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Sestertius - Hadrian // S C, Nilus
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint (Rome) |
|---|---|
| Year | 130 |
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| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The river-god Nilus reclines to the right atop a sphinx, holding a reed in his right hand and a cornucopia in his left, symbolizing the abundance of the Nile. The composition is enlivened by multiple small children (erotes or pygmies) surrounding the deity, referencing the cubits of the annual Nile flood. In the water below, a crocodile is depicted, and in some specimens a hippopotamus appears, either oriented toward Nilus or ridden by a child. The exergue and field carry the senatorial authority mark S C (Senatus Consultum), placed to either side, affirming the senate's sanction of the bronze coinage. |
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| Additional information |
The Nilus type belongs to a celebrated series of provincial personification sestertii issued during Hadrian's grand tour of the eastern empire, which began around 128 AD. Egypt held unique constitutional status within the Roman system — governed directly by the emperor through a prefect of equestrian rank rather than a senatorial legate, explicitly to prevent any senator from controlling its grain supply. The Nile flood cycle was not merely agricultural trivia; a failure of the inundation by even a cubit could trigger famine across Rome itself.
RIC II.3 1461 is among the more frequently encountered Nilus variants, but the series as a whole shows considerable die variation.