Lucilla, Silver Denarius

1040.jpg

Dublin Core

Title

Lucilla, Silver Denarius

Subject

Lucilla, Silver Denarius, Rome 149 –182 CE
OBVERSE: LVCILLA AVG ANTONINI AVG F (Lucilla Augustus daughter of Augustus Antoninus), draped bust right.
REVERSE: VENVS S-C (Venus, by decree of the senate), Venus standing right, holding apple.

Description

Lucilla was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius and the wife of his co-ruler, Lucius Verus. She happily fulfilled her role of empress until her husband’s death in 169 CE. She was then married to Claudius Pompeianus, a powerful Roman senator. Cassius Dio (Hist. 73.4) accuses her of a plot to kill Commodus, her unstable brother. As a result, Commodus put both her and her husband to death in 182 CE.

Venus was a common deity for Roman women to use to express their ability to be good wives and mothers. Bearing a good son was a high honor and Venus is a symbol of both beauty and fertility; two necessary aspects to bear honorable children.

Source

Gift of James and Aneta McIntyre, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem, OR. 2006.010.040

Date

ca. 149 –182 CE

Rights

Hallie Ford Museum of Arts

Format

1.078 in
0.420 oz

Language

Latin

Type

Coin

Coverage

This item can be viewed on Hallie Ford Museum of Art's website.

Citation

“Lucilla, Silver Denarius,” Hallie Ford Museum of Art Exhibits, accessed December 26, 2024, https://library.willamette.edu/hfma/omeka/items/show/91.