Roman emperor Antoninus Pius died on 7 March 161 CE in Lorium, an ancient Etruscan village on the Via Aurelia, less than twelve miles west of Rome. He was 74 years old. He had ruled as emperor since 138 CE, when he succeeded his adoptive father Hadrian. Like Hadrian before him, Antoninus wore a short beard and slightly long, curly hair. This style had been a departure from the first generations of emperors, who from Augustus to Trajan were clean shaven and had worn short, cropped hair brushed forward on the forehead. (The fashion for clean-shaven faces dated back at least to the Roman Republican general Scipio Africanus.) Various explanations have been offered as to why Hadrian broke with this tradition, including that he had blemishes on his face, but the most likely is that he was a fan of Greek culture and thus adopted the hairstyle associated with Greek philosophers. Antoninus was succeeded by his adopted sons Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who carried on his signature look. It would not be until Constantine the Great in the early 4th century that Roman emperors revived the short hair and smooth cheeks of the Julio-Claudians, a haircut often referred to today as a “Caesar.” ANTONINUS PIUS AR Denarius CONSECRATIO DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare head right / CONSECRATIO, eagle standing right on garlanded altar, head turned left. RSC 156. BMC 48. SEAR 5192. RIC 431 (Aurelius). Rome mint, after AD 161. 3,0 g - 18,5 mm Please feel free to post any Consecratio or Nerva-Antonine dynasty coinage
ANTONIUS PIUS AE Sestertius OBVERSE: IDIVVS ANTONINVS, bare head right REVERSE: CONSECRATIO, four tiered funeral pyre surmounted by Antoninus in a quadriga, SC in ex. Struck at Rome 161 AD 25g, 31mm RIC 1266 (Marcus Aurelius), BMC 880 (Marcus Aurelius), C 354
I have a very rough sestertius of Divus Antoninus Pius featuring the column erected in his honor. Divus Antoninus Pius Bronze Sestertius 30mm (23.46 grams) Rome mint, struck circa 161 A.D. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, Reference: RIC III 1269 (Aurelius); Banti 144 DIVVS ANTONINVS, Bare head right. DIVO - PIO / S - C, Column of Antoninus Pius surmounted by statue of Pius holding eagle and scepter. The base of the column is displayed outside of the Vatican today:
And I was mistaken. I have this denarius which I had forgotten. Working on organizing and cataloging the quickly growing collection amidst the chaos of work, dogs, kids, etc. Was drawn to the sharp laureate. AR Denarius Antonius Pius ANTONIUS AVG PIUS PP TR P XVIII COS IIII AD 153-154 RIC 231, RSC 291, BMC 809, Sear 4068 3.17g 17mm
This is one I acquired a few weeks ago, the fantastic portrait did it for me. Antoninus Pius AR denarius, Rome, AD 152-153. 18 mm, 3.35 g. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P XVI, laureate head right. / COS IIII, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears in left hand and resting right hand on modius set on prow to right. RIC 221; RSC 290; BMCRE 520
I picked up an ANTONINVS last week. It arrived from CNG today. They called it a Dupondius, but I call it a two As scale weight.
Assuming that I have my wits about me, and that I don't come up with something cooler/original by then, my last word will be "Equanimity" Sestertius
Aureus of Antonius Pius, Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II “Antoninus augustus pius father of his country (Pater Patriae) Emperor. Reverse: TR POT XX COS IIII “Tribune Potestas 20 Consul 4 (year 156-7 AD) Victory advancing holding a wreath and palm. Sear 4028 The aureus was the markee gold coin for the Roman Empire for many years. If I were a Elon Musk, I'd get an aureus for every emperor until the series ended in the third century, but I'm not. I decided that I wanted one aureus, and here it is. It is my understanding that the the most common aurei of all were issued by Antonius Pius. Here is my denarius Denarius of Antonius Pius, Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS A P TR P XI “Antoninus, augustus, dutiful, patriotic (Pius Felix) --- Tribune of Rome 11th year.” Reverse: COS IIII, “Consul fourth year.” Denarius of Antoninus Pius, laureate head, Fortuna standing, holding a rudder and globe in her right hand cradling a cornucopia in her left hand. Sear - 4073, Year TR P XI - 148
