AR22 - Marcus Aurelius ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ L Ε

Year 5 of Marcus Aurelius's reign coincided with the early phase of the Parthian War, fought nominally under co-emperor Lucius Verus. The ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ ("concord") type issued at Alexandria during this period almost certainly references the ideological harmony projected between the two rulers — a joint reign that was constitutionally unprecedented and required sustained propaganda to legitimize. The Alexandria mint was unusually active in year 5, producing a wide range of reverse types tied to this theme.

Billon coinage from the Alexandrian mint deteriorated markedly in silver content across the Antonine period; by the 160s, the tetradrachm's fineness had fallen well below what the denomination's name implied.