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Sestertius - Nero PORT AVG S C, Neptune and Tiber
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 62-68 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | A detailed aerial view of the harbor at Ostia (Portus Augusti), depicting the semicircular basin with ships moored within; a tall pharos (lighthouse) surmounted by a statue of Neptune dominates the upper field, flanked by additional vessels. In the exergue, the reclining figure of the river god Tiber is shown turned to the left, holding a reed and resting against an urn from which water flows. The composition is one of the most ambitious and celebrated architectural reverses of the Roman imperial coinage, celebrating Nero's completion of the harbor begun under Claudius. The senatorial authorization mark S C appears prominently in the field. |
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| Reverse lettering | PORT AVG S C (Translation: Portus Augusti, Senatus Consultum. Port of the emperor (Augustus). Decree of the senate.) |
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| Additional information |
This sestertius belongs to a group commemorating the construction of the harbor at Ostia, ordered by Claudius and completed under Nero around 64 AD — one of the most ambitious engineering projects of the early empire, reshaping Rome's capacity to import grain from Egypt and North Africa. The harbor featured a lighthouse modeled loosely on the Pharos of Alexandria and a mole constructed in part by sinking the massive ship that had transported Caligula's obelisk from Egypt.
RIC 587 is among the more carefully executed bronze issues of Nero's later reign, before the 64 AD coinage reform that reduced bronze fabric weights across the board.