Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVI 26 Sep 2018
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Commodus, as Caesar, AV Aureus. Rome, AD 175. COMMODO CAES AVG FIL GERM, bare-headed and draped bust right / LIBERALITAS • AVG, Commodus, togate, seated to left on curule chair set on platform, extending right hand; Liberalitas standing to left before, holding abacus and cornucopiae; togate citizen at base of platform standing to right, left foot on steps, holding out fold of toga in both hands. RIC 597 (Aurelius); MIR 18, 304-12/13, pl. 2 (same obv. die); Calicó 2274 (same dies); BMCRE 635 (Aurelius and Commodus), pl. 66, 4 (same rev. die); Biaggi -. 7.02g, 19.5mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, one of only two examples on CoinArchives, and the first issue to feature the portrait of Commodus.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group 100, 7 October 2015, lot 1907.
In AD 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs and thus begun his career in public life. In the same year, he gave a congiarium, as commemorated on this coin, this being a gift to the people usually from the emperor but here given by the teenaged heir. Congiaria were originally distributions of oil or wine (congius meaning a measure of liquids) but the emperors' gifts grew more generous over time to include grain and money and thus the word congiarium disappeared from the numismatic legend to be replaced with liberalitas - the spirit of imperial generosity.
We can date this liberalitas thanks to a comment in the Historia Augusta which states that before his departure to the East with his father in AD 175, Commodus "in his fourteenth year...even though still in the youth's praetexta gave largess" (Historia Augusta 2.1). Therefore, this took place around June 175, during the time of the revolt of Avidius Cassius.
Avidius Cassius had been appointed governor of Syria by Marcus Aurelius and had by AD 173 successfully quelled the revolt of the Bucoli in Egypt at the head of a large army, second only in power to Marcus Aurelius himself. Cassius remained in Egypt following the rebellion, ruling the East in the name of the emperor who was spending much of his time fighting the Germanic tribes away from Rome. It is said a rumour that Marcus Aurelius had died from an illness on the Danube reached Cassius, who then persuaded his legions to acclaim him emperor. Another report is that Faustina, fearing for her husband's ill health and what this would mean for her young son Commodus, goaded Cassius to usurp Aurelius (see Historia Augusta, Avidius Cassius, 7). Whatever the case, Cassius, whether aware of Marcus Aurelius' good health or not quickly gained support in the East, with Egypt, Syria and most of the Asian provinces declaring for him. He controlled much of the East for three months, during which time Aurelius, who had been forced to withdraw from the Marcomannic war to deal with the usurper, amassed troops and prepared to march east to depose Cassius. This rebellion proved to be the catalyst for a hastening of Commodus' official entry into adulthood and assumption of imperial duties. He assumed his toga virilis on the Danubian front on 7 July 175 during preparations for the campaign against Cassius and, as this coin demonstrates, was also entrusted with performing deeds usually carried out by reigning emperors.
Cassius' rebellion lost momentum as soon as news reached the East that Aurelius was approaching with a greatly superior military force than Cassius had at his disposal. He was murdered by one of his centurions sometime in late July AD 175, as Egypt chose to recognise Aurelius again on July 28. Perhaps realising his need for a secure succession and reliable imperial colleague, two years later Marcus Aurelius made Commodus consul - the youngest consul in Roman history - and later in the same year Commodus was given the titles of Imperator and Augustus, elevating him to the position of co-emperor despite his being only sixteen years old.
Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, one of only two examples on CoinArchives, and the first issue to feature the portrait of Commodus.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group 100, 7 October 2015, lot 1907.
In AD 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs and thus begun his career in public life. In the same year, he gave a congiarium, as commemorated on this coin, this being a gift to the people usually from the emperor but here given by the teenaged heir. Congiaria were originally distributions of oil or wine (congius meaning a measure of liquids) but the emperors' gifts grew more generous over time to include grain and money and thus the word congiarium disappeared from the numismatic legend to be replaced with liberalitas - the spirit of imperial generosity.
We can date this liberalitas thanks to a comment in the Historia Augusta which states that before his departure to the East with his father in AD 175, Commodus "in his fourteenth year...even though still in the youth's praetexta gave largess" (Historia Augusta 2.1). Therefore, this took place around June 175, during the time of the revolt of Avidius Cassius.
Avidius Cassius had been appointed governor of Syria by Marcus Aurelius and had by AD 173 successfully quelled the revolt of the Bucoli in Egypt at the head of a large army, second only in power to Marcus Aurelius himself. Cassius remained in Egypt following the rebellion, ruling the East in the name of the emperor who was spending much of his time fighting the Germanic tribes away from Rome. It is said a rumour that Marcus Aurelius had died from an illness on the Danube reached Cassius, who then persuaded his legions to acclaim him emperor. Another report is that Faustina, fearing for her husband's ill health and what this would mean for her young son Commodus, goaded Cassius to usurp Aurelius (see Historia Augusta, Avidius Cassius, 7). Whatever the case, Cassius, whether aware of Marcus Aurelius' good health or not quickly gained support in the East, with Egypt, Syria and most of the Asian provinces declaring for him. He controlled much of the East for three months, during which time Aurelius, who had been forced to withdraw from the Marcomannic war to deal with the usurper, amassed troops and prepared to march east to depose Cassius. This rebellion proved to be the catalyst for a hastening of Commodus' official entry into adulthood and assumption of imperial duties. He assumed his toga virilis on the Danubian front on 7 July 175 during preparations for the campaign against Cassius and, as this coin demonstrates, was also entrusted with performing deeds usually carried out by reigning emperors.
Cassius' rebellion lost momentum as soon as news reached the East that Aurelius was approaching with a greatly superior military force than Cassius had at his disposal. He was murdered by one of his centurions sometime in late July AD 175, as Egypt chose to recognise Aurelius again on July 28. Perhaps realising his need for a secure succession and reliable imperial colleague, two years later Marcus Aurelius made Commodus consul - the youngest consul in Roman history - and later in the same year Commodus was given the titles of Imperator and Augustus, elevating him to the position of co-emperor despite his being only sixteen years old.