Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XIX 26-27 Mar 2020
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Marcus Aurelius AV Aureus. Rome, AD 163/164. M • ANTONINVS AVG IMP II, bare-headed, draped bust right, seen from behind / TR P XVIII COS III, Victory standing to left, holding stylus in right hand and supporting shield set on palm tree with left hand. RIC -; C. -; BMCRE p. 420 note; Calicó 1986. 7.33g, 20mm, 6h.
Mint State. Extremely Rare; no other examples offered at auction in over 20 years.
Ex Gitbud & Naumann, Auction 2, 7 April 2013, lot 227 (hammer: EUR 27,000);
Ex Auctiones AG, Auction 6, 30 September 1976, lot 518.
Dating to the early period of Marcus Aurelius' reign, during which he was co-emperor with Lucius Verus and the empire was under threat from the Parthians in the East, it seems that this coin indirectly commemorates a victory over the Parthians, won while Verus was nominally in charge of the legions. The fact of Verus being the emperor sent to confront the enemy, not Aurelius, may help in understanding the rarity of this coin. Marcus Aurelius has been characterised by his biographers as more naturally inclined to philosophy and scholarship, rather than politics or military service, even penning his own work on Stoic Philosophy, the Meditations. The extent to which this is the case is highlighted in that when he was granted the title of Augustus by the senate, it is said he was reluctant to accept because of his lack of suitability to the position of high office, but did so only out of his strong sense of duty (Historia Augusta, Marcus Aurelius, VII.5). It can be assumed it was this same sense of duty, that led him to one of his first actions as emperor, namely compelling the senate to promote his adoptive brother Lucius Verus to Augustus also. This was in line with the wishes of Hadrian, who had originally placed them both in the line of succession (Birley, A., Marcus Aurelius, A Biography, 1987, p.116).
In contrast to his colleague, Verus appears to have been more of a socialite, less interested in the responsibilities or moralities associated with state office (Historia Augusta, Lucius Verus, I.4-5) and it is widely acknowledged that Marcus Aurelius was seen as the more senior of the two. Their respective characters appear to have been instrumental in the reasoning behind the decision that was taken in 162 to send Verus, rather than Aurelius, to confront the Parthian King, Vologases, in Armenia, where he had forcibly removed the Roman client king and set up his own. Ostensibly, Verus was sent because he was younger, fitter and, as such, more predisposed to military endeavour (Cassius Dio, LXXI.1.3), but it seems likely that Aurelius and the senate were just as concerned with controlling his excesses and impressing upon him the gravitas of his role (HA, Verus, V.8) in sending him into conflict. Although it is doubtful that Verus had any tangible impact on the outcome himself, the legions, under the general Statius Priscus, nevertheless enjoyed success and in 163 captured the Armenian capital Artaxata and began to re-establish Roman occupation of the territory. In recognition of this victory Verus took the title of Armeniacus at the end of 163; Aurelius, however, did not take the title until later the following year and it is in this context that this coin must be viewed. While coins of Verus specifically recording the military success against the Parthians in Armenia date from as early as autumn of 163 (Mattingly, H. & Sydenham, E.A., RIC III, p.198), coins of Aurelius with similar direct references to the Armenian victory do not appear until later. It could, therefore, be argued that this coin is in fact a commemoration of that very same victory, but minted before Aurelius officially took the title of Armeniacus, hence there being no direct reference to Armenia on the coin. It is likely the type was quickly discontinued in early 164 when Aurelius did assume the title hence its extreme rarity today.
Mint State. Extremely Rare; no other examples offered at auction in over 20 years.
Ex Gitbud & Naumann, Auction 2, 7 April 2013, lot 227 (hammer: EUR 27,000);
Ex Auctiones AG, Auction 6, 30 September 1976, lot 518.
Dating to the early period of Marcus Aurelius' reign, during which he was co-emperor with Lucius Verus and the empire was under threat from the Parthians in the East, it seems that this coin indirectly commemorates a victory over the Parthians, won while Verus was nominally in charge of the legions. The fact of Verus being the emperor sent to confront the enemy, not Aurelius, may help in understanding the rarity of this coin. Marcus Aurelius has been characterised by his biographers as more naturally inclined to philosophy and scholarship, rather than politics or military service, even penning his own work on Stoic Philosophy, the Meditations. The extent to which this is the case is highlighted in that when he was granted the title of Augustus by the senate, it is said he was reluctant to accept because of his lack of suitability to the position of high office, but did so only out of his strong sense of duty (Historia Augusta, Marcus Aurelius, VII.5). It can be assumed it was this same sense of duty, that led him to one of his first actions as emperor, namely compelling the senate to promote his adoptive brother Lucius Verus to Augustus also. This was in line with the wishes of Hadrian, who had originally placed them both in the line of succession (Birley, A., Marcus Aurelius, A Biography, 1987, p.116).
In contrast to his colleague, Verus appears to have been more of a socialite, less interested in the responsibilities or moralities associated with state office (Historia Augusta, Lucius Verus, I.4-5) and it is widely acknowledged that Marcus Aurelius was seen as the more senior of the two. Their respective characters appear to have been instrumental in the reasoning behind the decision that was taken in 162 to send Verus, rather than Aurelius, to confront the Parthian King, Vologases, in Armenia, where he had forcibly removed the Roman client king and set up his own. Ostensibly, Verus was sent because he was younger, fitter and, as such, more predisposed to military endeavour (Cassius Dio, LXXI.1.3), but it seems likely that Aurelius and the senate were just as concerned with controlling his excesses and impressing upon him the gravitas of his role (HA, Verus, V.8) in sending him into conflict. Although it is doubtful that Verus had any tangible impact on the outcome himself, the legions, under the general Statius Priscus, nevertheless enjoyed success and in 163 captured the Armenian capital Artaxata and began to re-establish Roman occupation of the territory. In recognition of this victory Verus took the title of Armeniacus at the end of 163; Aurelius, however, did not take the title until later the following year and it is in this context that this coin must be viewed. While coins of Verus specifically recording the military success against the Parthians in Armenia date from as early as autumn of 163 (Mattingly, H. & Sydenham, E.A., RIC III, p.198), coins of Aurelius with similar direct references to the Armenian victory do not appear until later. It could, therefore, be argued that this coin is in fact a commemoration of that very same victory, but minted before Aurelius officially took the title of Armeniacus, hence there being no direct reference to Armenia on the coin. It is likely the type was quickly discontinued in early 164 when Aurelius did assume the title hence its extreme rarity today.