004g Diva Faustina I Ceres

Ruler: Diva Faustina Senior, wife of Antoninus Pius (died AD 140/141)

Denomination: Sestertius

Obverse: DIVA FAVSTINA, Draped bust of Faustina to right, her hair piled on top of her head and bound with pearls.

Reverse: AVGVSTA S C, Ceres, veiled, standing facing with her head turned to left, and holding a torch in each hand

Mint: Rome, 141-146 AD.

Weight: 27,90 g

Diameter: 32 mm

Reference: RIC 1120; BMC 1517; Coh. 91.

Provenance: Lipsia Numismatics auction 1 lot 224  = ex CGB web shop brm_865365 (750 EUR) = ex auction Lanz 135, München 2007, Nr. 751. (360 EUR hammer; vz)

Note: Annia Galeria Faustina the Elder, sometimes referred to as Faustina I or Faustina Major( c. 100  – late October 140),was a Roman empress and wife of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. The emperor Marcus Aurelius was her nephew and later became her adopted son, along with Emperor Lucius Verus.

As empress, Faustina was well respected and was renowned for her beauty and wisdom. Throughout her life, as a private citizen and as empress, Faustina was involved in assisting charities for the poor and sponsoring and assisting in the education of Roman children.

While a private citizen, she married Antoninus Pius between 110 and 115. Faustina bore four children with Pius: two sons and two daughters, including Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger (between 125–130 to 175), the future Roman Empress and wife of the future Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. She was the only child who survived to see Antoninus and Faustina elevated to the imperial rank.

She died early in the principate of Antoninus Pius, but continued to be prominently commemorated as a diva, posthumously playing a prominent symbolic role during his reign. particularly girls. Antoninus was devastated at Faustina's death and took several steps to honor her memory. He had the Senate deify her (her apotheosis was portrayed on an honorary column) and dedicate the Temple of Faustina to her in the Roman Forum. Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum.The Senate authorized gold and silver statues of her, including an image to appear in the circus. Antoninus also ordered various coins with her portrait struck, inscribed DIVA FAVSTINA ("Divine Faustina") and elaborately decorated. He also established a charity called Puellae Faustinianae ("Girls of Faustina") to assist orphaned Roman girls and created a new alimenta (see Grain supply to the city of Rome).Her remains were interred in the Mausoleum of Hadrian.

The coins issued in the wake of Faustina's funeral illustrate her elaborate funeral pyre, which may have influenced the design of later private mausolea; the deities Pietas and Aeternitas, among others; and an eagle (or less often a winged genius) bearing a figure aloft, with the legend CONSECRATIO (i.e. Faustina's ascension into heaven).Coins of Faustina were sometimes incorporated into jewellery and worn as amulets.

Collection : 30 Roman Sestertii, asses and dupondii