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Antoninus Pius

Reece Period attributed: Period 7

Member of the The Antonines dynasty.

Coins for this issuer were issued from 138 until 161.

Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionus Arrius Antoninus was born in AD 86 to a politically-involved family. He eventually gained the honorific name 'Pius', possibly because of his devotion to duty and upstanding character. He took the usual route through Roman political offices, but he knew little of military affairs.

Hadrian adopted Antoninus in AD 138 after the death of designated heir Aelius Caesar. In turn, Antoninus adopted Marcus Annius Verus (eventually Marcus Aurelius) and the future emperor Commodus at the same ceremony. Antoninus' succession was unchallenged, and he introduced reforms for the acceptable treatment of slaves. An excellent public speaker, he ruled justly and compassionately. Antoninus engaged in no major military campaigns, and the empire enjoyed peace during his reign.

Antoninus Pius died of a short illness and was deified almost immediately by the Senate. He officially handed his power to his adoptive son Marcus Aurelius while dying. His body, along with his wife Faustina's, was laid to rest in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in one of the first imperial inhumations (as opposed to the more-common cremation).

Antoninus Pius followed his predecessor Hadrian's new fashion and wore a beard. He had a stern expression and was very tall and handsome.

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Antoninus Pius.

Wikipedia derived information

Antoninus Pius, also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161.

He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne. Almost certainly, he earned the name "Pius" because he compelled the Senate to deify his adoptive father Hadrian; the Historia Augusta, however, suggests that he may have earned the name by saving senators sentenced to death by Hadrian in his later years..

Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoninus_Pius
This data is sourced from dbpedia, and as such should be treated with caution

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