The meditations of my new Marcus Aurelius sestertius & why the ones we love most hurt us most

Sellers pic:


My more mean lean and green and what it looks like in hand pic:

Marcus Aurelius
(161-180 AD). AE Sestertius (32,4 mm, 23.08 g), Rome, 165/166 AD.
Obv. M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS P M, Laureate head to right.
Rev. TR POT XX IMP III COS III / S-C, Providentia standing left, pointing with wand at globe and holding scepter.
BMC 1279; RIC 923
(Any corrections or specification is appreciated)

And then from this genius comes a man child so insecure he portrays himself, and possibly believed himself, as the second coming of Herakles!


Commodus
177-192 AD AE As 24-25 mm, 10.34 g, Rome, 192 AD.
Obv. L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, Head to right, wearing lion skin headdress.
Rev. HERCVL / ROMAN / AVGV / S C, Legend divided by club within laurel wreath.
RIC III 644; C. 193; BMC 722.
An interesting type. Fine to very fine. From: Auctiones GmbH

Please post those meditations on MA, his coins (love to see other sestertius of his), Commodus or anything stoic

 

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There is a series of sestertii showing Marcus raising a kneeling personification of a region of the empire he has aided in some way. This is RESTITVTOR ITALIAE. Who has others?

 

My latest Marcus Sestertius:


Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-180.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.15 g, 31.0 mm, 11 h.
Rome, AD 166-167.
Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, head of Marcus Aurelius, laureate, right.
Rev: TR POT XXI IMP IIII COS III S C, Victory advancing left, holding wreath in right hand and palm in left hand over left shoulder.
Refs: RIC 948; BMCRE 1318-20; Cohen 815; RCV 5011; MIR 151-6/30.

 

That's a lovely sestertius with such a beautiful glossy patina, @Ryro!

Here's an As portraying him as Caesar under A. Pius:


My favourite portrait of him:


Issued in the last few (tragic) months of his life:

 

@lordmarcovan Yes, it's a companion for me. I read it regularly, and highly recommend it.

Great coin @Ryro and much better in hand pics too.

 

Here's an old edition of Meditations (or "His Conversations" as it was called in this edition (London, 1701)):





And one of my favorite portraits (in my small collection):

 

Great-looking sestertius, Ryro!

Random meditation of the day (Gregory Hays translation):

“Pointless bustling of processions, opera arias, herds of sheep and cattle, military exercises. A bone flung to pet poodles, a little food in the fish tank. The miserable servitude of ants, scampering of frightened mice, puppets jerked on strings.

Surrounded as we are by all of this, we need to practice acceptance. Without disdain. But remembering that our own worth is measured by what we devote our energy to.”


MARCUS AURELIUS
AE Sestertius. 29.44g, 31mm. Rome mint, AD 173. RIC 1075; Cohen 535. O: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, laureate head right. R: IMP VI - COS III, Mercury standing left on pedestal, holding caduceus and purse, within a tetrastyle temple with telamons as columns; semicircular pediment containing, from left to right, tortoise, cockerel, ram, winged helmet, caduceus, and purse; S-C in field, RELIG AVG in exergue.

 

I've posted this before, but in case you didn't see it, here's a provincial of MA. I've yet to find another example anywhere. Perhaps someone has seen one?

Provincial Bronze (AE26)
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, before A.D. 161
Obv: AVPHΛIOC OVHPOC KAICAP
Rev: NEIKOΠOΛEITΩNΠPOC IC - Serapis, standing left, holding scepter and sacrificing with patera over altar.
Unlisted in Moushmov or RPC; unpublished?
26mm, 11.0g.

 

Thanks for the nice write-up and Fun Facts, Herr @Ryro ! Nice coins also! It is kinda hard to associate Marcus Aurelius with Commodus... he grew up under Aurelius, but appears he did not embrace Stoicism...

Read Meditations when I was a wee lad, and have embraced the philosophy for close to 50 years.

This is a Sestertius that I carried as a pocket piece / reminder for a few years.

Got this from @John Anthony


RI Aurelius Marcus 161-180 AE Sestertius S-C

 

Love those Meditations. I routinely read passages from the book from time to time. Marcus as Caesar from Alexandria:

Type: AE Drachm, 33mm, 22.95 grams of Alexandria

Obverse: Bare headed and draped bust of Aurelius right
M AVPHLIOC KAICAP

Reverse: Elpis Standing left holding flower and hitching skirt
LEND EKATOV

Reference: BMC 1238 listed as "rare" by R.A. Numismatics

 

and his kid , young and innocent :

 

One tends to think of Marcus Aurelius campaigning on the Rhine
but the Parthians also had to be faced


Marcus Aurelius AD 161-180. Rome
Sestertius Æ

31 mm., 26,94 g.

[M AVREL ANT]ONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate bust right / TR POT XX IMP IIII [COS III], Victory standing right, half-draped, holding palm and placing shield on palm tree; VIC PAR on shield; S-C in fields

 

Marcus Aurelius Sestertius 170-171 AD Obv. Head right laureate Rv Inscription within wreath RIC 1006 30.57 grms 31 mm Photo by W Hansen

 

Some nice coins here , I like Marcus Aurelius especially his sestertius here is my favourite
Marcus Aurelius, 161-180. Sestertius Rome, struck 173-174 AD.

M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVIII Laureate and cuirassed bust of Marcus Aurelius to right, seen from behind.

Rev. IMP V COS III / S - C Jupiter seated left on throne, holding Victory in his right hand and long scepter with his left. BMC 1472. Cohen 252. RIC 1098

 

A provincial Æ
Lydia, Conventus Smyrna, Magnesia ad Sipylum 161 - 180 AD; Magistrate Ailios Herakleides

38 x 40 mm, 23.45 g
RPC IV.2 1335 (temporary), Mionnet IV, S. 75, 408;

Ob.: ΑΥ Κ Μ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟС ΑΝΤΩΝƐΙΝΟС bare-headed bust of Marcus Aurelius wearing cuirass(?) and paludamentum, r.
Rev.: ƐΠΙ СΤΡ ΑΙΛΙΟΥ ΗΡΑΚΛƐΙΔΟV / ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ СΙΠΥΛ turreted Cybele seated l. on throne between two seated lions, resting elbow upon tympanum and holding patera

​

 

..wow!..kool book Mike!!...

 

A bit rough. But I love that soft-serve beard.