Still clearing up the backlog of cool new coins I haven't posted yet. Here's one I won in Ken Dorney's recent auction: Roman Empire, Rome mint. AR denarius (18mm, 3.42g). Faustina Junior, wife of Antoninus Pius (161-175 AD). Obverse: Draped bust right, FAVSTINA AVGVSTA around. Reverse: Fecunditas (or Faustina?) standing with two babies in her arms and two children at her feet, FECVND AVGVSTAE around. RIC (Marcus Aurelius) 676. Faustina Junior was probably born in 130 AD (exact date is uncertain), daughter of the soon-to-be-emperor Antoninus Pius and Faustina Senior. She was married to Marcus Aurelius, already the heir apparent to Antoninus Pius, in 145 AD, and bore his first child in 147 AD. Relatively little is known of her adult life, but she was rumored to have taken many lovers, to have ordered various murders, and even to have secretly backed a revolt against Marcus Aurelius in 175 AD. Despite all this, she was popular, especially with the army, and Aurelius remained devoted to her. She died in late 175 AD, and was promptly deified. During her life she gave birth to a total of 13 children, only a few of whom survived to adulthood; one would become the emperor Commodus, who today is most famous for murdering Russell Crowe in the film "Gladiator". Faustina's fertility is celebrated on a number of coin types, of which this is one of the more common. I especially like the realistic way the two older children are trying to get their mother's attention despite the fact that she is already busy with two babies in her arms. (RIC describes the adult figure on the reverse as Fecunditas, but I like to imagine it is Faustina herself, even though she doubtless had an army of servants/slaves to do the actual hard work of child-rearing.) Please post your coins of the very fertile Faustina.
Nice coin! I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I enjoy all the writeups that you post along with your coins. Thanks! This sestertius of her father shows Faustina as Pietas, with only three children, so not quite as burdened as on your coin... ANTONINUS PIUS AE Sestertius. 27.24g, 32mm. Rome mint, AD 158-159. RIC 1002. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, laureate head right. R: PIETATI AVG COS IIII, Pietas standing facing, head left, globe extended in right, child in left arm, flanked by a child on each side at her feet; S-C across field. Notes: Pius's daughter, Faustina, as Pietas on the reverse, holding newborn Fadilla, with daughters Faustina and Lucilla standing by her side.
Some bronze coins of the fecund Faustina from my collection: Dupondius Sestertius Dupondius Sestertius Dupondius Sestertius
Nice coin and story Faustina junior, Denarius Rome mint, AD 161/175 FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right DIANA LVCIF, Diana Lucifera standing left Ref : RCV #5250 Diva Faustina II, Sestertius Posthumous issue, Rome mint, after AD 176 DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right SIDERIBVS RECEPTA, Diana standing right, holding a torch, SC in field 19.76 gr Ref : Cohen # 215, RCV # 5233 v Q
