Lucius Verus. A.D. 161-169. AR denarius. 3.06 gm. 18 mm. Rome mint. Struck A.D. 165. His laureate head right; L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX / Parthian captive seated right, hands bound behind his back, bow, quiver, and shield at his feet; TR P V IMP III COS II. RIC 540. RSC 273. Good Very Fine; nicely toned. Bold excellent portrait, well centered and struck in high relief.

From an American collection of the 1930s.

Lucius Verus was in the East from A.D. 162-166 overseeing the campaign to regain control of Armenia from Parthia. The success of this campaign allowed the installation of a pro-Roman Armenian ruler, restoring Armenia as a buffer between Rome and the Parthian Empire. For this achievement Verus took the cognomen Armeniacus, although the decisive campaign and battle in A.D. 163 when Roman forces took the Parthian stronghold at Artaxata was commanded by the Roman general Statius Priscus, not Verus.