Roman Empire, Faustina II, AR Denarius

Roman Empire, Faustina II, +175, AR Denarius

Obv.: Drap. bust r.

Rev.: Concordia seated left

Historical

Annia Galeria Faustina (* 130; † 176 in Halala, Cappadocia), called Faustina the Younger to distinguish her mother of the same name, was the wife of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Faustina was born to the later Emperor Antoninus Pius and the elder Faustina probably around the year 130. On the instructions of the Emperor Hadrian, she was betrothed to Lucius Verus on 25 February 138.

After Hadrian's death, this union was dissolved and Faustina was betrothed to Marcus Aurelius. The marriage followed in April 145 at the latest.

Coins with double portraits of the couple were minted for the occasion and the city Roman plebs received a congiarium. The couple had at least 14 children together in the following years (the last daughter was born in 170), though few of them survived their parents.
The empress's fecunditas (fertility) was praised on coins. After the birth of her first daughter (Domitia Faustina, * 30 November 147) she was raised to the rank of Augusta.

The daily life of the family was repeatedly the subject of correspondence between Marcus Aurelius and Fronto, so that many details about it are known to this day. Their daughter Lucilla was betrothed to her former fiancé Lucius Verus, co-regent of Marcus Aurelius, in 161, and their marriage finally took place in 164.

The best-known child of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina was the later Emperor Commodus. 

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