Cornelia Supera, Augusta, 253. Antoninianus (Silver, 21 mm, 3.13 g, 12 h), Rome. COR SVPERA AVG Diademed and draped bust of Cornelia Supera set to right on crescent. Rev. IVNONI AVG Juno seated left, holding flower in her right hand and infant cradled in her left. Cohen 3. RIC 31. Extremely rare. A beautiful example of this very difficult issue. Areas of weakness, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


For many emperors and would-be emperors of the 3rd century, we know little about their lives and achievements beyond their coins or a few scattered literary references. Even less is known about their wives. Such is the case with Cornelia Supera, the wife of Aemilian, who ruled for only three months in 253. It is likely that Cornelia accompanied her husband as he defeated Trebonianus Gallus in Italy, but soon the situation shifted when Valerian declared himself emperor at the Rhine frontier and marched towards Rome with a considerable force. Aemilian’s soldiers, believing the situation hopeless, turned on their commander and killed him at Spoletium. It remains unclear whether Cornelia Supera shared her husband’s fate or if Valerian spared her; her coins are, after all, the only testament to her existence.