See Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) 360; see Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 4577.

1986.11

Denarius honouring Faustina the Elder, reign of Antoninus Pius

3.16 g. AD 141

Obv.: Bust of Faustina, r. DIVA FAVSTINA

Rev.: Fortuna (?) standing looking r., holding rudder in right hand and with sceptre leaning against her left arm. AETERNITAS.

See 1986.09 on Faustina, her deification, and her coinage. As a goddess, she had entered the sphere of Eternity and was well placed to protect the eternity of Rome. Antoninus had used AETERNITAS on his own coinage from early in his reign, to symbolise the stability and continuity of Rome.

The identity of the female figure on the reverse is sometimes given as Venus or Juno, but the rudder is especially associated with Fortuna. Faustina was associated with a large range of goddesses and virtues on her coinage. The sceptre is particularly associated with Juno, the queen of the gods, but Fortuna and her rudder would be well chosen to steer the fortunes of Rome. She often holds a cornucopiae in her left hand, but the variant of a branch seems to fit this coin. The references below are to similar but not identical coins.

See Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) 360; see Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 4577.