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From:UC Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities
Name/TitleCoin, Bronze Sestertius.
About this objectThis bronze Sestertius of Trajan was minted after a successful campaign against the Dacians, a Thracian people. The coin was minted after the first Dacian war. Rome had a history of conflict with the Dacians under the reign of Emperor Domitian, who seemed not to be able to gain victory. Trajan decided to conquer the kingdom, partially in order to gain access to the gold mines in the area.
A Sestertius is the equivalent of two and a half asses (the base point of Roman coinage), or a quarter of a Denarius.
On the obverse is a bust of the Emperor Trajan, laureate, facing right within a dotted border. About it (from below the neck) is the inscription 'IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG . GERM DACICVS PM'.
On the reverse is Pax enthroned to left, with a branch extended in her right hand, and left hand holding a sceptre. Above her is the inscription 'TR P VII IMP IIII COS V PP' and in the exergue are the letters 'SC'. Pax, the Roman Goddess of Peace, was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Eirene. She was made popular during the reign of Augustus, who used Pax as a symbol of stabilizing the empire after years of civil wars.
Date Made103 AD
PeriodImperial (Roman)
Medium and MaterialsMetal, Bronze.
Style and IconographyRoman
Inscription and MarksObverse: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG . GERM DACICVS PM
Reverse: TR P VII IMP IIII COS V PP
In exergue: SC
TechniqueStriking (metalworking)
MeasurementsDiameter: 35 mm
Thickness: 5 mm
Weight: 25.2 g
Subject and Association KeywordsArt and religion
Subject and Association KeywordsEmperors
Subject and Association KeywordsGoddesses in art
Subject and Association KeywordsInscriptions, Latin
Subject and Association KeywordsNumismatics
Named CollectionThe James Logie Memorial Collection, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Credit LineDonated by M. K. Stevens
Object TypeExchange Media
Object number180.96.22
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved