Crispina AR Denarius 180-182 Rome

Silver denarius of the Roman Empress Crispina, wife of Emperor Commodus. Coin struck in Rome between 180 and 182 AD.

Crispina, born around AD 164, was the wife of Emperor Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius. She came from a prominent aristocratic family and married Commodus before his accession, becoming empress (Augusta) at the start of his reign in AD 180. Although she held an esteemed title, her position at court was precarious amid growing political instability. Accused of adultery—possibly unjustly—she was exiled and later executed on Commodus’s orders around AD 182. Her memory was officially condemned (damnatio memoriae), which explains the relative rarity of her official portraits, including on coins. Denarii bearing her image remain valuable historical artifacts, offering insight into her brief but symbolic role in Roman imperial history.