antoniniani
|an-to-ni-ni-a-ni|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tə.nɪˈniːə.ni/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tə.nɪˈniː.ə.ni/
(antoninianus)
Roman radiate coin associated with Antoninus
Etymology
'antoniniani' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'antoninianus', formed from the name 'Antoninus' (a Roman family/name borne by emperors) plus the suffix '-ianus' meaning 'belonging to' or 'of'.
'antoninianus' in Latin was used for coins associated with (or issued under) an Antoninus; the term passed into Medieval Latin and Italian (e.g. Italian antoniniano/antoniniani) and was adopted in modern scholarly English usage as 'antoninianus' (singular) and 'antoniniani' (plural) to refer to the coin type.
Initially it meant 'pertaining to Antoninus' or 'issued under Antoninus' (a descriptor tied to the emperor's name); over time it came to denote the specific coin type (the radiate antoninianus) used in the 3rd century.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'antoninianus': Roman coins (3rd century AD) of the radiate type introduced under emperors of the Antonine/Severan period; originally valued as a double denarius but later debased.
Archaeologists recovered several antoniniani at the Roman site.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/12 19:46