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Denarius - Trajan S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Mars
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 103-111 |
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| Value | 1 Denarius |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Mars, god of war, depicted in full military dress standing to the right, holding an upright spear in his right hand while his left hand rests upon a large oval shield that is simultaneously grasped by a seated captive figure below, symbolizing Roman military dominance over conquered peoples. The composition conveys Trajanic martial ideology, referencing his victorious Dacian campaigns. The reverse legend is distributed across the field in two lines or along the rim, invoking the dedication of the senate and Roman people to the emperor as Optimus Princeps. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The OPTIMO PRINCIPI title — "best ruler" — was formally voted to Trajan by the Senate in 114 AD, though it appears on coinage as early as 103, reflecting the Senate's eager anticipation of a designation they considered unprecedented in its explicitness. No emperor before Trajan had been so titled on official coinage.
RIC II #158 falls within the issues tied broadly to Trajan's Dacian war period. The two Dacian campaigns of 101–102 and 105–106 reshaped imperial finances, with Dacian gold and silver flooding the treasury and directly funding an aggressive minting program across multiple denominations.