Marcus Aurelius ruled Rome from 161 to 180 AD, and his silver denarii tell the story of his reign in miniature. But Roman imperial coinage didnβt end with an emperorβs deathβit marked a transformation from mortal ruler to god.
The Living Emperor
During his lifetime, Marcus Aurelius appeared on coins with the standard imperial titulature: M ANTONINVS AVG (Marcus Antoninus Augustus) or M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG. His portrait shows the distinctive curly beard and hair he cultivated, influenced by Greek philosophical tradition.
The reverse types during his reign emphasized traditional Roman virtues: Concordia (harmony), Providentia (foresight), and Annona (grain supply). These werenβt mere decorationβthey were propaganda, reassuring citizens that the empire was stable and well-governed.
The legend TR P XVI COS III on one example tells us the coin was struck during his sixteenth year holding tribunician power and third consulship, allowing scholars to date it precisely to 162 AD.
From Man to God
When Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180 AD, the Senate voted him divine honorsβa process called consecratio. His son Commodus then issued commemorative coins declaring his father a god.
The changes are significant:
DIVVS M ANTONINVS PIVS β The title βDivusβ (divine) replaces the living emperorβs βImperator.β The cognomen βPiusβ was added posthumously, honoring his dutiful character.
Bare head β Living emperors wore the laurel wreath of victory. Deified emperors appear bare-headed, now beyond earthly honors.
CONSECRATIO β This reverse legend explicitly announces the deification ceremony. The eagle shown was believed to carry the emperorβs soul to heavenβRoman sources describe releasing an eagle from the funeral pyre.
Reading History in Coins
These two coins, struck perhaps months apart, capture a profound transition. The first shows a ruling emperor concerned with earthly governanceβharmony, grain supply, military success. The second transforms him into an ancestor god, now watching over Rome from among the divine.
For Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic philosopher who wrote in his Meditations about the transience of fame and the equality of all in death, thereβs a certain irony in this elaborate posthumous honor. But the coins survive, small metal witnesses to how Rome made meaning of power, death, and memory.