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RELIG AVG





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RELIGio AVG.—The Religion of the Emperor.—On the reverse of a first brass of Marcus Aurelius is a temple, supported by four termini, and in the centre of which stands the statue of Mercury on a pedestal; in the pediment appear a tortoise, a



cock, and a ram, and other attributes of the messenger of the Gods. The tortoise recalls the fable that Mercury was the inventor of the lyre, called in Latin testudo. The cock is the symbol of watchfulness, a quality needful to its employment; and the shepherds having adopted him as their patron, he is sometimes seen accompanied by a ram.

The legend of this reverse presents itself for the first time on any medal—Religio Augusti. That Marcus Aurelius, malgré his love of philosophy, was zealous for all that related to Polytheistic worship, even to the uptmost extent of its manifold superstitions, is proved by his oppressive and cruel rigor towards Christians. But it would have been difficult to account for his having selected Mercury from so great a crowd of deities, in order to display his piety, had not Diodorus Siculus thrown a light on this point by stating that, in Egypt the bearer of the caduceus and wearer of the winged cap was reported to be the author of sacred rites and sacrificial ceremonies connected with religion.

On coins of Valerian, we read RELIGIO AVGGustorum; but as it was a privilege, freely exercised by princes, to choose the divinity whom they most delighted to honour, so the religion of Valerian and his imperial colleague is found associated not with Mercurius but with Diana Venatrix.

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