CONSECRATION, or the ancient ceremony of the apotheosis of an emperor, is thus represented on medals:—On one side is the emperor's head, crowned with laurel, sometimes veiled, while the inscription gives him the title of divus; on the reverse is a temple, a bustum, an altar, or an eagle taking its flight towards heaven, either from off the altar, or from a cippus. In others the emperor is borne up in the air by the eagle. The inscription is always consecratio. These are the usual symbols; yet on the reverse of that of Antoninus is the Antonine column. In the apotheosis of empresses, instead of an eagle there is a peacock. The honours rendered to these princes after death were explained by the words consecratio, pater, divus, and deus. Sometimes around the temple or altar are put the words memoria felix, or memoria aeterna; and for princesses, aeternitas, and sideribus recepta; whilst on the one side of the head is dea, or dea.