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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 4340385, member: 75937&quot;]Historically interesting coin, [USER=44316]@Valentinian[/USER] !</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s one of my favorites, primarily because it&#039;s not as generic as many FORTVNA coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1099684[/ATTACH]Faustina Junior, AD 161-175</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.82 g, 17.7 mm, 2 h</p><p>Rome, AD 161-175</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right</p><p>Rev: FORTVNAE MVLIEBRI, Fortuna Muliebris enthroned left, holding rudder and cornucopiae</p><p>Refs: RIC 683; BMCRE 96; Cohen 107; RCV 5253; CRE 181.</p><p><br /></p><p>Fortuna Muliebris (Womanly Fortune) is an aspect of the Roman goddess of luck and fate who cared for the well-being and luck of women, especially married women. According to a legend recorded by Plutarch (<a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0223%3Asection%3D5" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0223%3Asection%3D5" rel="nofollow"><i>De fortuna Romanorum</i> 5.7</a>), worship of Fortuna Muliebris was instituted at a time when Rome was under attack in the 5th century BC by Cnaeus Marcius Coriolanus, a descendant of Ancus Marcius, an early king. Once a hero of Rome, he later led an army of Volscians against the city, and refused all the pleadings of the senators and the priests to stop the attack. Until, that is, the matrons of Rome came out to plead with him, including his own mother, Veturia, with his wife and their two young children. They managed to convince him to call it off, and on the spot where Veturia talked him out of it he dedicated a temple to Fortuna Muliebris in honor of them.</p><p><br /></p><p>This temple was at the fourth milestone of the Via Latina, one of the main roads out of Rome. Tradition has is that the temple was founded prior to the mid-4th century BC on the 6th day of July, which became its festival day. Her statue there could only be touched by matrons who had been married once, and was credited with being able to speak. After its consecration, Plutarch (ibid) reports the statue pronounced, &quot;Women of the City, you have dedicated me by the holy law of Rome.&quot;[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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