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    E51, Lot 81:

    Marcus Aurelius. A.D. 161-180. Æ sestertius. 25.89 gm. 33 mm. Rome mint. Struck Autumn-December A.D. 177. His laureate head right; M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI / Annona standing left between modius and ship's prow, holding cornucopia and grain ears; IMP VIIII COS III P P S C. RIC III 1218. C. 374. Very Fine; some flan striking splits; even brown tone; a fine portrait of the philosopher emperor, struck well centered on a broad flan; clear presentation of this important reverse type depicting the central importance of the import and distribution of grain to the people of Rome; '374' (Cohen no.) written very lightly in reverse field. Seemingly quite rare, with just one other example found by the cataloger.

    Few historical coin types exist for Marcus Aurelius from the last two years of his life, after he and Commodus returned from Syria to celebrate a triumph at the end of 176. Around December, 177 when this coin was struck, an alarming outbreak of hostilities on the Danube disrupted a hard-won peace in the region, leading to the Second Marcomannic War. This reverse type matches the only type issued in gold between December 177 and December 178. Aurelius was in failing health, he was shoring up Commodus as his heir, and shortly after this coin was struck he discontinued his use of the titles Germanicus and Sarmaticus.

    This reverse type has great significance. Annona was the divine personification of the grain supply to the city of Rome. The Cura Annonae ("care for the grain supply") manifested the emperor's power to care for his people. Great grain fleets sailed from Egypt and Africa across the Mediterranean, sustaining the greatest city on earth, maybe even until the 6th century, after having been shattered by barbarian migration and warfare.

  2. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    E39, Lot 75:

    ROMAN BRITAIN. Septimius Severus. A.D. 193-211. AR denarius. 2.77 gm. 20 mm. Rome mint. A.D. 210-211. His laureate head right; SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT / Victory seated left on shield, holding shield and palm frond; VICTORIAE BRIT. RIC IV.1 335. RSC 731. S. Eng. 651C. Extremely Fine; light iridescent tone; fresh surfaces; well centered on a broad even round flan.

    In A.D. 208 Septimius Severus together with the entire imperial family (his wife Julia Domna and their sons Caracalla and Geta) set out for Britain where the situation on the northern frontier demanded urgent attention. He was to spend the last two and a half years of his life in the island province and was destined never to return to Rome. He restored Hadrian's Wall, the northern frontier of the province, which was in serious need of renovation more than eighty years after its original construction. Septimius Severus waged his last military campaign against the Caledonians in northern Britain, now called Scotland, campaigning vigorously beyond the imperial frontier. The line of their marching camps can still be detected today by aerial photography. It was a long and bitter slog that took its toll on the aged Emperor's health, and only deepened the bitter sibling rivalry between his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, who accompanied him on the campaign. Upon Severus's death at York in February A.D. 211, Caracalla and Geta made a hasty peace with the Caledonians on less-than-favorable terms, which required the Romans retreat to the agreed border of Hadrian's Wall. Little is known of the success of these military operations, though they were to bring peace to the area for the remainder of the third century and an extensive issue of coinage in all metals was produced to commemorate the British victory.

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