19 September, 86 AD. Happy 1934th birthday Antoninus Pius. He may not be as fierce as his predecessors, but he sure knew how to run the largest empire in the world at that time! Fun fact, if not for his humility this month of September as we know it would've been called something along in his name! While someone *cough Commodus cough* was hell-bent on naming this month on behalf of himself, Antoninus rejected the motion that was actually requested by the senate. ANTONINVS PIVS- COS IIII FAVSTINA senior- CERES
Attractive coins, @JayAg47 ! I love Antonine coinage! Antoninus Pius is my favorite emperor. He bore the epithet of "Pius," perhaps best translated as "devoted." Pius to the empire, Pius to his family, Pius to principles. This coin perhaps embodies his piety more than any others: Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Roman AR denarius, 3.15 g, 18.1 mm, 11 h. Rome, December, AD 160- March, AD 161. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIIII, laureate head, right. Rev: PIETATI AVG COS IIII, Faustina II (as Pietas) standing left, holding a child on each arm; at each side of her, a child standing looking towards her and raising hand. Refs: RIC 313c; BMCRE 1013-14; Cohen 631; Strack 384; RCV 4098.
Nice coins! Pius is my mystery Emperor. The only biography we have left from him is the Historia Augustae....With his very long reign almost 240 different reverse type have been minted for him. Here are 2 of them : Ae As Ae Sestertius
Happy birthday Antoninus Pius. I'm not sure the British loved him all that much, although he sent Quintus Lollius Urbicus to do his dirty work. Antoninus Pius, bronze as, 8.63g. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVIII. BRITANNIA - COS IIII, SC (RIC III, 934; BMC 1972; C.117).
AR 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.
Yes, a good administrator and ruler with common sense and common decency. I think his brass coinage, though he may not have anything to do with it, is among the very best of ancient coinage, usually well struck and handsome in appearance as shown in these two examples of sesterces. The one on the left is of the emperor with SALVS AVG COS IIII feeding a serpent and the obligatory SC. It is Sear 4216. On the right, of a nude Mars advancing, on the reverse reverse with, again, the SC. It is Sear 4219.
I had no idea of the number. I might have guessed higher. Those who know me know I am hard on 'someone standing there' coin types and Pius certainly had his share of those but he must have at least forty really special types. Above that, he is without question the single most productive ruler for Alanandrian drachms. Emmett lists 266 drachms for him and that does not include other denominations or the coins issued for his family members. Included in those 266 are easily the most spectacular reverse types ever issued. Some are so rare and popular that only a billionaire might collect them; some are owned by Coin Talk members. A few of my Pius favorites: Sestertius with grandkids' heads as with Mars and Rhea Silvia Alexandrian drachm with man headed serpent drachm with Zeus on eagle drachm with Serapis in temple diobol with bull obol with modius I could see how someone could specialize in his coins.
Happy Birthday Antoninus! Here are a couple of my favorite: A chunky Alexandrian Tet A Dupondus with a pleasant green patina that I was unable to properly capture.
Antoninus Pius is certainly an underrated historical figure, to say the least. Nonetheless, a denarius bearing his image is perhaps my favorite piece among my growing ancient coin collection and my current avatar. AR Denarius 144 A.D. Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III; Laureate head right. Reverse: ANNONA AVG. Modius with four-grain ears and a poppy. Rome Mint RIC III 62a Ae As: Rome ninth centenary celebration 148-149 A.D. Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII; Laureate head right Reverse: MVNIFICENTIA AVG COS IIII S-C; Munificentia standing left, holding wreath and sceptre: at feet: lion. Rome Mint RIC IV 861
Fun coins, @JayAg47 . 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
Roman Egypt, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. AE Obol (18mm, 4.65g). Dated RY 10 (AD 146/147). Obv: Laureate head right. Rev: Panther walking right, head raised and chest out; LDEK (year)above. Ref: BMC -; Milne -; Emmett 1777.
Antoninus was undoubtedly a conscientious and competent administrator....but he could not be described as the most fascinating or colourful character in Roman histories. Here's a sestertius of the emperor I picked up recently.
I have only two Antoninus Pius coins (I'm actually expecting another one, but don't want to post about it until it arrives!). I bought these so long ago that I don't have the sellers' photos anymore, and have to inflict my own cell phone photos upon you: Antoninus Pius AR Denarius, 149 AD. Obv. Laureate head right, ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII / Rev. Annona standing left holding corn ears over modius left and anchor right, COS III. RIC III 175, RSC II 284, BMCRE 657. 19.5 mm., 3.242 g. Divus Antoninus Pius AR Denarius. Obv. Bare-headed bust right, slight drapery, DIVVS ANTONINVS / Rev. Funeral pyre, CONSECRATIO. RIC III 438MA , RSC II 164a, Sear RCV II 5193, BMCRE 60 (MA). 17.46 mm., 3.37 g. The reverse of this coin, as I've mentioned before, always reminds me of a wedding cake. Candles and all.
@Romancollector, some of us --no, around the world-- could feel nostalgic for merely competent, boring, reliably grown-up leaders. Fitting that he adopted Marcus Aurelius. Not sure what went wrong after that.
@Romancollector, this is very cool, for the 'monumental' reverse, evoking Julio-Claudians, as late as this.
@DonnaML, for a cell phone, your pictures are Just Fine. (--Should I get one?) So are the coins! Have to like the funeral pyre on the CONSECRATIO one.
Thank you. But how can you not have a cell phone? The only other person I knew who didn't have one was my father, but he was already past 80 when cell phones became ubiquitous, and 94 when he passed away!