Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus AD 168-169 Silver Denarius Rome *Rare*

Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus AD 168-169 Silver Denarius

Galley / Eagle, standards

Rome

RCV5236; 17mm, 2.98g

This coins comes with a previous printed dealers label.

 

Born in AD 121 as the nephew of the Empress Faustina Senior Hadrian recognised qualities and arranged for his marriage to the daughter of Aelius who had been appointed as Hadrian’s heir. When Aelius died prematurely Hadrian stipulated that his new heir, Antoninus Pius, adopt Marcus Aurelius together with his brother Lucius Verus as joint heirs.
When Antoninus Pius succeeded in AD138 Marcus’ career progressed rapidly and he was appointed Caesar in AD139. Marcus’ betrothal to Aelius’ daughter was annulled in favour of marrying the emperors youngest daughter Faustina Junior which he did in AD145.
Granted tribunician powers in AD147 Marcus became emperor in AD161.

Lucius Verus was the son of Aelius and was born around AD 130. Following the death of Aelius Lucius Verus was adopted by the new emperor Antoninus Pius along with Marcus Aurelius. This arrangement had initially been stipulated by Hadrian before he died.
Antoninus Pius clearly favoured Marcus Aurelius and gave him the rank of Caesar in AD 139. This bond was strengthened when Marcus Aurelius in AD 145 married Faustina Junior who was the daughter of Antoninus Pius. Originally however Faustina had been betrothed to Lucius Verus. Whilst Lucius Verus remained in the background he held the consulship in AD 154 although he never held the rank of Caesar. When Antoninus Pius died in AD 161 Marcus Aurelius, in loyalty to Hadrian, made Lucius Verus a co emperor.
In AD 164 Lucius Verus married Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina. Although Lucius Verus was in nominal command of a war in the East earning him the titles Armeniacus and Parthicus Maximus he seems to have been more of a liability than a help due to his pleasure loving and dissolute nature. On the journey back from the east Lucius suffered a stroke and died suddenly in AD 169. Although a posthumous coinage was issued it was very limited.