Denarius - Hadrian P M TR P COS III, Roma

Hadrian's early coinage following his accession in 117 AD reflects an administration still consolidating power after the turbulent end of Trajan's reign — a succession that was itself disputed, with some ancient sources suggesting Plotina fabricated or delayed news of Trajan's death to ensure Hadrian's position. The COS III dating places this issue within a narrow window of 119–121 to 123, after Hadrian had abandoned Trajan's eastern conquests and withdrawn Roman forces behind more defensible frontiers, a decision that earned him significant senatorial hostility.

RIC II.3 598 belongs to the extensive 2007 revision of the original Mattingly-Sydenham volume, which substantially reorganized Hadrianic issues and renumbered many previously cited references.