Lucius Aurelius Verus - Emperor 161 - 169.

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Eduard, Nov 13, 2016.

  1. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    On the death of Antonius Pius 161 A.D, Lucius Verus became co-emperor with his adoptive brother Marcus Aurelius.
    Marcus was Hadrian's great nephew, while Lucius was his adoptive grandson. It had been pre-arranged by Hadrian that upon Antoninus' death, Lucius should become emperor, but Antoninus Pius preferred Marcus and would have liked to see him rule alone over the empire. Marcus Aurelius', however, intent on seen Hadrian's will honored, arranged for joint rule with between himself and his adoptive brother Lucius Verus, and the senate agreed.
    Verus thus ruled as co-emperor for 7 years, between 161-169 A.D.
    Much of the time he was involved in military campaigns in the east (Armenia, Syria and Mesopotamia), as well as long the northern border against the Marcommanen who threatened to invade Italy itself. He died of disease, or possibly a stroke during one of the campaigns.

    The Historia Augusta was not kind to Lucius Verus, portraying him as weak and prone to luxury whilst at the same time exalting the character and virtues of his adoptive brother.
    The truth most certainly lies in the middle.

    This is a sestertius of Lucius Verus from the recent sale of the Lückger Collection.

    Lucius Verus, Sestertius, Rome, 163-164.
    Obv: Verus, wreathed bust r.
    Rev: Mars standing with shield and spear, S-C.
    S. 226. RIC 1385, 24,91 g.

    Busts of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (in background).

    Co-emperors_Marcus_Aurelius_and_Lucius_Verus,_British_Museum_(23455313842).jpg IMG_5966 (1)_opt.jpg IMG_6267 (1)_opt.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2016
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  3. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    A most beautiful coin with a majestic portrait and lifely reverse. Congrats !

    Q
     
  4. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    A stunning coin all round.
     
  5. Aethelred

    Aethelred The Old Dead King

    Wonderful coin, from a very interesting time.
     
  6. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Gasp! That's a real eye-popper.

    Here's what I have, mid-reign:
    [​IMG]
    Bronze As
    Rome mint, A.D. 164-165
    Obv: L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS
    Rev: LIBERA AVG TR P V IMP II COS II - Liberalitas, standing, facing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae, between S and C
    RIC (Marcus Aurelius) 1416
    24mm, 10.6g.
     
    Puckles, randygeki, ro1974 and 19 others like this.
  7. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    That's a wonderful coin @Eduard.

    Lucius Verus 2.jpg
    LUCIUS VERUS
    AR Denarius
    OBVERSE: L VERVS AVG ARMENICACVS, laureate head right
    REVERSE: TR P V IMP II COS II, Mars standing right, holding spear & leaning on shield
    Struck at Rome, 163-4 AD
    3.0g, 16mm
    RIC 529 (Marcus Aurelius), C 263
    Lucius Verus 1.jpg
    LUCIUS VERUS
    AR Denarius
    OBVERSE: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head right
    REVERSE: FORT RED TR P VIII IMP V, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder & cornucopiae. COS III in ex.
    Struck at Rome, Feb to Dec AD 168
    2.5g, 19mm
    RIC 586 (Marcus Aurelius), C 111
     
  8. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Gorgeous coin, @Eduard!

    I have a couple of Provincials of LV but no Imperials.

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Lucius Verus
    year 4, CE 163/4
    tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.51 gm
    Obv: ΛAVPHΛI OVHPOCCEB; bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust left
    Rev: Radiate and draped bust of Serapis-Pantheos right, wearing calathus and horn of Ammon; trident behind shoulder; ∆/L in right field
    Ref: Emmett 2360 (4), R1; Köln 2148; Dattari (Savio) 9420; K&G 39.77

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Lucius Verus

    year 4, CE 163/4
    tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.4 gm
    Obv: ΛAVPHΛI OVHPOCCEB; bare head right
    Rev: laureate bust of Zeus right; L-Δ
    Ref: Emmett 2367 (4), R1
     
  9. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    What an excellent acquisition, Eduard... that bust is really outstanding!

    Here are three issues of Verus that I like very much - one living, one dead, and one provincial.

    upload_2016-11-13_21-36-35.png
    LUCIUS VERUS
    AE Sestertius. 24.35g, 31.8mm. Rome mint, AD 164. RIC 1379. O: L AVREL VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, Laureate and cuirassed bust right. R: TR P IIII IMP II COS II, Mars advancing right, holding trophy and transverse spear; S C across field.

    upload_2016-11-13_21-37-12.png
    DIVUS LUCIUS VERUS
    AR Denarius. 3.64g, 19.7mm. Rome mint, AD 169, Consecration issue struck under Marcus Aurelius. RIC III 596a; BMCRE IV p. 456, 503 and pl. 62.19; C 55. O: DIVVS VERVS, bare head right. R: CONSECRATIO, Eagle standing front, body inclined right, head turned left, stands on bar.
    Ex A.K. Collection

    upload_2016-11-13_21-38-39.png
    LUCIUS VERUS
    AR Didrachm. 6.64g, 21.4mm. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea, AD 161-166 (Cos 2). Metcalf 131d; RPC Online Vol. 4, #7030. O: AYTOKP OYHPOC CEBACTOC, cuirassed bust right, viewed from behind. R: YΠATOC B, Mount Argaeus with two large rocks at its base, left rock decorated with a deer leaping left, right rock with a tree; on summit, Helios standing left, holding globe and long sceptre.
     
  10. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Fantastic bronze, love the portrait.

    [​IMG]
    Lucius Verus (161 - 169)
    AR Denarius
    O: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate head right.
    R:TR P VII IMP IIII COS III Aequitas standing facing, head left, holding scales and cornucopia.
    Rome
    RIC 576 (Aurelius), RSC 297
    18.5mm
    3.3g

    [​IMG]
    Lucius Verus (161 - 169)
    Caesarea, Cappadocia
    AR Didrachm
    O: AYTOKR OYHPOC CEBACTOC Bare-headed and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
    R: YPA TOS B ,Mt. Argaeus surmounted by Helios standing left.
    Struck 161-166 A.D. (as COS II)
    Caesarea, Cappadocia Mint
    6.3g
    20mm
    Metcalf, Caesarea 131d; Sydenham, Caesarea
     
  11. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    @Eduard that is a wonderful Sestertius!

    Mine are rather pedestrian, but fill my Roman Ruler Portraits...

    RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AE 24mm Mars w Trophy Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AE As 24mm Mars w Trophy

    RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AR Denarius Providentia glob cornucopiae RIC 253 Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AR Denarius Providentia glob cornucopiae RIC 253
     
  12. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    Thank you, guys for your posting your coins of Lucius Verus - all of them very nice!
     
  13. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Atta-boy, Eduard ... that is a great OP-addition and I absolutely "love" your new marble statues!! (very cool)

    ;)

    I only have one example of Lucky-V ... but I love it!!

    Lucius Verus AE Sestertius
    164 AD
    Diameter: 33 mm
    Weight: 26.69 grams
    Obverse: L AVREL VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate head right
    Reverse: TR P IIII IMP II COS II S-C, Victory standing right, placing a shield inscribed VIC/AVG in two lines on palm
    Reference: RIC 1396, Cohen 249
    Other: GOOD FINE … Nice portrait


    Lucius Verus Want.jpg

    :rolleyes:
     
  14. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Here is a Commodus, son of Marcus:
    CommodusSest.jpg
    33 mm. Sestertius.
    Struck Jan. - Dec. 9 181.
    BMC 453, page 772. RIC 310, page 404.
    TRP VI IMPIIII COS III PP
    in ex: LIB AVG IIII for his fourth Liberality.
    An interesting article on Liberalities is in SAN Vol. VI, No. 4 (1974)
    "Congiaria and Liberalitates" by Carl W. A. Carlson
     
  15. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    That's a beauty Eduard! Awesome portrait.

    Here's a really rough but rare Verus from Corinth and a couple from Elaea and Selge.

    Corinth.jpg
    Achaea. Corinthia, Corinth. Lucius Verus AE26 Melikertes-Palaimon
    Peloponnesus. Corinthia, Corinth. Obv. bare-headed bust of Lucius Verus wearing cuirass, r. [IMP L AVR VERVS AVG] Rev. Melikertes-Palaimon riding on dolphin, l.; in pine wreath C L I COR.

    ElaeaVerus.jpg
    Aeolis, Elaea. Lucius Verus AE16
    Obv: LOVKIOC KAICAP, Bare-headed youthful bust r.
    Rev: ELAI TWN, Kalathos with grain-ears and poppies.

    normal_VerusSelge.jpg
    Pisidia, Selge. Lucius Verus AE19
    Obv: KAI BHROS / Barehead bust of Lucius Verus.
    Rev: SELGE WN / Winged thunderbolt and bow decorated w. animal heads.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2016
  16. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    re2030bb1093.jpg
    Hadrian originally intended his successor to be Aelius Caesar (on an as above), who predeceased him leaving a young son Lucius Verus - too young to be made emperor. Antoninus Pius agreed to adopt the boy and make him his successor. The boy grew up to be a playboy and probably not the person Hadrian hoped he would be but Pius considered a promise to be sacred so named the most capable Aurelius and the pledged Verus to be the first co-emperors. Verus predeceased Aurelius which may be too bad for history since it could have spared us the tragedy named Commodus. 'What if' is a pointless game for historians but can be fun for authors of historical fiction.
     
  17. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    @steve, @Valentinian, @ancientone, those are all great examples and thanks for posting them!

    Another L. Verus sestertius.

    Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. Æ Sestertius. Rome mint. Struck AD 164.
    Obv: Bare head right
    Rev: Victory standing right, holding trophy; to right, Armenia seated right. RIC III 1409

    IMG_0943 (1)_opt.jpg IMG_0953 (1)_opt.jpg
     
  18. Okidoki

    Okidoki Well-Known Member

    great coins here, especially this OP coin, one of the best toning combined patina

    best

    Eric
     
  19. Cyrrhus

    Cyrrhus Well-Known Member

    B IMG_0174.JPG IMG_0175.JPG oth on one coin.
     
  20. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    That is a lovely coin. Many years ago there was a LV sestertius on auction. I looked at it and said, "that's a $1,500 coin". I missed the auction as I was in London at the time buying coins and didnt put in a mail bid. It sold for the exact $1,500 I thought it would. It later sold for $3,500:

    650985 (1).jpg

    I am still waiting to add this one to my collection. There are plenty out there (well, this one is a rare bust variety), but few with the eye appeal.
     
  21. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I do agree that one is better than my common and ugly example (the $56 version). I wonder how much of that $3500 is the rare bust type. Not much I suspect. Eye appeal trumps rarity every time.
    re2380bb0763.jpg
     
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