Denarius - Hadrian and Trajan PARTHIC DIVI TRAIAN AVG F P M TR P COS P P ADOPTIO

Struck in 117 AD, this denarius commemorates Hadrian's adoption by Trajan — a political act that remains disputed by ancient sources. Dio Cassius and the Historia Augusta both cast doubt on whether Trajan ever formally adopted Hadrian at all, suggesting the announcement was engineered by Trajan's wife Plotina in the hours after his death at Selinus. The ADOPTIO legend is Hadrian's direct answer to that skepticism, minted almost immediately upon his accession to establish dynastic legitimacy before any challenge could crystallize.