Crispina. Augusta AD 178-182. Rome
Denarius AR

17 mm, 3,50 g

CRISPINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left with palm branch and cornucopiae.

Very Fine

RIC. 282; C. 82.

Crispina, born Bruttia Crispina around AD 164, was a Roman empress and the wife of Emperor Commodus. She came from a distinguished senatorial family, with her father, Gaius Bruttius Praesens, serving as a consul. Her marriage to Commodus in AD 178 was likely arranged for political reasons, intended to strengthen the ties between Commodus’s family and the Roman aristocracy. As empress, Crispina held the title of Augusta and was depicted on coins and other imperial iconography. These coins often featured her portrait on the obverse, emphasizing her role as the consort of the emperor and a symbol of the continuity and stability of the imperial family. Despite her elevated position, little is recorded about Crispina’s influence or activities as empress, and there is no evidence that she played a significant role in political affairs. Crispina's marriage to Commodus, however, was troubled. Commodus's behavior grew increasingly erratic during his reign, and he was known for his infidelities. Crispina herself was eventually implicated in a scandal or conspiracy against the emperor, though the details remain unclear. In AD 182, she was accused of adultery, a serious charge that, if true, could have been used to justify her removal. Following these accusations, Crispina was exiled to the island of Capri. Exile was a common punishment for members of the imperial family who fell out of favor, particularly for women accused of adultery or other misconduct. While in exile, Crispina was eventually executed, likely by orders from Commodus or his associates. Crispina’s fall from grace and eventual death highlight the dangers faced by those close to power in ancient Rome, particularly under rulers like Commodus, whose reign was marked by paranoia and cruelty. After her death, her memory was largely erased, and she was subjected to damnatio memoriae, a practice aimed at obliterating the legacy of disgraced individuals from public records and monuments.