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Aureus - Hadrian ROMA AETERNA, Roma
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 136 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The goddess Roma personified is depicted seated to the left upon a pile of arms and armor, rendered in a composed, majestic pose befitting the eternal city. In her extended right hand she holds two small busts representing Sol and Luna, symbolizing Rome's dominion over time and the cosmos, while her left hand rests upon a long spear. The Latin legend ROMA AETERNA is distributed in the field, proclaiming Rome's eternal nature. The composition reflects the grand theological program of Hadrian's later coinage, emphasizing the perpetuity of the Roman state. |
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| Mintage | ND (136) |
| Additional information |
The ROMA AETERNA reverse type appears in Hadrian's coinage during the late 130s as part of a broader program of ideological consolidation — the emperor was aging, ill, and consumed with the question of succession. The eternal city as a concept had circulated in Latin literature for centuries, but its explicit elevation on official coinage at this moment carries a particular urgency: Hadrian was constructing the Temple of Venus and Roma in the Forum, dedicating it in 135 AD, the largest temple ever built in the city.
The aurei of this period were struck at Rome under tight imperial oversight. Hadrian died in 138, leaving this type among his final gold emissions.