Ancient Rome - AD 138-161 Antoninus Pius AV Aureus NGC AU

Antoninus Pius. Rome Mint, struck AD 155-156. Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG-PIVS P P IMP II, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right. Reverse: TR POT-XIX-C-OS IIII, Victory, winged and draped, advancing left, wreath upward in right hand, and palm cradled frond upright in left arm. RIC III 255a. Calicó 1670. Boldly struck from fresh dies on attractive flan.

During his reign, Antoninus built temples, theaters, and mausoleums, advanced the arts and sciences, and presented honors and money to teachers of rhetoric and philosophy. Research has uncovered that the ruling team surrounding Antoninus was a cluster of closely knit senatorial families, a majority of whom were members of the priestly congregation for the cult of Hadrian, the sodales Hadrianales. No records exist of his taking part in any military activities. One modern scholar wrote,  "It is almost certain not only that at no time in his life did he ever see, let alone command, a Roman army, but that, throughout the twenty-three years of his reign, he never went within five hundred miles of a legion."

Bust of Antoninus Pius in the Glyptothek, Munich, Germany.

Representing virtues that Roman citizens wanted in their emperor, Antoninus was a brilliant public speaker, morally sound, not corrupted by temptations of easy living, did not display his wealth, and was a dedicated leader. In comparison to previous emperors, Antoninus was definitely not ambitious. It seems that he saw himself as custodian of the emperor that was to be passed on to the heirs selected by Hadrian. Thus he wanted to preserve the empire and not make his own mark.

It was after a short illness in his sleep that he passed away on March 7, 161. Knowing he was going to die, he had given the reins of government to his adopted son, Marcus Aurelius, earlier that day. A very popular leader, Antoninus was deified by the Senate with no resistance. He was laid to rest along with the remains of his wife and sons, who had died much earlier, in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. His successor, Marcus Aurelius, paid tribute to him, "Remember his qualities, so that when your last hour comes your conscience may be as clear as his."