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Aureus - Hadrian AFRICA, Africa
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 130-133 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed, draped bust of Emperor Hadrian facing left, rendered with his characteristic full curly beard and wavy hair, the drapery fastened at the shoulder and visible at the truncation. The portrait is executed in high relief with fine sculptural detail, conveying an idealized yet naturalistic likeness consistent with Hadrianic portraiture. The encircling Latin legend runs along the beaded border of the field. A beaded inner border frames the entire composition. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
This aureus belongs to Hadrian's celebrated series of "travel coins," struck to commemorate his extensive tours of the provinces between 121 and 132 AD. The Africa type specifically dates to after his North African visit of around 128, during which he famously reviewed the Third Augustan Legion at Lambaesis — a speech partially preserved in an inscription still visible there. The series was a deliberate political exercise: by personifying each province on gold, Hadrian broadcast his physical presence throughout the empire to an audience that had rarely, if ever, seen an emperor in person.
RIC II.3 1490 is among the scarcer provincial types within the series.