9/16/2023 0 Comments Roman coins front and back![]() It not only gave him the power to convene or dismiss the Senate, but included veto power over the Senate's decisions. Officially this means Trajan was protector of the rights of the plebeians, but in reality it allowed him to do almost anything he wished to do. Trajan assumed on becoming Emperor in AD 98. Means High Priest, a title putting Trajan in charge of Roman religion and sacred ceremonies. The obverse inscription expanded from it's abbreviations becomes: IMPERATOR CAESAR NERVA TRAIANUS OPTIMVS PRINCIPI AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS DACICUS PARTHICUS, meaning The supreme commander of great dignity, Nerva Trajanus, the most perfect prince and sovereign, victor over the Germans, Dacians and Parthians. For dating this coin Parthicus is the most important title on the coin as it tells us the coin cannot have been issued prior to AD 116. Means Victor over the Parthians, a title awarded to Trajan following his victories over the Parthians in AD 116. Means "Victor over the Dacians", a title awarded to Trajan following his victories in his first Dacian war of AD 101-102. Means Victor over the Germans and was awarded to Trajan in AD 98 following his German victory of AD 98. Trajan was awarded this title in January of AD 98, defining him as Emperor. ![]() This title, AUGUSTUS, originally mean "worthy of veneration" but when conferred on Octavian as the first Roman Emperor, it became a title indicating the Sovereign or high ruler. It appears to have been very important to Trajan as it appears on many of his coins, sometimes spelled out in full on the reverse. Means "the most perfect prince", a title awarded to Trajan by the Senate in AD 100 on re-entering Rome following the German wars. Trajan's full birth name was MARCUS ULPIUS TRAJANUS, so here he is just telling us who he is. Trajan was the adopted by the Emperor Nerva in October of AD 97, adding NERVA as part of his name. Trajan was awarded this title in October of AD 97 three months before becoming Emperor. Following Nero CAESAR became a title meaning a person of great dignity and a dignitary of the second rank below the Emperor, but was retained on becoming Emperor and thus just indicated a person of great dignity. This started as the family name of Julius Caesar, assumed by Augustus when Caesar adopted him, becoming part of the name of members of Julio-Claudian house that ruled Rome until Nero's death. On other Roman coins it can also be a title awarded to Emperors who win important military victories but in that context it will normally be followed by a number indicating how many times it has been awarded to him. This is the context in which it appears on this coin. Not unlike the title Commander-in-Chief bestowed on US presidents. It is a praenomen of the Emperor indicating he is Emperor and supreme commander of the Roman Army. Starting at 6 o'clock and reading clockwise around, we find the following: Just in case someone was not familiar with the portrait he conveniently tells us via the obverse and reverse inscriptions exactly who he is and what titles he holds. Around 44 BC Julius Caesar reserved it as a symbol of the supreme ruler then Augustus made it the a symbol of the emperor, conferred only on those holding the title of "Augustus". His dignified look befits his position as emperor and just so there can be no confusion he wears a laurel wreath in his hair, known as the Laureate Corona" which since the Republican period was conferred only on those who had achieved the highest pro-consular dignity. The emperor's portrait is normally the first thing most people look at on any Roman coin, in this case it is easily recognized as that of Trajan. All they need to is read the inscription, look at the images and that story can come back to life after almost 2000 years. ![]() ![]() ![]() They might give little thought beyond add the portrait of Trajan to their Roman portrait collection, not realizing this coin has a story to tell about what was happening in the Roman Empire when it was struck. Many collectors new to Roman coins might view this denarius of Trajan as simply a portrait of Trajan, with a Roman soldier on the reverse. ![]()
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