Antoninus Pius, Rome mint, 141-143 AD.,
Æ Dupondius(24-27 mm / 10.52 g),
Obv.: ANTONINVS AVG PI - VS P [P TR P COS III] , radiate head of Antoninus Pius right.
Rev.: [ROMAE] - AE - TE - RNAE / S C , decastyle temple of Roma and Venus, with statues on roof and in pediment. RIC III 664 ; BMC 1345 ; Coh. 701 .
scarce
The great temple of Venus and Roma, actually two temples that were back to back, the temple of Venus faced the Flavian ampitheatre and that of Rome overlooked the Forum, was designed by Hadrian himself. Construction began in 121 AD and and remained unfinished on Hadrian's death in 138 AD. Construction was finally completed in 141 AD under Antoninus Pius, the event celebrated by this coin. The temple would be destroyed by fire in 307 and later rebuilt by Maxentius, the remains of which can still be seen in Rome today.