Roman Empire Faustina Sr. AR Denarius (AD 138-141)

Description: Roman Empire Faustina Sr. AR (Silver) Denarius (AD 138-140/1) - NGC AU - Strike 5/5 & Surface 4/5! Reverse Aetemitas/Providentia. Wife of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius! Annia Galeria Faustina the Elder, sometimes referred to as Faustina I or Faustina Major (born c. 100) died in October or November of 140), was a Roman empress and wife of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. The emperor Marcus Aurelius was her nephew and later became her adopted son, along with Emperor Lucius Verus. She died early in the principate of Antoninus Pius, but continued to be prominently commemorated as a diva, posthumously playing a prominent symbolic role during his reign. Faustina was the only known daughter of consul and prefect Marcus Annius Verus and Rupilia Faustina. Her brothers were consul Marcus Annius Libo and praetor Marcus Annius Verus. Her maternal aunts were Roman Empress Vibia Sabina and Matidia Minor. Her paternal grandfather was named Marcus Annius Verus, like her father, while her maternal grandparents were suffect consul Lucius Scribonius Libo Rupilius Frugi Bonus and possibly Vitellia. Faustina was born and raised in Rome. While a private citizen, she married Antoninus Pius between 110 and 115. Faustina bore four children with Pius: two sons and two daughters. On July 10, 138, her uncle, the emperor Hadrian, died and her husband became the new emperor, as Antoninus was Hadrian's adopted son and heir. Faustina became Roman Empress and the Senate accorded her the title of Augusta. As empress, Faustina was well respected and was renowned for her beauty and wisdom. Throughout her life, as a private citizen and as empress, Faustina was involved in assisting charities for the poor and sponsoring and assisting in the education of Roman children, particularly girls. A letter between Fronto and Antoninus Pius has sometimes been taken as an index of the latter's devotion to her. After Antoninus Pius' accession to the principate, the couple never left Italy; instead, they divided their time between Rome, Antoninus' favourite estate at Lorium, and other properties at Lanuvium, Tusculum, and Signia. Faustina's personal style was evidently much admired and emulated. Her distinctive hairstyle, consisting of braids pulled back in a bun behind or on top of her head, was imitated for two or three generations in the Roman world. Several provincial groups chose to honour her while she was empress: a company of couriers in Ephesus named themselves after her, while a company of clapper-players in Puteoli dedicated an altar to her in her lifetime. Faustina died near Rome in 140, perhaps at Antoninus Pius's estate at Lorium. Antoninus was devastated at Faustina's death and took several steps to honor her memory. He had the Senate deify her (her apotheosis was portrayed on an honorary column) and dedicate the Temple of Faustina to her in the Roman Forum. Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum. The Senate authorized gold and silver statues of her, including an image to appear in the circus, where it might be displayed in a carpentum (a kind of covered wagon) or currus elephantorum (a cart drawn by elephants). Antoninus also ordered various coins with her portrait struck, inscribed DIVA FAVSTINA ("Divine Faustina") and elaborately decorated. He also established a charity called Puellae Faustinianae ("Girls of Faustina") to assist orphaned Roman girls and created a new alimenta. Her remains were interred in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. *Combined Shipping Available ON ALL Items, Request an Invoice or we will send you one after one business day. ALL Precious Metals tested with our own Sigma Metalytics Precious Metal Tester and guaranteed genuine. We Offer A 30-Day No-Questions-Asked Return Policy to all our customers! 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Price: 295 USD

Location: Harvest, Alabama

End Time: 2024-10-25T00:17:32.000Z

Shipping Cost: 3.95 USD