Marcus Aurelius, 161-180. Dupondius (Orichalcum, 26 mm, 12.51 g, 11 h), Rome, 177. M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI Radiate head of Marcus Aurelius to right.
Rev. IMP VIII COS III P P / S - C // DE GERM Trophy between bound Germanic male captive seated to left and Germanic female captive, veiled and in attitude of mourning, seated to right. BMC 1613. Cohen 159. MIR 369-8/50. RIC 1181. A beautiful piece, boldly struck and with excellent reverse details. Somewhat smoothed and with minor traces of corrosion
, otherwise, extremely fine.
From the Aes Augustorum Collection, formed since the late 1990s.
This beautiful dupondius was struck to commemorate Roman victory in the First Marcomannic War, a bloody conflict fought on and off between the Empire and various Germanic and Sarmatian peoples from 166 to 175. For the first time in over 250 years, Italy itself had been threatened, and it was only with heavy losses and much trouble that the invaders could be repelled. Marcus Aurelius celebrated a triumph in 176, but it would prove to be premature, as the next year, both Quadi and Marcomanni rebelled, setting the Second Marcomannic War in motion, lasting until 180.
