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Aureus - Otho PAX ORBIS TERRARVM, Pax
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 69 |
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| Reference(s) | RIC I#3, OCRE#ric.1(2).ot.3 |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P (Translation: Supreme commander Marcus Otho, Caesar and emperor, tribunician power.) |
| Reverse description | The personification of Pax depicted as a draped female figure standing to the left, her drapery rendered in flowing classical style. She extends her right hand forward holding an olive branch, symbol of peace, while her left hand carries a caduceus, the herald's staff associated with Mercury and diplomatic concord. The figure is positioned centrally within the field, conveying a deliberate propagandistic message of universal peace during Otho's brief reign. The reverse legend PAX ORBIS TERRARVM encircles the scene, proclaiming peace throughout the world. The composition is typical of Julio-Claudian allegorical reverse types and reflects Otho's bid for legitimacy during the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors. |
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| Additional information |
Otho ruled for 95 days before his suicide at Bedriacum, making his coinage among the most compressed imperial issues of the entire first century. This piece belongs to the propaganda offensive he launched immediately on seizing power from Galba in January 69 — the PAX ORBIS TERRARVM legend a calculated appeal for legitimacy during a civil war that would consume four emperors in a single year.
RIC I #3 is well documented but genuinely scarce by any measure of surviving aurei.