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Aureus - Hadrian COS III
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 125-127 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 7.1 g |
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| Reverse description | The emperor Hadrian depicted as an equestrian figure, mounted on a galloping horse advancing to the left, his right arm extended forward levelling a spear horizontally. Hadrian wears military dress and his paludamentum (general's cloak) billows behind him in the field. The scene conveys imperial martial authority and is executed in high relief characteristic of Hadrianic gold coinage. The abbreviated legend COS III appears in the upper field in raised Latin capitals, flanked by the beaded border. |
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| Mint | Rome |
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| Additional information |
The COS III title narrows this issue to 128 AD at the earliest by most reckonings, though the RIC II.3 revised dating places the group at 125–127 — a revision reflecting ongoing scholarly dispute about when Hadrian assumed his third consulship in practice versus ceremony. These aurei were struck during a period when Hadrian was almost continuously absent from Rome, touring the eastern provinces and Britain. The mint operated under tight imperial supervision despite the emperor's absence, and the consistency of this series reflects that control.
RIC II.3 #772 belongs to the comprehensive 2007 revision of the original Mattingly-Sydenham volume, which substantially reclassified Hadrianic gold.