Dupondius Marcus Aurelius - De Sarmatis
MARCUS AURELIUS. Æ Dupondius. Rome, 176/177 AD.
Obv. M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM TR P XXXI Radiated head right
Rev. IMP VIII COS III P P SC trophy, at base of which are seated two Sarmatian prisonners; in exergue, DE SARM
RIC 1186; Cohen 168
Military type commemorating the victory over the Germanic tribes after a difficult campaign. Germanic people of central and northern Europe began to move from the Elbe and Vistula, causing pressure on the Marcomanni, Quadi, Yaziges, who in turn were forced to advance into Roman territory about 166 AD.
The Sarmatians, who were first mentioned in classical literature by Herodotus, were a tribal group related to the Scythians. The continued to move westward, under pressure from Germanic tribes, and were initially defeated by Augustus and Nero. One of their main groups, the Iazyges, after being allies of Trajan in his Dacian campaigns, joined with the German Marcomanni in their wars against Marcus Aurelius. They were defeated but campaigns had to be fought against them in the later 3rd century and in the 4th. Constantine finally settled some within the Empire, others were absorbed by the more numerous Germans who surrounded them, and all the remainder were forced east towards the Caucasus.[Leu]
Sharp details, nice emerald green patina.
Paris coin fair, ex. Moruzzi, 8 March 2008. Lanz 138, 26 Nov. 2007, lot 699
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