MARCUS AURELIUS
THE PHILOSOPHER

Reigned: 161-180 A.D.

  MARCVS AELIVS AVRELIVS VERVS, born Marcus Annius Verus in 121 at Rome to Domitia Lucilla and Annius Verus, had his name changed when he was adopted by his uncle Antoninus Pius in 138. He married Faustina Jr. in 145, and became Augustus after Pius died on March 7, 161. He then made Lucius Verus his co-ruler. Aurelius' reign was one of constant warfare, most of which he personally directed after 167 (Verus died in 169). He had nearly achieved total victory along the Danube when he died at Vienna on March 17, 180 after a brief illness. He was deified and buried in Hadrian's Tomb.(From MONETA, from www.numus.com)

The Denarii


Silver Denarius 18mm Struck 140-144 A.D. Rome, as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG P II F COS Barehead right

Rev: PIETAS AVG Knife, sprinkler, ewer, lituus, and simpulum.

RIC 424a (Pius)       Kevin Ingleston Collection


Silver denarius 17.9mm (3.24gm) Struck 140-144 A.D. Rome as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS Bare head right - beardless youth

Rev: PIETAS AVG Knife, sprinkler, ewer, lituus, and simpulum.

RIC 424d (Pius), Cohen 451,Sear 4786  Tom Mullally Collection



Silver Denarius 18mm (3.48gm) Struck 159-160 A.D. Rome, as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAES AVG PII F. Bare head right.

Rev: TR POT XIIII COS II. Minerva advancing right brandishing javelin and holding shield.

RIC III 483 (Pius), SR 4797, VM 58. Mark Lehman Collection

Silver Denarius 17.34mm (3.31gm) Struck 161 A.D Rome

Obv: IMP M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG Marcus Aurelius, his laureate head right.

Rev: CONCORD AVG TR P XV Concordia seated left, holding patera in left hand, right hand resting on statue of spes, a cornucopiae under her seat COS III in exergue

RIC 3, RSC 31, Van Meter 5a   Jan de Veen Collection


Silver Denarius 17.7mm (3.37gm) Struck Mar-Dec 161 A.D Rome

Obv: IMP M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG Bare head right

Rev: PROV DEOR TR P XV COS III Providentia standing left holding globe and cornucopia.

RIC 22, Cohen 507     Tom Mullally Collection


Silver Denarius 17.4mm (2.91gm) Struck 163-164 A.D. Rome

Obv: ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS Bare head right

Rev: P M TR P XVIII IMP II COS III Mars standing right holding reversed spear and leaning on shield.

RIC 91, Cohen 468    Tom Mullally Collection


Silver Denarius 17.2mm (3.05gm) Struck 164-165 A.D. Rome

Obv: ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS Laureate head right

Rev: ARMEN P M TR P XIX IMP II COS III Armenia seated left in mournful attitude; before her, vexillum and shield, left hand on bow.

RIC 122, Cohen 9, Sear 4881 var    Tom Mullally Collection


Silver Denarius 18.2mm (3.23gm) Struck 161-180 A.D. Rome

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate head right.

Rev: TR P XX IMP IIII COS III Victory standing right, inscribing shield VIC PAR set on palm, and holding palm.

RIC 163, Cohen 878, Sear 4933  Tom Mullally Collection

Silver Denarius 18.5mm (3.69gm) Struck 168-168 A.D. Rome as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate bust right

Rev: TR P XXII IMP IIII COS II Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucpoia

RIC 178      Kevin Ingleston Collection

 

The Sestertii

Orichalum Sestertius 33mm (23.59gm) Struck 151-2 A.D. Rome as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII FIL. Bare-headed draped bust right.

Rev: TR POT VI COS II S - C. Genius Exercitcs standing left sacrificing from patera over altar and holding aquila.

RIC III 1302a (Pius), SR 4813   Mark Lehman Collection

Bronze Sestertius 30mm (32.65gm) Struck 162-163 A.D Rome as Caesar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII FIL Bare head, draped, right

Rev: TR POT X II COS II S C Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and scepter, leaning on column

RIC 1345 (Pius)    Harry Stewart Collection



Orichalcum Sestertius 34.5mm (26.52gm) Struck 161 A.D. Rome

Obv: IMP CAES M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG P M
Laureate head right.

Rev: CONCORD AVGVSTOR TR P XVI; in ex: COS III; S - C
Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus clasping hands.

RIC III 796, SR 4962, VM 96     Mark Lehman Collection



Orichalcum Sestertius 31mm (22.33gm) Struck 166 A.D. Rome

Obv: M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX. Laureate head right.

Rev: TR POT XX IMP IIII COS III S - C. Victory standing right, holding palm and attaching shield inscribed VIC / PAR to palm tree.

RIC III 931, SR 5010, VM 126.    Mark Lehman Collection


Orichalcum Sestertius 32mm (25.05gm) Struck 171 A.D. Rome

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXV. Laureate head right.

Rev: PRIMI / DECEN / NALES / COS III / SC. in five lines within oak-wreath.

RIC III 1003, SR 4992, VM 110.    Mark Lehman Collection


Orichalcum Sestertius 30mm (24.63gm) Struck 173 A.D. Rome

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XVII. Laureate head rihgt.

Rev: IMP VI COS III S - C. Jupiter seated left holding Victory and scepter.

RIC III 1064, Cf. SR 4975. VM 99.   Mark Lehman Collection


Copper Sestertius 30mm Struck 176-177 A.D Rome

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI Laureate head right

Rev: DE GERMANIS IMP VII COS III P P S C Pile of arms

RIC 1184     Kevin Ingleston Collection


Orichalcum Sestertius 31mm (26.68gm) Struck 177 A.D. Rome

Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI. Laureate head right.

Rev: VOTA PVBLICA IMP VIIII COS III S - C. Aurelius standing left sacrificing over tripod altar

RIC III 1226, SR 5018     Mark Lehman Collection

 

The Asses

AE As 26mm Struck 140-144 A.D. Rome. as Ceasar under Antoninus Pius

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG P II F COS Draped and bare-headed bust right

Rev: PIETAS AVG S C Aspergillum, praeferculum, and lituus, simpulum

RIC 1240c (Pius), C. 455, Vm160   Harry Stewart Collection

 

 

Posthumous Issues

Orichalcum Sestertius 31mm (23.08gm) Struck 180A.D. issued under Commodus

Obv: DIVVS M ANTONINVS PIVS. Bare head right

Rev: CONSECRATIO S - C. Eagle standing right on globe, looking back.

RIC III 654 (Comm), SR 5982   Mark Lehman Collection