Emperor Antoninus stabilizes and consolidates the government,…

Emperor Antoninus stabilizes and consolidates the government, defers to a generally approving Senate, and brings economic prosperity to Rome and its provinces.

One highlight during his reign occurs in 148, with the nine-hundredth anniversary of the foundation of Rome being celebrated by the hosting of magnificent games in Rome.

It lasts a number of days, and a host of exotic animals are killed, including elephants, giraffes, tigers, rhinoceroses, crocodiles and hippopotami.

While this increases Antoninus’s popularity, the frugal emperor has to debase the Roman currency.

He decreases the silver purity of the denarius from 89% to 83.5%—the actual silver weight dropping from 2.88 grams to 2.68 grams.