Today i bought a denarius of Lucius Verus to include in my "5"good emperors set(last week i bought one of Marcus A & awaiting it to arrive). I'm really at a loss as to why he isn't included, or how come there's not a "6" good emperors instead of 5...I know he died during the co-reign of him and Marcus Aurelius, but i cant think of the set without including him also..what is your view on this? I'll post'em when i get'em POST YOU COINS & COMMENTS PEEPS!
Personally, I like the concept of Mary Beard's fourteen emperors. They are historically important and collectors of every budget can acquire a set. Lucius Verus is included: Lucius Verus, AD 161-169. Roman AR Denarius, 17 mm, 3.36g, 6h. Rome, AD 168. Obv: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head right. Rev: FORT RED TR P VIII IMP V COS III, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 586; BMC 477; Cohen 111; RCV 5350; MIR 170.
Lucius Verus (161 - 169) AR Denarius O: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate head right. R:TR P VII IMP IIII COS III Aequitas standing facing, head left, holding scales and cornucopia. Rome 18.5mm 3.3g RIC 576 (Aurelius), RSC 297 Lucius Verus (161 - 169 A.D.) Caesarea, Cappadocia AR Didrachm O: AYTOKR OYHPOC CEBACTOC Bare-headed and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. R: YPA TOS B ,Mt. Argaeus surmounted by Helios standing left. Struck 161-166 A.D. (as COS II) Caesarea, Cappadocia Mint 6.3g 20mm Metcalf, Caesarea 131d; Sydenham, Caesarea
My only Verus, although several have passed through my hands My understanding is that Verus was omitted because, while he wasn't a bad emperor in any sense, he wasn't exactly exemplary either. He indulged in food and gambling, wasted money sprinkling gold dust in his hair, and was carried through his Parthian campaign by highly competent generals. He literally brought a troop of circus performers to war with him because he was afraid he'd be bored. He also picked up a mistress and had so many affairs that Aurelius almost annulled his betrothal to Lucilla. I've heard it said that Aurelius sent Verus to Parthia for the same reason an unruly child would have been sent to boarding school a century ago.
I agree with Finn235's assessment. Verus was not a bad person, but he definitely was not the prime mover of the duo. The designation of "five good emperors" was originally coined by Machiavelli (I'm not sure what his yardstick was to judge goodness). Gibbons took it further and certainly gave more weight to the term. Verus was more of a profligate in the eyes of a 17th-18th century audience; he enjoyed gambling and wine more than austere governance so Marcus naturally eclipsed him. Marcus would have been the person you sought advice from, whereas Lucius might have been the friend you would want to go out and spend a Saturday night with.
Nice portraits of his, especially the last two Lucius Verus, Denarius - Rome minte, AD 165 L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, Laureate head of Verus right TRP V IMP III COS II, Captive (Pathian or Armenian) seated right, before him, bow, quiver and shield 3.10 gr Ref : Cohen #273, RCV #5358 Q
