Antoninus Pius augustus, 138 – 161

Medallion circa 160-161, Æ 42 mm, 54.94 g. ANTONINVS AVG – PIVS P P TR P XXIIII Laureate and cuirassed bust l. Rev. Roma seated l., holding shield and spear; in l. field, Africa standing r., wearing elephant-skin headdress, and Annona standing r., holding cornucopiae and placing r. hand on Africa’ shoulders. C –. BMC –. Gnecchi –. Toynbee –.
Apparently unique and unpublished. An impressive medallion with a superb portrait
of fine style and a very interesting reverse composition. Lovely green patina and
good very fine / about extremely fine

This wonderful and unpublished medallion is clearly intended to celebrate the work undertaken by Antoninus Pius to guarantee the grain supply to the city of Rome—a critical concern for all emperors from the time of Augustus down to the fall of the Western Empire. On the reverse an enthroned Roma is depicted receiving Annona, the personification of the Roman grain supply, and a female personification who may represent Africa, or perhaps more likely the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Although both Africa and Alexandria are depicted in Roman art wearing an elephant headdress, Alexandria is perhaps more relevant in this context since it was primarily Egyptian grain and its shipment from the port of this city that kept hunger at bay in Rome. Antoninus Pius is also thought to have financed the repair of the Pharos lighthouse crucial for the safety of shipping at Alexandria. Annona holds a cornucopia to illustrate the abundance of the grain supply while Alexandria/Africa holds out the fold of her himation, apparently loaded with grain. The medallion is perhaps the most remarkable expression of the theme of maintaining the Roman grain supply that was extremely popular for coins of Antoninus Pius. It has been shown that denarii featuring Annona types account for almost 20% of all types of this emperor found in hoards and that the Annona types of Antoninus Pius were produced in greater quantity than under any other emperor from the time of Vespasian down to the reign of Severus Alexander. Clearly, he was very proud of his work on guaranteeing the grain supply and wanted his subjects to know about it. According to the Historia Augusta, on an unspecified occasion Antoninus Pius saved Rome from a shortage of grain while he is known to have invested in the infrastructure necessary for the smooth shipment of grain to the city, such as the restoration of the harbour at Puteoli and possibly the construction of a new imperial harbour at Pompeiopolis in Cilicia.