Name/Title
CE 0138 - 0140/1 ROMAN EMPIRE. Faustina the Elder. AD 138–140/1. AR Denarius, Rome. Draped Bust / Deity Reverse.Description
Faustina the Elder Denarius (AD 138–140/1)
Roman Empire, Rome
This silver denarius was issued in honor of Faustina the Elder, wife of the emperor Antoninus Pius and one of the most revered imperial women of the second century AD. Struck at Rome shortly before or just after her death, the coin belongs to a broader program of imagery that celebrated Faustina as a model of Roman virtue, fertility, and continuity. Her portrait presents a composed and idealized matron, emphasizing dignity rather than individual personality.
The reverse types associated with Faustina’s denarii draw on traditional female divinities such as Juno, Ceres, and Fortuna, linking the empress symbolically to prosperity, stability, and divine favor. These coins circulated widely throughout the empire, embedding imperial family imagery into daily economic life. Today, Faustina’s denarii serve as tangible evidence of how Roman rulers used coinage not merely as currency, but as a medium for shaping public memory and reinforcing dynastic legitimacy during a period of relative peace and prosperity.Create Date
July 30, 2025Update Date
April 9, 2026
