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Roman Emp., Marcus Aurelius, Aureus 163-164

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:7,200.00 CHF Estimated At:9,000.00 - 11,250.00 CHF
Roman Emp., Marcus Aurelius, Aureus 163-164
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The Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius augustus, 161 – 180, Aureus 163-164, AV 7.25 g. M ANTONINVS – AVG ARMEN P M Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. TR P XVIII IMP II COS III Armenia seated l., supporting head with r. hand and resting l. hand on bow; behind her, trophy; in exergue, ARMEN. C 11. BMC 278 var. (COS II, a slip ?). RIC 86. Calicó 1813 (this coin). Biaggi 838 (this coin). Mazzini 11 (this coin). Extremely fine Ex NAC sale 24, 2002, European Nobleman, 105 sales. From the Biaggi and Mazzini collections. The joint reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus began in crisis. The Parthians under Vologases IV broke their treaty with Rome and crossed their western border, easily overrunning Roman defences and capturing Armenia. Lucius Verus sailed to Asia Minor, where he eventually led the Roman army to victory within its former territories and followed that up with an extremely successful counter-offensive. The result was the recovery of Armenia and Syria, the sack of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and the conquest of Media and Mesopotamia. It was one of the most successful Roman military efforts east of the Euphrates in all Roman history, but with it came the unexpected consequence of the plague, which soldiers returning from this campaign brought into the empire. The pestilence was terrifying, and it had devastating consequences for much of Asia Minor and Europe during the next decade.