Silver Denarius of Antoninus Pius, Rome - Latium (141 CE)
As the only mortal woman on this list, Faustina the Elder stands out as an exceptional Roman woman. Her marriage to Antoninus Pius was apparently a very happy and loving one, a rare case in upper class Rome. She died during his reign in 141 CE and was honored with a temple and altar, a priesthood, and a fund for orphaned Roman girls. Antoninus also issued many coins with her portrait, so many that in excavations there are often more surviving Faustina coins than Antoninus coins! Even after his death, coins with her portrait were minted. While it was common that an Augusta would receive special treatment and reverence after her death, Faustina the Elder was special in that Antoninus did not allow her worship to subside in the years following her death, following up her initial honors with new ones from the Senate. By honoring his wife in such a way, Antoninus asserted the “goodness” of his rule and dynasty and promoted the image of a strong, loving Roman marriage and household; they were the perfect image of a loving wife and a devoted husband. While Faustina was not a blatant propagandistic or political symbol, her imagery still advanced the public’s view of her husband.