A.D. 161-180 Marcus Aurelius Silver Denarii

Written works left by Marcus Aurelius show he was a philosopher-king forced to spend most of his time defending Rome's borders against the barbarians. Despite invasions, revolts and an outbreak of the plague, the golden age in the Empire continued. He was a careful, moral ruler who broke with the 80-year-old tradition of adopted emperors when he made his son heir to the throne.