The reverse legend FIDES EXERCITVM, meaning “the loyalty of the armies”, celebrates the allegiance of the imperial troops to the emperor. In 171 AD, Marcus Aurelius was engaged in a military campaign against the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes during the Marcomannic Wars. In this context, marked by repeated enemy incursions and internal unrest, the loyalty of the army was of vital importance. The issuance of this coin thus served a strong propagandistic purpose: to reassure the population and assert the unwavering support of the legions for imperial authority.
