Antoninus Pius of the day

[Cleisthenes]

Here is an interesting specimen that I've recently acquired:

Antoninus Pius, AD 138 to 161. Silver denarius. Sear-4053; gVF; Rome;16.4 x 17.9 mm, 3.61 g; issue of AD 138; Obverse : Head of Antoninus Pius right, with IMP T AEL CAES HADRI ANTONINVS around; Reverse : Aequitas standing left, holding scales and a cornucopiae, with AVG PIVS P M TR P COS DES II around. 

This is an interesting part of the Antoninus Pius "series," struck in the first year of his reign, using his adoptive name of Hadrianus, and with the reverse inscription a continuation from the obverse.

Jim

[slokind]

So that's what he looked like at 51; they tried to keep the same image for the rest of his reign.  An enviable coin!  Pat L.

[basemetal]

Your observation sparked an interesting thought Pat.  I wonder if he ever met Trajan as a boy or young man?
Also, we tend (at least I do, and am pretty sure others do the same) to think of the rule of the emperors in "blocks" of time.  We rarely think of the other emperors or future emperors (with the possible exception of the dynasties) that future emperors must have known or met on occasion.
Bruce

[slokind]

Yes, they certainly did both keep the same image.  But I wonder.  Yes, I guess all the well related boys of Rome did meet the reigning emperor at some time.  Still Spain and Lanuvium may have been different formative environments?  I don't know; at their niveau in society, I just don't know.  But they evidently were very different men.  Judging from the whole of his portraiture, APius rejoiced in his well preserved good looks (my female students called him the Handsome Emperor).  Trajan, on the other hand, might simply not have minded his portraits, provided they were appropriate to the Empire.  Of course, I can't say.  We all have our subjective responses to the portraiture, which is why I keep repeating my mantra, it's what they had portraiture DO, rather than what, exactly, they WERE.  They may or may not have been as they affect us.  Pat L.

[curtislclay]

Antoninus was born in 86.  His father was consul in 89, so certainly well known to both Domitian and Trajan.

Antoninus will have entered the Senate himself about the middle of Trajan's reign.  Kienast estimates that he was quaestor c. 111, praetor c. 117.

The emperor undoubtedly knew all senators who regularly attended that body's meetings in Rome, particularly those whose fathers had been consul!  Senatorial office-holders, for example quaestors and praetors, must have been very well known to the emperor and will have had fairly frequent official and social contact with him.