Heritage World Coin Auctions
Monthly Auction 271920 26 May 2019
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Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AE sestertius (33mm, 24.66 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5, lt. smoothing. Rome, December AD 176-autumn AD 177. M ANTONINVS AVG-GERM SARM TR P XXXI, laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right / IMP VIII•COS III•P•P•, pile of German arms, armor and equipment, including scale cuirass, shields, helmet, vexillum, carnyces, and spears; S-C across fields, DE GERMANIS below. RIC III 1184.
From the Morris Collection. Ex Freeman & Sear, private sale with old dealer tag ($3100).
Despite his peaceful nature and stoic principals, Marcus Aurelius spent 17 out of 19 years of his reign in warfare against the Roman Empire's enemies, principally Germanic tribes that began attacking the frontiers in AD 166. The invasions placed huge strains on the Roman state and were defeated only with the greatest difficulty, a precursor of the nearly continuous and devastating wars of the following century. Marcus decided the only long term solution was the complete subjugation of the major German tribes and the creation of two new Roman provinces beyond the Rhine and Danube frontiers, a process he pursued for nearly a decade. This sestertius was issued in AD 177, at a point when the German Marcomanni, Quadi and Sarmatians had been defeated in several battles and had been forced into seeming submission (the legend DE GERMANIS can be translated as "the Germans Defeated"). Marcus and his son Commodus celebrated a joint triumph for the victory in December of AD 176; however, soon afterward the war flared anew and Marcus was forced to return to his frontier armies, where he died of illness and exhaustion on March 17, AD 180. His son Commodus "declared victory and returned home," leaving the Germans unconquered and restive.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 500-1000 USD
Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AE sestertius (33mm, 24.66 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5, lt. smoothing. Rome, December AD 176-autumn AD 177. M ANTONINVS AVG-GERM SARM TR P XXXI, laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right / IMP VIII•COS III•P•P•, pile of German arms, armor and equipment, including scale cuirass, shields, helmet, vexillum, carnyces, and spears; S-C across fields, DE GERMANIS below. RIC III 1184.
From the Morris Collection. Ex Freeman & Sear, private sale with old dealer tag ($3100).
Despite his peaceful nature and stoic principals, Marcus Aurelius spent 17 out of 19 years of his reign in warfare against the Roman Empire's enemies, principally Germanic tribes that began attacking the frontiers in AD 166. The invasions placed huge strains on the Roman state and were defeated only with the greatest difficulty, a precursor of the nearly continuous and devastating wars of the following century. Marcus decided the only long term solution was the complete subjugation of the major German tribes and the creation of two new Roman provinces beyond the Rhine and Danube frontiers, a process he pursued for nearly a decade. This sestertius was issued in AD 177, at a point when the German Marcomanni, Quadi and Sarmatians had been defeated in several battles and had been forced into seeming submission (the legend DE GERMANIS can be translated as "the Germans Defeated"). Marcus and his son Commodus celebrated a joint triumph for the victory in December of AD 176; however, soon afterward the war flared anew and Marcus was forced to return to his frontier armies, where he died of illness and exhaustion on March 17, AD 180. His son Commodus "declared victory and returned home," leaving the Germans unconquered and restive.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 500-1000 USD