The death of ANTONINUS PIUS

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

The reign of Pius as Emperor is characterized by a dominant sense of stability and sensitivity. With his piety ensured by the honor rendered to his imperial predecessor, it was also alleged that the title of Pius reflected his intervention on behalf of the senators condemned by Hadrian. The imperial administration was, according to epigraphic evidence, particularly conservative during the reign of Antoninus. A close-knit group of senatorial families worked with the emperor to oversee the management of the empire, and the trust Antonine placed in them is indicated by the fact that he never left Italy during his reign.

The period of his reign - from 138 to 161 AD - was the most peaceful in all of Rome's imperial history. No foreign wars of rapacious conquest or punitive justice have been waged against Rome's neighbors in these 23 years. The famous Pax Romana took all its meaning when he was the Emperor of the Roman world. The economy and coinage were central to Antoninus’ reign. The gold coinage emphasized the imperial family and the concept of pietas;

Pius Dupondius Pietas



the silver and bronze coinage focused on the Emperor's concern for the grain supply (annona). Despite his extensive building projects around the empire and in the capital, he still managed to leave a substantial surplus – around two and a half million sesterces – in the imperial treasury at the time he passed away.

Pius Sestertius Annona


When his beloved wife Faustina died in AD 141, Antoninus Pius was plainly devastated by the loss of his wife. His grief found expression in a number of magnificent monuments across the imperial capital. Chief amongst these, of course, is the Temple of the Deified Faustina in the Forum Romanum, which is now known as the Church of San Lorenzo; the temple was built in honor of her being deified by the Senate, and a number of coins were minted bearing the legend DIVA FAVSTINA to ensure that the imperial populace knew of her joining the gods.

San Lorenzo Church


It is interesting to notice that by analyzing dozens of hoards containing Pius coinage, we learned that a very high percentage of coins in this period was struck in the name of his divine wife. Faustina has a large presence on the Imperial coinage under Pius: 22.5% of gold, 30% of silver and 22% of all aes being struck in her name.

Pius As Imperator (my only Wildwinds plate coin)


Antoninus Pius died at Lorium, near Rome, March 7th 161 AD. He was 74 years old.On the day the Empire lost one of its best ruler, show me your Pius' coins !

 

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In my opinion, underappreciated by collectors today. Which works out just fine for me:

Silver Denarius
Rome mint, A.D. 153-154
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS TR P XVII
Rev: COS IIII - Annonia, standing, facing left, holding corn ears in right hand and resting left hand on modius sitting on front of ship
RIC 231
18mm, 3.7g.

 

My death issue.


Antoninus Pius (138 - 161 A.D.)
Struck Under Marcus Aurelius
O: DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare draped bust right.
R: CONSECRATIO, funeral pyre of four tiers with quadriga on top.
Rome Mint, 161 - 180 A.D.
18mm
3.2g
RIC III M. Aurelius 438

 

Laodicaea ad Mare
Obverse: Portrait of AP right, countermarked
Reverse: Portrait of Tyche left, with city represented on her head

 

Dupondius, 27 mm 12 g
RIC III Antoninus Pius 1020
From Date: AD 158 To Date: AD 159
Legend: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII
Type: Head of Antoninus Pius, radiate, right
Legend: VOTA SVSCEPTA DEC III COS IIII S C
Type: Antoninus Pius, standing left, sacrificing with patera over tripod, left arm at side







Antoninus Pius AD 138-161. Rome Denarius AR 19 mm., 2,64 g
RIC III Antoninus Pius 234
Date Range: AD 153 - AD 154
Obverse Legend: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVII
Type: Head of Antoninus Pius, laureate, right
Reverse Legend: LIBERALITAS VII COS IIII
Type: Liberalitas, draped, standing left, emptying coins out of cornucopiae, held in both hands



Antoninus Pius AD 138-161. Rome Denarius AR 19 mm., 2,90 g.
RIC III Antoninus Pius 136
Date Range: AD 145 - AD 161
Obverse Legend: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P; Type: Head of Antoninus Pius, laureate, right
Reverse Legend: COS IIII; Type: Clasped hands holding caduceus between two corn-ear



I would like to also see in hand the last Pius Sestertius I bought, but it is resting in a FedEx hub for a week.

 

Great excuse to post my latest Antoninus Pius - a sestertius with the goddess Ops on the reverse - her first appearance on a coin, I believe

I am really crazy about this one - the extensive pitting doesn't quite ruin the portrait or the goddess and it has this smooth, mellow brassy color to it (Tiber patina?). As with many of AP's imperial coins, the artwork is quite fine. And it was cheap.



Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
(140-144 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[ANTO]NINVS AVG PIVS PP T[R P CO]S III laureate head right / [OPI] A[V]G S-C, Ops seated left, holding transverse sceptre and raising the drapery from her shoulder.
RIC 612a; Cohen 569.
(24.66 grams / 31 mm)

I already had an Ops sestertius, in about the same condition, but not as pleasing surfaces. For a moment I thought I had an obverse die match, but I talked myself out of it. I'm willing to be talked back into it :

 

As Caesar, AD 138


As Augustus, but not yet "Pius", AD 138


Celebrating the 900th Anniversary of the founding of Rome, AD 140


Hadrian went everywhere, A-Pi stayed in Italia, AD 140-143


Near the end of his reign, celebrating the birth of more grandkids, AD 158/9


Divo Pio, AD 250/1

 

This is my only coin of Antoninus Pius...



Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD
AE Dupondius, 13,24 gr, Ø 27 mm,
Rome, 141-43

Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III; Radiate head right.
Rev: SALVS AVG / S-C; Salus standing left, feeding from patera in right hand serpent coiled around altar, holding sceptre in left.

RIC³ 668; Cohen 714

Ex. Heritage Auctions Inc, Auction 339 (08-01-2004), lot 12193,
Ex. Dix Noonan Webb, London – Auction 184, (03-11-2020), The Antony Scammell Collection of Roman Coins (Part II), lot 328.

 

What a wonderful tribute to one of my favorite emperors, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix! I hope your write-up becomes a feature article!

Here are some of his coins honoring Annona in my collection:


Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.16 g, 29 mm.
Rome, AD 142.
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right.
Rev: ANNONA AVG S C, Annona standing right, between modius and prow, holding corn ears and out-turned cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 597; BMCRE 1228; Cohen 37; RCV 4147; UCR 502.


Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
Roman AR denarius, 2.88 g, 18.0 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 149.
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII, laureate head, right.
Rev: COS IIII, Annona standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand over modius and resting left hand on anchor.
Refs: RIC 175; BMCRE 657-60; Cohen 284; RCV --; Strack 191.


Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
Roman AR denarius, 3.31 g, 16.2 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 152-153.
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVI, Laureate head, right.
Rev: COS IIII, Annona standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand and resting left hand on modius set on prow.
Refs: RIC 221; BMCRE 786-88; Cohen/RSC 290; RCV --.

These two were issued for the dedication of the temple in AD 143.


Faustina I, AD 138-141.
Roman AR denarius, 3.44 g, 18.7 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 143.
Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: DEDICATIO AEDIS, hexastyle temple on stepped podium, above, a quadriga, Victories as acroteria.
Refs: RIC 388; BMCRE 306; Cohen 191; Strack 426; RCV 4596; UCR 434; CRE 127.


Faustina I, AD 138-141.
Roman AR denarius, 3.55 g, 17.4 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 143.
Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: PIETAS AVG, hexastyle temple on stepped podium, above, a quadriga, Victories as acroteria.
Refs: RIC 396; BMCRE 319-21; Cohen 253; Strack 432; RCV 4599; UCR 435; CRE 129.

A third type was issued in AD 150 for the 10th anniversary of the empress's death.


Faustina Senior, Augusta AD 138-141.
Roman AR denarius, 3.27 g, 17.5 mm, 5 h.
Rome under Antoninus Pius, AD 150.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right.
Rev: AED DIV FAVSTINAE, hexastyle temple on podium; statues to right and left and seated figure of Faustina in center; statues of Victory at corners of pediment.
Refs: RIC 343; BMCRE 341; Cohen 1; RCV 4573; CRE 126.

Posthumous issue for Antoninus Pius, commemorating his consecration to the realm of the gods.


Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
Roman AR denarius, 3.26g, 17.2 mm, 5 h.
Rome, AD 161.
Obv: DIVVS ANTONINVS, head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right, with drapery on left shoulder.
Rev: CONSECRATIO, pyre of four tiers decorated with garlands and statues and surmounted by a quadriga.
Refs: RIC 438; BMCRE 60-64; RSC 164a; RCV 5193; MIR 24.
Notes: Also struck with a right-facing bare head (no drapery) portrait.

 

Cool write up and coins, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix ... thank you.

RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 BCE AR Denarius Issue 6 as Augustus IMP T AEL CAES HADR ANTONINVS - AVG PIVS P M TR P COS DES II

Hmmm, I reckon you are implying that this woman "got around"


RI Faustina Sr 138-140 CE after 146 CE DIVA AR Denarius m Antoninus Pius 17.4mm 3.2g Ceres torch fold RIC 362 RSC 104

 

Pius, sestertius, Libertas

Pius, as, Felicitas

Pius, denarius, Virtus

 

Here's a couple. Great emperor, I always mean to bid on him when I am buying but for some reason something else always catches my attention. Need to change that.

AR denarius, 146AD, 17mm, 3.2g, Rome issue 19
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP
Laurl. head right
Rev: COS IIII
Clasped right hands holding caduceus between corn-ears.
Ref: RIC 136, BMCRE 530, UCR 722




This other one i thought I would share also. It just happened to be on my desk after getting out of treatment last night and having a bath. Haven't had time to id yet. So I will give the basics

AE sestertius, 32mm, 23.3g

 

AS, Rome mint 140/44, diam. 26,51 mm, weight 9,51 gr.
Av: Laureate head to the right, ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III

RS: Concordia standing left holding a Victory and military standard, CONCORIDA EXERCITVVM, S C



and a Diva Faustina denar from 141:

Av: Draped bust to the right with diadem, DIVA FAVSTINA
Rv: Ceres, standing to the left, holds bar in her right hand and in her left hand she holds up a fold of her dress, AVGVSTA
RIC vol III, page 71, #362, max diam.17,64 mm. weight 2,36 gr.

 

Nice writeup with good examples.
Here is my Antoninus Pius denarius. Good style obverse.



Divus Antoninus Pius. AR Denarius
Rome Mint, AD 161
Obv: DIVVS ANTONINVS, with bare head right.
Rev: DIVO PIO, altar
RIC 441 (Marcus Aurelius), BMCRE 72. RSC 357.

 

My understanding of the situation in the Roman primary sources is that poor old Antoninus's reign is usually in the part of the book that is now missing. I remember somebody in one of my university courses calling him something of a "blank page" as a result of this issue. This is too bad as it would be nice to know a little bit more about the man and his policies. My Aureus of Antoninus Pius is the very first Roman gold coin I had ever owned. Av Aureus 152-153 AD Obv Head right laureate. Rv. Emperor standing left togate holing a globe. RIC 226 7.28 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen I bought the coin in Europe. A friend of mine was stationed in Germany and we drove into Italy to visit Rome and other places such as Pompeii. The trip was great and we waited till the last possible moment to start back home. We had planned to visit Basel Switzerland mostly to visit Munzen & Medaillen which was at the time still in Switzerland. We got into Basel too late to find a hotel so we slept in the car about a block away from M&M. So I got there when they were just opening. I was picking up another coin that I had won at auction and I asked to see if they had any aureii. They had something like 5 all Antoninus Pius. After some negotiation I got this guy. There ensued a memorable transfer of funds. First came about 30 dollars worth of Italian Lire. Then something like 500 Swiss francs in coins. Then Swiss paper currency . Then Canadian travelers checks. Finally some German marks. It was an interesting negotiation. First I got them to drop the price based on a down payment with funds coming later. Then another price drop as it looked like I could pay for the whole thing. Then pleading poverty I managed to save my last 100 DM. So I walked out of that place with my aureus which remained my only aureus for about 20 years.

 

a really nice one!!!

 

Nice write up. I have no Faustina coins, but here is a column reverse issued by MA:
The column base is at the Vatican museums.