Both sides of an irregularly shaped silver-gray coin with relief decoration on each side.　
obverse Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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obverse Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

On the side of the coin on the left is the bust of a man facing right, tendrils of curly hair held in place with a laurel wreath, drapery over shoulder; surrounding the border, the Latin characters: I M P / T R A I A N O / A V G / G E R / D A C / P / M / T R / P / C O S / V I / P P. The other side of coin depicts a reclining woman facing left, draped in flowing clothing with left breast exposed, head turned right, holding a wheel on right knee, branch in left hand resting on rocks; surrounding the border, the Latin characters: S.P.Q.R. O P T I M O / P R I N C I P I / V I A / T R A I A N A.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
2005.115.132
People
Trajan, Roman (r. 98-117 CE)
Title
Denarius of Trajan, Rome
Classification
Coins
Work Type
coin
Date
112-117 CE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Rome (Latium)
Period
Roman Imperial period
Culture
Roman
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/21345

Location

Location
Level 3, Room 3700, Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Art, Roman Art
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Silver
Metal
AR
Technique
Struck
Dimensions
3.33 g
Die Axis
6
Denomination
denarius
Inscriptions and Marks
  • Obverse Inscription: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI PP
  • Reverse Inscription: S.P.Q.R. OPTIMO PRINCIPI VIA TRAIANA

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Collection of Margarete Bieber

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
MIR 398b; BMC III, 487 p. 98; RIC II Trajan 266

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Purchase through the generosity of Celia and Walter Gilbert, Claude-Claire Grenier, and the Marian H. Phinney Fund
Accession Year
2005
Object Number
2005.115.132
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Obv.: Bust of Trajan to r., laureate, with drapery over shoulder, visible in front and in the back.
Rev.: Female figure (Via Traiana), draped with left breast bare,, reclining to l. head turned back, holding wheel on r. knee and resting l. arm on rocks, branch in l. hand.

Exhibition History

  • Re-View: S422 (Ancient rotation) "The Scholar as Collector: Margarete Bieber (1879-1978)", Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 02/15/2011 - 06/18/2011
  • 32Q: 3700 Roman, Harvard Art Museums, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Subjects and Contexts

  • Google Art Project

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu