expat Posted October 11, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted October 11, 2023 Roman emperor Antoninus Pius died on 7 March 161 CE in Lorium, an ancient Etruscan village on the Via Aurelia, less than twelve miles west of Rome. He was 74 years old. He had ruled as emperor since 138 CE, when he succeeded his adoptive father Hadrian. Like Hadrian before him, Antoninus wore a short beard and slightly long, curly hair. This style had been a departure from the first generations of emperors, who from Augustus to Trajan were clean shaven and had worn short, cropped hair brushed forward on the forehead. (The fashion for clean-shaven faces dated back at least to the Roman Republican general Scipio Africanus.) Various explanations have been offered as to why Hadrian broke with this tradition, including that he had blemishes on his face, but the most likely is that he was a fan of Greek culture and thus adopted the hairstyle associated with Greek philosophers. Antoninus was succeeded by his adopted sons Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who carried on his signature look. It would not be until Constantine the Great in the early 4th century that Roman emperors revived the short hair and smooth cheeks of the Julio-Claudians, a haircut often referred to today as a “Caesar.” ANTONINUS PIUS AR Denarius CONSECRATIO DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare head right / CONSECRATIO, eagle standing right on garlanded altar, head turned left. RSC 156. BMC 48. SEAR 5192. RIC 431 (Aurelius). Rome mint, after AD 161. 3,0 g - 18,5 mm Please feel free to post any Consecratio coins or Nerva-Antonine dynasty coinage 9 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted October 11, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 11, 2023 Antoninus Pius (138 - 161 A.D.) AR Denarius Struck Under Marcus Aurelius O: DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare draped bust right. R: CONSECRATIO, funeral pyre of four tiers with quadriga on top. Rome Mint, 161 - 180 A.D. 18mm 3.2g RIC III M. Aurelius 438 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted October 11, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted October 11, 2023 ..very nice!...i got an eagle on a globe recently...:) 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted October 11, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 11, 2023 I have 2 Antoninus Pius denarii after being deified. 16 mm, 2,74 g. Divus Antoninus Pius. Died 161 AD. AR denarius. Rome. DIVVS ANTONINVS, head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right / DIVO PIO, square altar. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 441; BMCRE 71 (Aurelius and Verus); RSC 357. And a similar example to the OP coin. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtisimo Posted October 11, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted October 11, 2023 Great example @expat. A-Pi has some really nice coins. One of the funeral pyre examples is on my list but I haven’t found the right one yet. Here are a few of my favorite A-Pi. Roman Empire Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161 AR Denarius, Rome mint, Struck ca. AD 140-143 Wt.: 3.01 g Dia.: 17 mm, 6h Obv.: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III; Laureate head right Rev.: AEQVITAS AVG; Aequitas standing left, holding scales and sceptre Ref.: RIC III 61; RSC 14 Egypt, Alexandria Antoninus Pius AE Drachm, Alexandria mint, struck RY 13 (AD 149/50) Dia.: 34.2 mm Wt.: 23.9 g Obv.: ΑVΤΚΤΑΙΛΑΔΡΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟCEBEVC; Laureate head right Rev.: TPIKA (date) IϚ (16); Nilus reclining left holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges a pekheis; crocodile below; L in left field Ref.: Emmett 1621.13; online RPC IV.4 13673 temp. (This coin illustrated as coin no. 11) Ex Theodosius Collection, Heritage Monthly Auction 271933, lot 35053 (Aug. 18, 2019) Egypt, Alexandria Antoninus Pius BI Tetradrachm, Alexandria mint, RY 11 = AD 147/8. Dia.: 24 mm Wt.: 13.81 g Obv.: ANTωNEINOC CEB EYCEB, Laureate bust right Rev.: L ENΔEKATOV, Elpis standing left, lifting hem of skirt and holding flower Ref.: Dattari-Savio pl. 111, 8160 (this coin illustrated); Emmett 1383.11; RPC Online IV temp #13607 (this coin cited). Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection (1853-1923), illustrated in Dattari-Savio (pl. 111, 8160); Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, donated to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1981 (1981.511) 8 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted October 11, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted October 11, 2023 12 minutes ago, Curtisimo said: Great example @expat. A-Pi has some really nice coins. One of the funeral pyre examples is on my list but I haven’t found the right one yet. The coin with the River God Nilus is a great looking coin. Thanks for sharing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted October 11, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 11, 2023 The coin pictured below is my best portrait coin of Antoninus Pius ☺️. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteB Posted October 11, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 11, 2023 Divus Antoninus Pius. Died 161 AD. AR denarius (18mm; 2.71 gm; 6h). Rome mint, under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, 162 AD. Obv: DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare head right. Rev: DIVO PIO, Antoninus Pius seated left, holding branch and scepter. RIC 442; RSC 352. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted October 11, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted October 11, 2023 One of my favorite emperors... and sadly we know little about him due to lack of sources: 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted October 12, 2023 · Patron Share Posted October 12, 2023 As far as Roman emperors go, he was a competent and benevolent one. Here's a posthumous issue. Note the "all-round" legend style in use at the time. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteB Posted October 12, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 12, 2023 Divus Antoninus Pius. Died 161 AD. AR Denarius (18mm; 3.03 gm; 6h). Consecration issue. Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius, 161 AD. Obv: Bare-headed bust right, slight drapery. Rev: Funeral pyre (more properly, an Ustrinum, based on recent scholarship) of four tiers with statues and garlands, and surmounted by facing quadriga. RIC III 438 (Aurelius); RSC 164a. 9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted October 12, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) I know Hadrian was the first with an actual beard, but if you look at coins of (for example) Titus, I don't think one could call him clean-shaven. I have no great coins of his, but here's one that definitely shows something there: That issue aside, here's my own Divus Antoninus Pius: And some other Antoninus Pius coins I like: Edited October 12, 2023 by DonnaML 7 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsyas Mike Posted October 12, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 12, 2023 I recently got two sestertii issued to commemorate Antoninus Pius's death: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted October 12, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted October 12, 2023 My example Antoninus Pius (Reg. 138-161 AD) Posthumous Denarius,161 AD Obv.: Divus Antoninus Pius / Laureate bust r., drapery on l. shoulder. Rv: CONSECRATIO, Ustrinum Ag, 3.30g, 16.6x17.5mm Ref.: RIC 438 (Aurelius), RSC 164a Ex Pri stina Hoard Ex David L. Tranbarger 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted October 12, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted October 12, 2023 Another non-clean shaven emperor prior to Hadrian. Certainly a neckbeard, if not an actual beard! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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