Marcus Aurelius, denarius, struck at Rome in 161

Marcus Aurelius, denarius, struck at Rome in 161 during his first year as sole emperor. 3.20 g, diameter 17-18 mm. Obverse legend IMP M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG displays his bare head facing right with fine facial detailing and short, curly hair. Reverse legend CONCORD AVG TR P XV / COS III shows Concordia seated left, holding patera over a small altar, a cornucopiae beneath the seat, symbolising harmony between emperor and senate. Strike is typically high-relief on a rounded flan with occasional weakness on the highest points; surfaces usually exhibit light silver-grey toning with golden highlights. Reference: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 2, with parallels in BMC 4 and RSC 37.

Issued immediately after Antoninus Pius's death, this denarius publicised Marcus Aurelius's assumption of full imperial authority while emphasising concord within the state. The unusually high tribunician number XV, inherited from Pius's final regnal count, linked the new reign to that of his adoptive father, helping legitimise the succession and reassure Rome's political institutions during the transition.