Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus
Reign: Commodus
Mint: Rome
Date: 186 AD
Nominal: Denarius
Material: Silver
Diameter: 18mm
Weight: 2.85g
Reference: RIC III Commodus 131
OCRE Online: http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.3.com.131
Rare: R1
Provenance: Künker Numismatik Osnabrück, Germany (Auction 76, Lot 7036)
Pedigree: –
Obverse: Head of Commodus, laureate, right
Inscription: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT
Translation: Marcus Commodus Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus Britannicus
Translation: Marcus Commodus Antoninus, the pious, the fortunate, Augustus, conqueror of the Britons
Reverse: Fortuna, draped, seated left on low seat, holding rudder set on globe in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; under seat, wheel
Inscription: FOR RED P M TR P XI IMP VII COS V P P
Translation: Fortuna Redux. Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate Undecima, Imperator Septimum, Consul Quintum, Pater Patriae
Translation: Fortune that brings back [the emperor in safety]. High priest, holder of tribunician power for the eleventh time, Imperator for the seventh time, consul for the fifth time, father of the nation
Comment: In 184 AD, a Britannic war took place. Barbarians crossed the border wall and cut down a Roman detachment. Commodus sent his commander Ulpius Marcellus against them, who had already administered Britain in the time of Marcus Aurelius. Marcellus succeeded in defeating the Britons. Because of this victory, Commodus took the name “Britannicus” and, apparently at the same time, was proclaimed emperor for the seventh time. Since Commodus stayed in Rome the whole time (even in 185 AD the Britannic War was still going on) and did not leave, this issue of the Fortuna Redux coinage cannot refer to this war. The occasion of the issues is difficult to grasp historically. Possibly the occasion for the coinage may have been an allegedly intended journey to Africa (Comm. 9, 1). Another intention was to undertake a third Germanic campaign, since there had been unrest in Upper Germania (Comm. 13, 5: in Germania). However, Commodus was prevented from carrying out the campaign by the senate and the people (Comm. 12, 8). An issue of the “Fortuna Redux” coins in relation to the planned Africa journey or the Germanic campaign therefore seems obvious.