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Sestertius - Hadrian COS III S C, Neptune
| Issuer | Imperial Roman Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 125-127 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Neptune, the god of the sea, stands in a heroic nude contrapposto pose facing left, his right foot resting on a prow or rock. He holds a long trident upright in his left hand and extends his right hand forward, holding a small dolphin. A chlamys or drapery falls over his left arm. The senatorial authorisation mark S C (Senatus Consultum) is placed in the field to either side of the figure at mid-height. The abbreviated consular legend COS III appears in the upper field, affirming Hadrian's third consulship. |
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| Additional information |
Hadrian's extended COS III tenure, running from 119 AD until his death, was the administrative backdrop for a sustained and unusually coherent bronze coinage program. The Neptune types from the 125–127 window almost certainly connect to Hadrian's well-documented obsession with sea travel — he crossed the Mediterranean repeatedly during his provincial tours, and ancient sources note his particular reverence for maritime deities. Whether the type reflects a specific voyage or a broader programmatic religiosity is genuinely debated among specialists.
RIC II.3 #814 sits in a heavily revised numbering sequence from the 2007 Mairat reclassification, superseding the older Mattingly-Sydenham attributions many earlier collection records still carry.