Roman Empire, Lucius Verus, 161-169, AE Sestertius, 168-169
Posthumous coinage under Marcus Aurelius for the consecration of Lucis Verus
Bearded bust r.
Rv.Eagle r. on globe with stars, head turned l.,
Historical
Lucius Aurelius Verus (* 130; † 169 in Altinum).
He was Roman Emperor together with Marcus Aurelius from 161 until his death in 169.
Lucius Verus was the son of Lucius Aelius Caesar, a man close to the Emperor Hadrian, and his wife Avidia.
Verus was first called Lucius Ceionius Commodus, like his father, and consequently came from the family of the Ceionians.
When in 136 his father was adopted by Hadrian and designated as his successor, Verus was given the name Lucius Aelius Commodus. Lucius Aelius Caesar died as early as January 138, and the terminally ill Hadrian made Antoninus Pius his successor instead, but on condition that Antoninus in turn adopted Lucius Verus.
On 25 February 138, Verus received the gentilnomen Aurelius and was now called Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus. At the same time, at Hadrian's behest, he was betrothed to Faustina, the daughter of Antoninus.
Between 162 and 166, Lucius Verus commanded the Roman campaign in the East against the Parthian Empire of the Arsacids, who had invaded Roman territories in Armenia in 161.
Lucius Verus is said to have been an excellent commander, with no qualms about delegating military tasks to more competent generals. Later reports say that Lucius Verus did not always indispensably share the hard life of the soldiers on the campaign.
To compensate, he enjoyed numerous banquets and other pleasures of life. He was, it is said, always surrounded by actors and musicians who inspired him.
162 he had himself initiated into the mysteries of Eleusis, thus expressing his philhellenism.
