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<p>[QUOTE="Parthicus, post: 2582811, member: 81887"]This coin arrived in the mail yesterday, just wanted to share it after I did my research.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]560967[/ATTACH] </p><p>Roman Empire. AR denarius. Faustina Junior, wife of Marcus Aurelius (161- d.175 AD). Obverse: her bust in diadem facing right, FAVSTINA AVGVSTA. Reverse, two babies (Commodus and Antoninus) seated on throne, SAECVLI FELICIT. RIC (M. Aurelius) 712.</p><p><br /></p><p>Faustina Junior (130- 175) was the daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina Senior. She was married to Marcus Aurelius in 145; since her father Antoninus Pius had already formally adopted Marcus Aurelius as his son (and successor), presumably he formally gave up his paternal rights to Faustina so that the marriage was not legally considered incestuous. The marriage proved quite fruitful, producing 13 children, though the majority did not survive childhood. This coin marks the birth in 161 AD of twin boys, Commodus and Antoninus, with the legend "Saeculi Felicitas" (the happiness of the age). The throne they are sitting on is a pulvinar, a special ceremonial throne that is normally kept symbolically empty. Some sources state that this is intended to dedicate the twins to the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), twin sons of Jupiter. Antoninus died in childhood, but Commodus survived to succeed his father in 180. As for Commodus' reign... well, there's a good reason the "Five Good Emperors" period ends with Marcus Aurelius. As Seth Stevenson wryly observes about the reverse inscription in his "Dictionary of Roman Coins": "It is certain that the subsequent era utterly failed to prove the reality of the anticipated blessing."</p><p><br /></p><p>I won this coin in Frank Robinson's latest auction for $61. One interesting feature of the coin that I didn't notice until I looked at the enlarged photo is that is appears to be overstruck on a coin of either Marcus Aurelius or Lucius Verus. Look at the area above her head; you can see the outline of a curly-haired head similar to Aurelius or Verus. Regardless of the overstrike, I like the reverse type, both for its Imperial propaganda value (showing the continuity of the Imperial bloodline) and adding a human dimension to the Imperial family (they had babies who presumably ran around the palace and bounced on the cushions of the thrones.)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Parthicus, post: 2582811, member: 81887"]This coin arrived in the mail yesterday, just wanted to share it after I did my research. [ATTACH=full]560967[/ATTACH] Roman Empire. AR denarius. Faustina Junior, wife of Marcus Aurelius (161- d.175 AD). Obverse: her bust in diadem facing right, FAVSTINA AVGVSTA. Reverse, two babies (Commodus and Antoninus) seated on throne, SAECVLI FELICIT. RIC (M. Aurelius) 712. Faustina Junior (130- 175) was the daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina Senior. She was married to Marcus Aurelius in 145; since her father Antoninus Pius had already formally adopted Marcus Aurelius as his son (and successor), presumably he formally gave up his paternal rights to Faustina so that the marriage was not legally considered incestuous. The marriage proved quite fruitful, producing 13 children, though the majority did not survive childhood. This coin marks the birth in 161 AD of twin boys, Commodus and Antoninus, with the legend "Saeculi Felicitas" (the happiness of the age). The throne they are sitting on is a pulvinar, a special ceremonial throne that is normally kept symbolically empty. Some sources state that this is intended to dedicate the twins to the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), twin sons of Jupiter. Antoninus died in childhood, but Commodus survived to succeed his father in 180. As for Commodus' reign... well, there's a good reason the "Five Good Emperors" period ends with Marcus Aurelius. As Seth Stevenson wryly observes about the reverse inscription in his "Dictionary of Roman Coins": "It is certain that the subsequent era utterly failed to prove the reality of the anticipated blessing." I won this coin in Frank Robinson's latest auction for $61. One interesting feature of the coin that I didn't notice until I looked at the enlarged photo is that is appears to be overstruck on a coin of either Marcus Aurelius or Lucius Verus. Look at the area above her head; you can see the outline of a curly-haired head similar to Aurelius or Verus. Regardless of the overstrike, I like the reverse type, both for its Imperial propaganda value (showing the continuity of the Imperial bloodline) and adding a human dimension to the Imperial family (they had babies who presumably ran around the palace and bounced on the cushions of the thrones.)[/QUOTE]
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