Old and in the way

I had a bad bout with the flu last week. I got pneumonia as a complication and had to go to the ER on Thursday and am at last on the mend. The good news was that I had plenty of time with my coins and here at CT during my convalescence.

Yesterday, gratias Aesculapio, I was well enough to go back to work. One of the young women I work with said, "You're back to work already? I thought pneumonia killed old people!"



I guess I'm old -- maybe even in the way.

So I started wondering about who might have been the oldest person on one of my coins. We often think of Nerva as an "old emperor," but he was only 67 when he died. I thought maybe it was Antoninus Pius, who died at 74 (AD 86-161), but he wasn't the oldest, either. I think that honor goes to Tiberius, who died at 78. Tiberius, the old man. Tiberius, who happens to have been my avatar here for years ...

Post your coins with old people on them!


Tiberius, AD 14-37.
Roman AR Denarius, 3.87 g, 18.5 mm, 5 h.
Lugdunum, AD 16-37.
Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate head, right.
Rev: PONTIF MAXIM, Female figure seated right, holding long olive branch and inverted spear; legs of chair ornate, triple line below.
Refs: RIC 28; BMCRE 42-44; RSC 16b; RCV 1763 var.
Notes: The identity of the female figure on the reverse is uncertain and has been variously identified as Livia, Justitia or Pax.

 

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I am really glad for your recovery! I had a Pneumonia shot a few years ago, but it is always a concern.

Be well, my friend!

Tiberius - lived too long for the Empire's sake:


RI Tiberius AE As 14-37 CE Laureate-Pont Max Globe Rudder sinister left RIC I 58


Some other old Guys

PIUS

RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 BCE AR Denarius Issue 6 as Augustus IMP T AEL CAES HADR ANTONINVS - AVG PIVS P M TR P COS DES II


NERVA

RI Nerva AE Dupondius 96-98 CE LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileus

 

This young woman is not pretty cool.... but I don’t know how was Lucilla ...

 

The first Emperor Augustus was born 63 BC died 14 AD at age 77
commerative struck under his adoptive son Tiberius:

 

I thought that guy was a Codger, also, when he passed...

I have one like yours:


RI Augustus DIVUS under Tiberius 22-23 CE Radiate Alter Left

 

Carus was in his 60's during his reign.

 

Galba was 70 when he died, but alas I have no coins of his to show.

Glad to hear you've recovered fairly quickly RC, you must have a good constitution to be back up so quickly!

 

Also, Gordian I Africanus was 79 when he became emperor (though he wasn't around long after that). Not my coin, but...

 

Dude, you wouldn't look so old if you got dentures!



Here's my tribute penny...

 

David Sear wrote a spiral-bound book entitled "The Emperors of Rome and Byzantium" with "Chronological and Genealogical Tables for History Students and Coin Collectors." It includes dates of birth and death and cause and age at death (each in their own column), making it very easy to see how old emperors were when they died (if it is known). I see @ancient coin hunter beat me to mentioning Gordian 1, who died, according to Sear, at "approximately 80". He holds the record.
Many of these were mentioned above, but I list them again in chronological order here.
Augustus was 75, Tiberius 78, Galba "approximately 72", Vespasian 70, Antoninus Pius 74, Valerian was "approximately 67 at the time of his capture," Tacitus 76 (here is a coin):



Tacitus, Nov/Dec 275 - June 276.
Struck Feb. 276 according to Estiot, 1443/1458, type of "Emission 3" with dots in mint mark that belong to "Emission 4"
Sear III 11780.

Continuing the list: Diocletian "approximately 71." There are many listed as "age unknown."

 

Another Tacitus:

 

Good to hear you are on the mend, RC.

I have to work faster - I just researched Tacitus, and Valentinian and ACH beat me to the punch. But then I'm not as young as I used to be...

And yep, as for mature emperors, Wikipedia says Tacitus was born c. 200 and ruled 275-276 A.D. Below is one with Salus, the goddess of well-being, with a bit of a head cold (note her nimbus of green phlegm - a variety not noted in RIC or the other usual sources):



Tacitus Æ Antoninianus
(275-276 A.D.)
Rome Mint, Officina 4
IMP CM CL TACITVS AVG, radiate draped, cuirassed bust right / SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, holding sceptre, feeding serpent rising from altar, XXIΔ in exergue.
RIC 93 (3493 temp); Estiot 128.
(3.99 grams / 22 mm)


As for the ladies of a certain age, Julia Maesa, c. 160-224 A.D. was no kid when she maneuvered to get her grandson made emperor - too bad Elagabalus was such a stinker. Here, in a rather aged sestertius (not sure if that is BD - I just got this one, and I am keeping an eye on it - nothing is flaking off or powdery, yet):



Julia Maesa Æ Sestertius
(Grandmother of Elagabalus)
(218-222 A.D.) Rome Mint
[IVL]IA MAESA A[VG] draped bust right / [SAEC]VLI FELI[CITAS] S-C, Felicitas
standing left, sacrificing from patera over altar and holding long caduceus, star to right.
RIC 421 (Elagab.); Cohen 47.
(15.56 grams / 28 mm)

 

Here are some of my coins with "older" rulers...
1/ Kaiser Wilhelm II 90+
2/ Queen Elizabeth II 95+
3/ Diocletian 70+ ripe age for 280AD
4/ Clemente XI 73

 

At least Diocletian was able to retire to plant cabbages....

 

@Valentinian , thanks for the book recommendation! Nice.

(Lived to)

AUGUSTUS (75)

Octavian as Augustus LEFT-Sinister 27 BC–14 AD Quinarius Emerita 25-23 AR 13.5mm 1.79g - P CARISI LEG Victory trophy C 387. RIC 1b SCARCE


TIBERIUS (78) - he looks old in THIS coin

RI Nero and Drusus Caesar under Tiberius Carthago Nova mint AE As 14-37 CE sinister left


GALBA (approx 72)

RI GALBA 68-69 BCE AR Quinarius Lugdunum mint laureate r Victory globe stdng left 15mm 1.5g RIC 131 scarce


VESPASIAN (70)

RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 R


ANTONINUS PIUS (74)

RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 BCE BI Tet Alexandria Egypt Dikaiosyne Scale


VALERIAN (approx 67)

RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AR Ant Felicitas stndg Caduceus and Cornucopia


TACITUS (76)

RI Tacitus 275-276 CE AE Ant Providentia


GORDIAN I AFRICANUS (79)
Ummm...NOPE, not yet.


CARUS (60's)

RI Carus 282-283 CE AE 18mm Consecratio Flaming Alter
EX: @Valentinian

 

..i got ya covered on the Galba, till you can get one..and yeah, good to hear you are recovering well @Roman Collector ..

 

..there weren't many who could claim as such...

 

Mithradates VI of Pontus 73

 

Queen Elizabeth II may become first ruler to pass 100 mark....

 

Most of you probably do not remember me (that is the way life goes). I “got out of the way” although I do stop by here every so often just to see what you young whippersnappers are up to. I am enjoying life to the maximum - doing calligraphy and fondling and researching my selected Roman Imperial coins. Life is good.