICIA) POT(ESTATE) VIIII CO(N)S(VL) II: with tribunician power
for the ninth time, consul for the second time.
Provenance: Abner Kreisberg, 1970.
Bibliography: H. Mattingly and E.A. Sydenham, The Roman Imperial Coinage
III: Antoninus to Commodus (London 1930) 464 a.
Under Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius was clearly destined for the throne.
He received the highest honors of the state, including the consulate for
the first time in A.D. 140 and tribunician power on the birth of his first
child in A.D. 146. He had married the emperor's daughter Faustina the Younger
in A.D. 145.
In his portraits Marcus Aurelius continues the general type of his adoptive
father, Antoninus Pius, with the curly hair and beard reminiscent of Greek
philosopher portraits. The type was retained by all members of the Antonine
family.
The military types on coins of this period may refer to the rebellion in
Britain, but the personification of Virtus (compare no. 93), manly courage
(especially in military affairs), is generally appropriate to a young man
destined to become emperor. Perhaps Virtus (a female personification, because
of the gender of the Latin word) is here to be identified also with Roma,
who is depicted with similar dress and attributes.
M.D.P.
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