Faustina II           c.128 - 175

 

Daughter of Antoninus Pius and Faustina Sr. and wife of Marcus Aurelius. She was also the mother of Commodus and Lucilla, wife of Lucius Verus. Her claim to fame, or rather notoriety, was her rampant unfaithfulness to Marcus Aurelius who, it seemed, was the only Roman who wasn't on to her. Upon her death a mournful Aurelius asked for her deification. Alarmed at the possible scandal but unwilling to test the will of the beloved emperor the Senate complied.

 

AE Sestertius ca. 127--176 A.D.

31 mm.

Obv. DIVA FAVSTINA PIA: Bust right

Rev. CONSECRATIO S C: Large peacock flying right, bearing Faustina on its back

C. 69, Van Meter 35

AR Denarius ca. 127--176 A.D.

Rome

17 mm.

Obv. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA: Bare head right, with bun of hair on her neck

Rev. SALVS: Salus standing left, holding a patera to feet a snake rising from an altar

C. 197, Van Meter v

AE As ca. 127--176 A.D.

24 mm.

Obv. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA: Draped bust right

Rev. SALVTI AVGVSTAE S C: Salus seated left, using pater to feed a snake rising from an altar

C. 201, Van Meter 61

AE Sestertius ca. 127-176 A.D.

30 mm.

Obv. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA: Draped bust right

Rev. FECVND AVGVSTA S C: Fecunditas standing holding two children, with two more standing at her feet

C. 96, Van Meter 38