Page 19 - January1960

January, 1960 NATTONAL BUTTON BI]LLE'TIN

leading world currency. Greek lettering was used on coins made to circulate in
regions where that was the spoken language.
ANTONINUS PIUS, reigned 138-161. Shortly before his death l{adrian rnade
Antoninus (later called Pius) his heir by adoption. His twenty-two year reign
was one of peace and prosperity. ff the amount of money in circulation is any
criterion of good times, consider the fact that the British Museum catalogs 1410
difierent coin varieties from this reign.
No. 1? The inscription is entirely in Greek on this coin whictr was minted
in Alexandria, Egypt, for circulation there.
No. 18 The same beautiful design as No. 1? further enhanced by a cut steel
rim. Ttrese two buttons are unusual in the way the button designer has perfected
the model instead of making a replica of it.
MARCUS AURELruS, born 121, died 180. Marcus Aurelius was one of two
sons adopted by Antoninus Pius and also Pius' son-in-law. He s?rared the sove-
reign power with the other son, Lucius Venrs, from 161 until Verus' death in
169; he then ruled as sole emperor until his own death in 180. He had a distin-
guished military career and indeed spent much of his adult life on the battle
fleld. Yet he is known as "Ttre Philosopher" from his "Meditations," a gxeat
classic of Greco-Roman literature.
No. 19 "Antoninvs/AvglArrneniacvs" Looking at the flrst name and notJxing
else, one might mistake this for an Antoninus Pius coin. The "Armeniacus" shows,
however, that it cannot be he. That was the title given to lv[arcus Aurelius in
164 to memoralize his defeat of the Armenians a year earlier. Ttre face with its
whispy beard is also that of Aurelius. That he should have used the Antoninus
part of his name on the coin was in tribute to his foster father.
This coin button was purchased in Italy in 1958. The center is silvered metal;
the body is crystaline plastic (like lucite) impregnated with bubbles and backed
with black paint to make it scintillate.
No. 20 Same coin as the above, made up in the usual style as a replica,
LUCIUS \IERUS, joint emperor with Marcus Aurelius 161-169. Like his "bro-
ther" Marcus, Lucius Verus was ever victorious.
No. 21 "L/Vervs/Avg/Arm/Patlt\/Max/T'r P VIm,' This coin celebrated two
of Verus' great victories, over the Armenians (Arm) and over the Parthians
(Parth). "Tl P VIIII," or the ninth year of Verus' Ttibunician Power, was 169,
the year of his death.
No. 22 "L/Vervs/Avg/Ar-" The inscription is cut ofi in the middle of a
letter. We have here a very novel treatment of the coin theme. The design is
that portion of No. 2l which remains when it is cut in two along the ouiline of
the proflle and back to the croqrn of the head. On this button (which is actually
large size also) the design is a separate piece of metal made to fit down over a
convex wood button.
PERTINAX, ruled from January 1 to March 28, 193. pertinax was an upright
old Roman who was forced to become emperor against his wishes, tried to intro-
duce reforms in a very corrupt government and was quickly done away wittr by
ruthless elements.
No. 23 "Imp/Qaes/P/Helv/Pertinax/Aug" "P Helv" abbreviates his given
names, Publius Helvius.
SEPIIMUS SEVERUS, ruled from 193-211. The biography of this emperor
illustrates well the vast extent of ttre Roman Empire in his day. He was-born
in Africa,in 146. Being, like so many of his class, a military man, he campaigned
widely all over Europe and in Asia Minor, leading conquering armies as iarlast
as the Euphates River. I{e spent less than ten of his sixty-five years in Rome
and died in Britain.