ROMAN COINS FOUND AT LITTLE CHESTER. 121 



laureated ; rev. FVNDATOR PACIS. A male figure to left, veiled 

 and draped, holding an olive branch in right hand, and a small 

 scroll (?) in left, a denarius, silver or electrum ? A good specimen. 



. . . A.D. 138 to 161. Plate II. No. i. (Mr. Mottram.) 

 There are reverses of Antoninus in ist and 2nd Brass with the 

 Britannia, but we know of no example from Little Chester at 

 present. 



This Emperor was adopted by Hadrian to succeed him ; it was 

 a fortunate choice. Antoninus was a man in every way estimable, 

 he was wise, liberal, and in his habits temperate ; he cared little 

 for the pomp and ceremony of State. It is related of him that on 

 an occasion when Marcus Aurelius, who, at the request of Hadrian, 

 was being brought up to succeed him in the Empire, shed tears at 

 the untimely death of one of his school fellows, Antoninus said : 

 "Suffer him to weep, for neither the wisdom of a sage nor the 

 dignity of a prince requires us to eradicate the feelings of a man." 

 His clemency and the excellence of his disposition gained for him 

 early in his reign that enviable title by which he is distinguished, 

 that of Fius, a title appropriated by many of his less worthy 

 successors. He died at the advanced age of 75 years, in the 

 23rd year of his reign, A.D. 161. There was a rebellion of the 

 Brigantes who inhabited Northumberland, which was soon 

 repressed ; and a wall to keep out the more Northern invaders 

 was extended from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde ; 

 otherwise his reign was peaceable on the whole. This Emperor 

 was a very tall, handsome man. 



(imp . CM. AVR ca)RINUS . P.P. A.V.G. Bust 



to right, head crowned, rev., a nude figure with helmet, in right 

 hand a caduceus, and in left a vine tendril. M. La C. de Bcntinck 

 describes this reverse as a victory, having a curious bonnet 

 resembling tiiat of Mercury, and an ornament at side totit missi 

 ' peuusite. VICTORIA . AVG, inscription A. 3rd Brass, A.D. 

 282—284. (Mr. Williams). Plate II., No. 7. 



IMP . CARAVSIVS . P.F . AVG. Bust to right, head 

 crowned. Rev. a draped figure to left holding an augural staff, 

 right hand held up, legend indistinct . . . AVG. Inscription 



