Communicating a consecratio: the deification coinage of Faustina I

Faustina the Elder, wife of Antoninus Pius, died early in her husband’s reign and was consecrated by decree of the senate. The Historia Augusta records that Faustina was awarded games, a temple and priestesses, statues of silver and gold, that her statue was erected in all the circuses and an alimentary scheme for young girls was founded in her name. 1. A temple to the divine Faustina was erected in the Roman forum, meaning she became the fi rst empress to have a permanent presence in this traditional seat of Roman power. The unusual location of Faustina’s temple is mirrored in her deifi cation coinage: both refl ect an unheralded presence by the empress. Harold Mattingly realised the unusual nature of Faustina’s deifi cation coinage, noting that it survived in unusually large numbers and encompassed an extraordinary variety of reverse types. 2. Strack had also noticed these peculiarities, observing that Faustina’s deifi cation coinage was struck at least until Pius’s death in AD 161.3 Earlier consecration series had only been minted for a short period of time, as would future issues. Faustina’s series was remarkable.