Cleaning an Ancient Roman Coin: a Marcus Aurelius AE As from 145 A.D.

Описание: Born Marcus Annius Verus in Rome, 121 AD, the man history would come to know as Marcus Aurelius gained the early favor of Hadrian who supervised his education. In 138, he was adopted by Antoninus Pius, and in 145 he married his daughter, Faustina. On his adoption he took the name M. Aelius Aurelius Verus, but when the title Caesar was conferred on him in 139 (a title captured on the coin featured here) he dropped the name of Verus. On his marriage, he was given tribunician and proconsular power and enjoyed limited co-government with Antoninus. He was a great student and about 146 he gave up rhetoric for Stoic philosophy. He remained a Stoic all his life, but retained the humanity of his disposition. He ascended to the purple in March 161 and immediately admitted Lucius Verus as his partner in the administration, and he betrothed him to his daughter Lucilla. In the first year of his reign Faustina gave birth to twins, one was the infamous Commodus, who was to become emperor (and one of the worst ones at that).

His reign was disturbed by attacks from all sides, and frontier wars broke out in many places. The Parthians broke into Syria and the war there was not concluded till 165, when the returning army brought back a pestilence with them that spread throughout the empire, now known as the Antonine Plague. Early in 169, Verus died and in that same year war broke out again in Pannonia and for the next ten years Aurelius was continually campaigning in Central Europe or Syria. It was during these wars that he wrote his celebrated "Meditations". He died after a short illness in 180 while still on the frontier of the Danube.

His reign was chiefly notable for legal reform. One might say he was an improver rather than an innovator. He was a careful, generous and conscientious ruler, but unlike some of the better emperors before him, he failed to see just what a terrible successor his eldest son would make, and therefore enabled both his ascension and the vices for which he would come to be known.

(The above was adapted from Roman Silver Coins, Vol 2, 3rd edition, by David Sear)
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Full Coin Attribution:
Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC) Vol. III 1236
Emperor: Marcus Aurelius
Mint: Rome
Struck: 145 AD as Caesar under Antoninus Pius
Obv Legend: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS II, bare head right
Rev Legend: S-C across fields, Minerva walking right, wielding spear and holding shield on left arm
Mintmark: none
Denomination: AE As
Size: 25 mm
Weight: 10.95 g
Rarity: C
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TIMECODES
0:00 Intro
0:07 Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor
0:15 Inspecting the coin, a Marcus Aurelius AE As
0:58 Cleaning the Obverse
3:22 Cleaning the Reverse
4:11 The meaning of S-C on Roman Coins
6:14 The Reveal
7:00 Coin Attribution and Rarity
7:33 Outro
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For more on Marcus Aurelius' reign and his evolution towards Stoicism, check out Mike Duncan's excellent Podcast, The History of Rome, episodes:
091 - Marcus and Lucius and the Parthians: https://apple.co/2RpAW9T
092 - The Parthian War: https://apple.co/2POyp92
093 - The Marcomannic Wars: https://apple.co/3vFL6SI
094 - Revolt and Meditations: https://apple.co/3uj3a4P
095 - The Beginning of the End: https://apple.co/3uiTZBB
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Music Credits
Track 1: The Valley — tubebackr [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch:    • The Valley — tubebackr | Free Background M...   Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/valley
Track 2: Salon Helga — Broke In Summer [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch:    • Salon Helga — Broke In Summer | Free Backg...   Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/salon-helga
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