About this artwork
On the front of this coin the Emperor Antoninus Pius, living up to his name, portrays himself practicing religious rites by making a sacrifice to the gods. On the back his daughter, the empress Faustina the Younger, is paired with an image of Juno who, as the wife of Jupiter, symbolized marriage and family and acted as the divine protector of children. Rome encouraged large families to populate its provinces and fill the army’s ranks. Faustina was the wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and mother of his thirteen children.
The inscription on the back of this coin translates to “Antoninus Pius ruled between 138-161 A.D.”
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium
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Artist
- Ancient Roman
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Title
- Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius
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Place
- Roman Empire (Minted in)
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Date
- 138 CE–161 CE
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Medium
- Gold
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Inscriptions
- Obverse: IMP AEL CAES HADRI ANTONINVS Reverse: AVG PIUS PMTRP COS DES II
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Dimensions
- Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of William F. Dunham
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Reference Number
- 1922.4253
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/95976/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
