Thessalonica held the rank of a free city within Macedonia — a status confirmed by Rome that permitted the city to strike its own bronze coinage without direct imperial supervision. These issues were civic in character, produced locally to meet small-denomination needs the Roman monetary system didn't bother to supply at the provincial level. Trajan's reign saw renewed civic minting activity across the Greek East as cities leveraged the new emperor's goodwill following Domitian's unpopular rule.
The city's mint operated intermittently, and output under Trajan was modest.
Thessalonica held the rank of a free city within Macedonia — a status confirmed by Rome that permitted the city to strike its own bronze coinage without direct imperial supervision. These issues were civic in character, produced locally to meet small-denomination needs the Roman monetary system didn't bother to supply at the provincial level. Trajan's reign saw renewed civic minting activity across the Greek East as cities leveraged the new emperor's goodwill following Domitian's unpopular rule.
The city's mint operated intermittently, and output under Trajan was modest.