Silver denarius of Emperor Elagabalus. The obverse depicts his laureate, draped and cuirassed bust facing right with the legend IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, naming his imperial titles. The reverse shows the goddess Pax advancing left, holding an olive branch in her right hand and a long sceptre in her left. The legend PAX AVGVSTI identifies her as the embodiment of the “Peace of the Augustus,” attributed to the emperor himself. Historical note: Elagabalus, born Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, was the last ruler of the Severan dynasty. He ascended the throne at the age of 14 and introduced the cult of the Syrian sun god Elagabal to Rome, which provoked opposition from the Senate. His unconventional religious practices and eccentric lifestyle soon made him deeply unpopular. In AD 222, at only 18 years old, he was assassinated and succeeded by his cousin Severus Alexander.