Gold Aureus of Marcus Aurelius, 7.33 g.

Gold Aureus of Marcus Aurelius, 7.33 g.

Marcus Aurelius

169 CE

Obverse: Laureate and cuirassed bust of Marcus Aurelius facing right; M(ARCVS) ANTONINVS AVG(VSTVS) ARM(ENIACVS) PARTH(ICVS) MAX(IMVS): Marcus Antoninus Augustus, restorer of Armenia, great conqueror of the Parthians.

Reverse: Aequitas seated facing left with scales in right hand and cornucopia in left; TR(IBVNICIA) P(OTESTATE) XXII IMP(ERATOR) V CO(N)S(VL) III: with tribunician power for the twenty-second time, imperator for the fifth time, consul for the third time.

Style/Period: Roman Empire

The title Parthicus maximus in the legend refers to the victory over the Parthians in 165 CE, Armeniacus (see 91.179) to the earlier victory in Armenia. Aurelius' co-regent, Lucius Verus (see 91.184), also held both these titles. The obverse portrait belongs to the same type as 91.179. The personification of Aequitas (Equity) on the reverse is a frequent and generic type on imperial coinage; her message seems merely to be that the emperor is creating responsible economic and financial policy. She is depicted with her usual attributes, the scales referring to fairness in commercial transactions and the cornucopia, a symbol of economic prosperity.
-- Malcolm Pettingell Hyman, LU '93

Bibliography: H. Mattingly and E.A. Sydenham, The Roman Imperial Coinage III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus (London 1930) 190.

Former collection of Ottilia Buerger. Purchased from L.S. Werner, 1959.

91.177

Wriston Art Center Galleries, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI,wriston-gallery@lawrence.edu,920-832-6890

Roman, Empire, cuirass, Marcus Aurelius, Aequitas, cornucopia