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Sestertius - Hadrian FELICITATI AVG COS III P P S C
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 129-130 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bare-shouldered, draped bust of Hadrian facing left, wearing a laureate wreath rendered with naturalistic detail. The emperor's portrait displays the characteristic full beard and strong facial features associated with Hadrianic portraiture. The circumferential legend in Latin capitals runs along the rim, framing the imperial effigy. The field shows the flan's slightly irregular surface typical of hammered orichalcum sestertii of this period. |
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| Mintage | ND (129-130) |
| Additional information |
The FELICITATI AVG reverse type belongs to a programmatic issue Hadrian launched around the time of his second great eastern journey, a period when he was deliberately cultivating an image of imperial felicitas — divine favor manifesting as prosperity and good fortune for the state. The COS III dating anchors this firmly to 119–138, with the tighter 129–130 window placing it during or immediately after his travels through Greece and Asia Minor, where he was received with extraordinary honors and initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries.
RIC II.3 1311 is a product of the Rome mint's orichalcum sestertius production at a moment when that series was unusually large and varied in type.