Roman Empire, Lucius Verus, 161-169, AR Denar
Obv.Laur. head r.
Rev.Of varying types
Historical
Lucius Aurelius Verus (* 130; † 169 in Altinum).
He was Roman Emperor together with Marcus Aurelius from 161 until his death 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. However, 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.
This happened on 25 February 138, and Verus received the gentile name 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. Only later reports claim that Lucius Verus did not share the hard life of the soldiers on the campaign: He was, it is said, always surrounded by actors and musicians, enjoying numerous banquets and other pleasures of life.
162 he had himself initiated into the mysteries of Eleusis, thus expressing his philhellenism.
Please note: All images are archive images. They buy the same type of coin in the same condition, not the piece shown.
