The Roman Empire
Domitian


Obverse
Enlarge  
  
Reverse
Enlarge  

Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC Ch XF Strike: 4/5 Surface: 3/5
Owner: Kohaku
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Roman Empire
Slot Name: Domitian
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

This ancient coin was struck in the city of Tarsus, under Rome’s suzerainty ever since 67 BC and Pompey the Great’s campaign against Cilician pirates marauding the region. Tarsus’ coins provide interesting and important insights into the history of the ancient Roman Empire. For example, the current coin is perhaps the only regular issue representing Annius Verus (162? – 169? AD), son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Empress Faustina Jr. The obverse depicts the confronted busts of two young males, each bareheaded and draped, with a caduceus and a club crossed between them. The obverse inscription, KOPOI CEBACTOV, indicates that the two figures are sons of the Roman Augustus, namely Marcus Aurelius. It is widely viewed that the figures are Commodus and Annius Verus, although the obverse inscription does not provide any further insight. Interestingly, a medallion contemporaneously struck in Rome depicts similarly confronted portraits of the two imperial brothers, wherein the attribution is confirmed from the accompanying inscription. With regards to the current coin, physiognomy and other evidence suggest that the figure on the left is Caesar Commodus and the figure on the right is Caesar Annius Verus. By the time this coin was struck (late 160s AD), Faustina Jr. had borne at least a dozen imperial children; however, owing to a high rate of child mortality, only two boys survived, namely Commodus and Annius Verus. For an Empire struggling against plague and barbarian invasions, the two boys represented Rome’s future. As it turned out, only one of the two boys, namely Commodus, survived to adulthood and succeeded father Marcus Aurlius. It was the first time in a century that ascension was based on direct bloodline, rather than merit. The result proved disastrous, as Commodus’ increasing megalomania plunged Rome into a crisis that lasted another century. Besides information gleaned from coins such as this one, no information exists regarding Annius Verus and his potential to lead the Empire. If he – instead of Commodus – had been the last surviving Caesar, perhaps Rome’s history would have been very different. Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Commodus and Annius Verus, Caesars, AD 166-169/70 and AD 166-177, Cilicia, Tarsus mint, AE (18mm, 3.72 g, 6h), NGC Grade: Ch XF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5, Obverse: Confronted busts of Commodus left and Annius right, each bareheaded and draped; between, crossed caduceus and club, KOPOI CEBACTOV, Reverse: Decastyle temple with eagle in pediment, KOINOC CILIACP TAP COY MHTROP, References: SNG France 1455; SNG Levante 1018.

To follow or send a message to this user,
please log in