ITEM: Pendant with Dvia Faustina I, wife of Antoninus Pius denarius MATERIAL: Silver CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 2nd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 19 mm diameter CONDITION: Good condition. Original coin within a modern handmade circular silver setting. PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired in the 1990s (Coin) COIN DESCRIPTION: "ROMAN EMPIRE. Diva Faustina I (wife of Antoninus Pius).Silver Denarius, AD 141-161. Rome. Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, draped bust right. Rev: AETERNITAS, Venus (or Aeternitas) standing left, head turned, holding sceptre. Good Very Fine; lovely bright metal with soft radiant flow lines throughout. Reference: RIC III-346b (Antoninus Pius); RSC-41 corr. (obv. legend). Die Axis: 12h. Diameter: 18 mm. Weight: 3.08 g." Comes with Certificate of Authenticity. Annia Galeria Faustina, often known as Faustina the Elder, was a powerful and highly respected Roman Empress, the wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius. Born into a noble family with deep political ties, her marriage was famously harmonious—a rarity in the often-turbulent chronicles of Roman imperial couples. She was granted the title of Augusta early in her husband's reign, and her influence was reflected in her active involvement in charities and the education of Roman children, particularly young girls from impoverished backgrounds. Her sudden death in 140 or 141 AD left the Emperor in profound grief, leading to one of the most extensive commemorations of a spouse in Roman history. Antoninus Pius petitioned the Senate to deify her, giving her the title Diva Faustina (the Divine Faustina). He established the Puellae Faustinianae (Faustinian Girls), a charitable foundation for orphaned daughters, and commissioned the construction of a magnificent temple in the Roman Forum in her honor, which still stands today as part of the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda. Faustina’s legacy remained a cornerstone of the "Antonine" era’s propaganda, symbolizing the ideal of the devoted Roman wife and the stability of the dynasty. Her image appeared on an immense volume of coinage even decades after her death, ensuring that her likeness remained one of the most recognizable in the empire. This persistent veneration helped solidify the public image of Antoninus Pius as a man of pietas (duty and devotion), intertwining her memory with the golden age of the Roman Empire’s peace and prosperity.