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Message:: [QUOTE="Orielensis, post: 6869658, member: 96898"]For me, it's a tie between Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. The former consolidated the empire, stopped the wasteful expansionism of his predecessors, and stimulated a renewal of Greek philosophy, scholarship and art. The latter reigned more than twenty years in peace while Rome thrived both culturally and economically – probably the greatest success that any ruler should wish for. [ATTACH=full]1272599[/ATTACH] Hadrian, Roman Empire, AE as, 125–128 AD, Rome mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS; bust of Hadrian, laureate, r. Rev: COS III; Salus, draped, standing r., feeding snake out of patera; in fields flanking, SC. 26mm, 10.2g. Ref: RIC II Hadrian, 669c. [ATTACH=full]1272598[/ATTACH] Antoninus Pius, Roman Empire, denarius, 155–156 AD, Rome mint. Obv: [ANTO]NINVS AVG PIVS PP [IMP II], head of Antoninus Pius, laureate, r. Rev: TR POT XIX [CO]S III, Annona standing l., holding corn ears, resting l. hand on modius standing on prow with rudder leaning on it. 18mm, 3.27g. Ref: RIC III Antoninus Pius 249.[/QUOTE]