Diva Faustina Senior wife of Antoninus Pius AD 138-161 Gold Aureus Rome
£4,500.00
Diva Faustina Senior wife of Antoninus Pius AD 138-161 Gold Aureus
Draped bust of Faustina right/Fortuna standing left holding patera and rudder on globe
Rome mint
RCV4548, 18mm, 6.90g
A very fresh strike and little wear, lovely in hand.
Faustina Senior, wife of Antoninus Pius, was deified shortly after her death in AD 141, just two years after receiving the title of Augusta. Deeply revered by her husband and the Roman state, her deification led to an extraordinary and sustained coinage in her honour—one of the most extensive commemorative issues of the Roman imperial period.
Struck across a full range of denominations, her posthumous coinage bore the title Diva Faustina and featured elegant portraits paired with reverse types emphasizing virtues such as Pietas, Aeternitas, and Concordia. These coins served both to memorialize her divine status and reinforce the image of dynastic continuity. Notably, in AD 147, when her daughter Faustina Junior was elevated to Augusta, the mother’s title disappeared from her coin obverses, reflecting a shift in official focus.
Later Diva Faustina issues appear to have been minted in waves, likely marking significant anniversaries of her death—particularly around AD 151–2 and 156–7—coinciding with the dedication of her temple. These coins remain a rich source of insight into Roman religious practice, imperial propaganda, and the important role of women in shaping dynastic legacy.
1 in stock
