The Roman Empire was at war during most of Marcus Aurelius' reign. From AD 161-166, the Roman army was occupied repelling the forces of the Parthians in the east, who had broken their earlier peace treaty and invaded Roman territory. Following the peace treaty of AD 166, Roman soldiers brought a plague with them when returning to Europe. This resulted in a decade-long epidemic that substantially depopulated some regions of the Empire and affected even the city of Rome, which had not suffered an outbreak in centuries. The weakened Roman provinces became vulnerable to invasion by a host of German and Sarmatian tribes. Most alarming were the invasions of the Marcomanni and Quadi, who crossed the Alps and ravaged Italy itself. In AD 172-173, at the conclusion of the Quadic war, Marcus set about rebuilding of what had been destroyed in the fighting. He received the title of Restitutor Italiae -- the Restorer of Italy -- in AD 173, a title which had earlier been held by Hadrian. This coin commemorates the rebuilding of Italy in the wake of the war and the new title assumed by the emperor. On this well-circulated coin's reverse, the emperor assists Italia in rising up from the ground and she offers a globe, a symbol of territorial expansion. Post your war-related Marcus Aurelius coins, Marcus Aurelius sestertii, or anything you feel is relevant! Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-180. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 21.36 g, 29.5 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 173. Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, head of Marcus Aurelius, laureate, right. Rev: RESTITVTORI ITALIAE IMP VI COS III, Marcus Aurelius, in military dress, standing left, holding vertical spear in left hand and clasping right hands with Italia kneeling right before him, holding globe in left hand; SC in exergue. Refs: RIC 1077; BMCRE 1449-1450; Cohen 538; RCV 4997; MIR 259.
Nice coins....These big bronzes are really addictive.... @Roman Collector .....Here's my first purchase of 2020 that you helped me with recently (thanks).... Minted a couple of years before the OP coin and probably commemorating the initial victory over the Marcomanni in late AD171 when the Germanic invaders were defeated and evicted from Roman territory, pushing them back across the Danube... Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Sestertius. Rome mint. Struck AD 171...(32mm, 24.68 g) Obv. Laureate, draped head right, IMP M ANTONINVS AVG TRP XXV Rev. Fides standing left, holding Victory and standard, FIDES EXERCITVVM COS III SC RIC III 997......Double die match to the only example in the British Museum Collection..
