LEGEND
Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, Emperor Hadrian laureate facing right, wearing aegis over his left shoulder. Rev: P M TR P COS III, Roma as Amazon warrior standing facing with head turned left, holding Victory in right hand and reverted spear in left hand.

Emperor Hadrian, named Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in 76 AD. He was raised in Spain until the age of ten when his father died. As the grandson of Emperor Trajan’s father’s brother, Hadrian was returned to Rome and raised under imperial care. Emperor Trajan and his wife Plotina are known to have educated Hadrian and supported him as a young soldier, his rise as army commander, and as an elected praetor and consul. Trajan officially adopted Hadrian to ensure a successor to the throne shortly before his death in 117 AD. As Emperor, Hadrian added the cognomen “Traian” to all documents and coinage, announcing publicly his adoption by Trajan, thus legitimizing his ascension to the throne. The coin obverse above depicts Hadrian facing right with full beard and tiny snippet of Aegis garment, the Amalthea nymph’s goat skin, draped over his left shoulder. The reverse imagery depicts the goddess Roma and is considered a part of the divine type series issued during Hadrian’s early reign. The divine type series depicted the wide variety of Roman gods on the reverse side of coins and is thought to be a tribute signifying the Vota Quinquennalia celebrations (H. Mattingly). These celebrations were made by the state to honor Rome’s gods in the belief that the empire would be free from tribulation for the next five years. The coin reverse superbly details the goddess Roma as Amazonian warrior, helmeted, draped in a toga garment, wearing her laced caliga shoes and holding a reverted spear. She is standing facing forward with head turned left to receive a warriors blessing from Victory. Victory stands in her right hand about to crown Roma with a laurel wreath. Hadrian’s 21 year reign is remembered by his diverse coinage, military travels throughout the empire, grand public building projects, and by his economic policies of debt relief and Alimenta.

DOCUMENTATION
Value: Denarius. Metal: AR Silver. Weight: 3.35 grams. Mint: Rome. Date: 119-122 AD.
Attribution: Roman Imperial Coins II 76; Strack 122d; BMCRE 147; RSC 1108.