Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 4914; Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) 492 pl. 62.12; Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) 412; Mattingly, H., E.A. Sydenham, C.H. Sutherland, R.A. Carson, The Roman Imperial Coinage 13 vols (London,  Spink, 1923-1994) III 206; Robertson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow 5 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1962-1982) II 315 no. 46 and pl.86; Mattingly, H., Roman Coins 2^nd edn (London, Methuen, 1960) 148. 

1966.47

Denarius of Marcus Aurelius

3.123 g. AD Dec.168-Dec.169.

Obv.: Head of Marcus Aurelius r., laureate, bearded. M(arcus) ANTONINVS AVG(ustus) TR(ibunicia) P(otestate) XXỊỊỊ

Rev.: Liberalitas standing l., draped, with cornucopiae in left hand, abacus in right. LIBERAL(itas) AVG(usti) V CO(n)S(ul) III.

Marcus Aurelius was adopted by Antoninus Pius and the brief form of his name, Marcus Antoninus, was much more common than Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. Marcus married Antoninus’ daughter Faustina (the Younger) in AD 145 and received tribunician power in AD 146 on the birth of their first child. Annual enumerations of this power facilitate dating for Marcus. The consulship is less helpful: Marcus held it for the third and last time in AD 161, the year that Antoninus died.

Liberalitas is the personification of ‘liberality, generosity’. When it has a number attached to it (as here), it is synonymous with congiarium, denoting a specific distribution of grain or money. The cornucopiae represents abundance and generosity, and the abacus is the instrument for calculating the largesse.

Marcus’ reign was troubled by many wars, and at the beginning of AD 169 his co-emperor Lucius Verus died during their return from a northern campaign. Marcus’ fifth largesse may have been intended to confirm loyalty to him now that he was sole emperor without colleague, and to allay Romans’ fears in a difficult year. Marcus returned to the northern front at the end of AD 169, but the coins of this year had virtually no military references.

Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 4914; Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) 492 pl. 62.12; Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) 412; Mattingly, H., E.A. Sydenham, C.H. Sutherland, R.A. Carson, The Roman Imperial Coinage 13 vols (London,  Spink, 1923-1994) III 206; Robertson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow 5 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1962-1982) II 315 no. 46 and pl.86; Mattingly, H., Roman Coins 2^nd edn (London, Methuen, 1960) 148.