The George W. La Borde Collection of Roman Aurei Part I
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Sabina, wife of Hadrian
Aureus 129, AV 7.43 g. SABINA AVGVSTA – HADRIANI AVG P P Draped bust r., hair in stephane and in long tail at back. Rev. CONCOR – DIA AVG Concordia seated l., holding patera and leaning l. elbow on statue of Spes. C 13 var. (cornucopiae below throne). BMC Hadrian 894. RIC Hadrian 398 var. (cornucopiae below throne). Calicó 1429 (these dies).
Rare. An attractive portrait of high style struck on a large flan,
good very fine / about extremely fine
Provenance
Sold by Hans-Dieter Rauch, auction 89, Vienna, 5-8 December 2011, lot 1568.

While Sabina’s mother, Matidia, may have been quite fond of Hadrian, the same cannot be said of his wife Sabina. Their marriage in 100 essentially guaranteed Hadrian as successor to Trajan, but it did not bring with it domestic bliss. Hadrian was a flagrant adulterer, both with married women and handsome youths such as his favourite companion, the Bithynian youth Antinoüs. Hadrian, however, would not tolerate such behaviour from his wife; in 121 or 122 he dismissed his praetorian prefect Septicius Clarus and the historian Suetonius, both court officials with whom Sabina had developed close relationships. After an unpleasant thirty-six year marriage, Sabina died in 136 or 137. It was widely rumoured that her husband, knowing that his death was not far off, either poisoned her or forced her to commit suicide.