Return to “Barbarians, Captives & Enemies” (to this coin)
Roman Imperial. Marcus Aurelius (161 – 180 CE) AR Denarius (2.65g, 17mm, 12h). Rome, 164 CE.
Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS. Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right.
Reverse: PM TR P XVIII IMP II COS III ARMEN. Armenia seated left on ground in posture of mourning, right hand to face, left hand resting on pile of arms, vexillum and round shield in background.
Reference: RIC III 81; RSC 7.
Provenance: Ex-Savoca Numismatik 94th Silver Auction, Lot 1280 (Munich, 31 Jan 2021).
Notes:
A remarkable feature of M. Aurelius and L. Verus’ Armenian-Parthian captives series is that Rome considered Armenia an ally, and the Romans putatively liberated Armenia from invading Parthian overlords. And yet “she” (Armenia, like most Roman national personifications, is female) is depicted as a captive in the same mourning pose as Judaea and Dacia before her. We get a special glimpse here into the Roman attitude toward their friends: They can be friends as long as they are subjugated and submit to Roman domination and public humiliation.