Lucius Verus Silver Denarius 161AD Providentia Reverse

Emperor Lucius Verus (r. 161-169 A.D.) Silver AR Denarius

Obverse: IMP L AVREL VERVS AVG, Head of Lucius Verus, laureate, right

Reverse: PROV DEOR TR P COS II, Providentia, draped, standing left, holding globe on extended right hand and cornucopiae in left hand

Date: 161 A.D., RIC 463 variant (bust type)

Size: 18mm diameter, 3.18g weight

Composition: Silver

Lucius Verus was co-emperor to Marcus Aurelius, the two emperors being adopted by Antoninus Pius upon Hadrian's request to ensure a stable succession plan. Marcus was the senior of the two emperors, in both age and authority. They apparently had a good relationship, though differed much in their temperaments - Lucius being more of a hedonistic pleasure-seeker compared to the serious, stoic Marcus. Lucius spent much of his reign in the east, leading the campaign against the Parthian Empire. He died of illness in 169 A.D., possibly due to the Antonine Plague, an epidemic that killed an estimated 5-10 million Romans - 10% of the total population of the Empire.