Coin (aureus), gold, of Antonius Pius / Jupiter, Roman, ca. 140-143 AD

Small gold coin. The obverse features a portrait of Antoninus Pius and an inscription; the reverse Jupiter Stator, standing naked, leaning on a shaft and holding a thunderbolt, with an inscription. A border of dots encircles the images on each side.

Bequeathed by Mr George Salting

Salting bequest.

The coin bears the head of Emperor Antoninus Pius, whose full title was: Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius. He was born Sept. 19, 86AD at Lanuvium, Latium and died on March 7 161AD at Lorium, Etruria. He was Roman emperor from 138–161AD. Of Gallic origins, he served as consul (120) before being assigned judicial administrative duties in Italy. He later governed the province of Asia (c. 134). He became an adviser to Hadrian and in 138 was made Hadrian's heir. On accession he had the deceased emperor declared a god; for such dutiful acts he was named Pius (“Pious”). He quelled rebellions in Britain and other provinces and built the Antonine Wall.
Mild-mannered and capable, he was the fourth of the “five good emperors” who guided the empire through an 84-year period (96–180) of internal peace and prosperity.

Stator was a surname of Jupiter, the supreme ruler of the gods and mortals and the chief of the twelve Olympians. All the powers and functions of divinity were embodied in him.
Like his Greek counterpart, Zeus, he was worshiped as a sky god. With Juno and Minerva he was a member of the triad of deities traditionally believed to have been introduced into Rome by the Etruscans. Jupiter was associated with treaties, alliances, and oaths; he was the protecting deity of the republic and later of the reigning emperor. His oldest temple was on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. He was worshiped on the summits of hills throughout Italy, and all places struck by lightning became his property. His sacred tree was the oak.

This coin bears the head of Emperor Antoninus Pius (AD 86–161) and images of the Roman god Jupiter. The presence of a powerful deity on a coin lent authority to the emperor. Jupiter appears as a protector.
Stator was a surname of Jupiter, the supreme ruler of the gods and mortals and the chief of the twelve Olympians. All the powers and functions of divinity were embodied in him.
Like his Greek counterpart, Zeus, he was worshiped as a sky god. With Juno and Minerva he was a member of the triad of deities traditionally believed to have been introduced into Rome by the Etruscans. Jupiter was associated with treaties, alliances, and oaths; he was the protecting deity of the republic and later of the reigning emperor. His oldest temple was on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. He was worshiped on the summits of hills throughout Italy, and all places struck by lightning became his property. His sacred tree was the oak.
The aureus was an ancient Roman gold coin, issued from around the 1st century BC up to the 4th century AD. One aureus was worth 25 silver denarii. The denarius was a small silver coin and the principal silver coin issued in the ancient Roman currency system from the late 3rd century BC until the early 3rd century AD.

A.684-1910