Peter Franz Mittag
ELECTRUM, Volume 29, 2022, pp. 237-247
https://doi.org/10.4467/20800909EL.22.015.15785Especially in regard to the multitude of depictions on coins and medallions referring to the history of Rome in the early 140s, the omission of corresponding depictions in the year 147/148, when Rome’s birthday was celebrated for the 900th time, is remarkable. Instead of referring to this important event, the coins and medallions of Antoninus Pius present themselves entirely under the sign of his decennalia. Apparently, the reference to the anniversary of the reign was considered more important than Rome’s birthday. Reasons for this decision could have been problems of acceptance, which are only hinted at in the literary sources, which are consistently friendly to Antoninus.
Peter Franz Mittag
ELECTRUM, Volume 21, 2014, pp. 133-152
https://doi.org/10.4467/20800909EL.14.001.2785Literary sources, inscriptions and coins present Antoninus Pius as an emperor perfectly representing the traditional ideal of a pious emperor who promotes traditional Roman and Italian cults. On the other side his medallions which were meant to some extent as gifts for his close friends show a series of unusual gods and mythical scenes. Some of these medallions seem to reflect the emperor’s personal religious belief. Gods connected to mysteries like Ceres and Cybele as well as healing gods like Aesculapius seem to belong to the emperor’s religious strategies to handle difficult situations as illness and death within his family – and thus reflect a more or less ‘powerless’ side within the topic of ‘power and religion’.