The Front (Obverse)
- What you see: A profile view of Marcus Aurelius looking right, wearing a laurel wreath (the ultimate Roman symbol of victory).
- The Latin text: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI
- What it means: It lists the emperor's official titles: "Marcus Antoninus Augustus, Germanic Victory, Sarmatian Victory, Holder of Tribunician Power for the 31st time."
- The fun part: Notice the titles GERM and SARM. The Romans loved bragging about who they conquered. Marcus Aurelius added these titles to his name to remind everyone that he personally defeated the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes along the northern borders.
The Back (Reverse)
- What you see: A massive, messy pile of captured enemy weapons and armor. It includes shields, spears, and pieces of body armor. At the very bottom, there is a special section (called the exergue) with text.
- The Latin text: IMP VIII COS III P P S C and DE GERMANIS
- What it means:
- The top text lists his political stats: "Imperator for the 8th time, Consul for the 3rd time, Father of his Country, by Decree of the Senate (S C)."
- The text at the bottom, DE GERMANIS,(or Devictus Germanis) translates literally to "Conquered the Germans" or "Victory over the Germans."
Why this coin was made
For years, Marcus Aurelius had to leave his cozy palace in Rome to fight grueling, snowy campaigns along the Danube River against Germanic tribes (like the Marcomanni and Quadi) who were trying to invade the empire.
When Rome finally won, they didn't have newspapers, social media, or TV to spread the word. Instead, they minted coins. By stamping a massive pile of broken enemy weapons on a coin that everyday citizens used to buy food and goods, Marcus Aurelius was sending a clear message to the public: "The war was long, but we smashed them, and Rome is safe once again."
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