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Silver Denarius (18mm 3.39g) Struck AD 103-111
Obv: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P Laureate bust right
Rev: COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC Pax standing left, leaning on column, holding olve branch
RIC II 126
ex. Harry Stewart Collection
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The Front (Obverse): The Emperor's Profile
The front shows Trajan looking sharp, wearing a laurel wreath (the ancient Roman version of a crown for victorious generals). The text wrapping around him reads:
IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P
- IMP (Imperator): Means "Commander" or "General." It tells everyone he is the ultimate boss of the Roman army.
- TRAIANO AVG (Traiano Augusto): His name, followed by "Augustus," the official title for the Emperor.
- GER (Germanicus): A victory title he won for defeating Germanic tribes.
- DAC (Dacian): This is a huge one! Trajan had just conquered Dacia (modern-day Romania), a massive military win that brought tons of gold and silver spoils back to Rome. He wanted everyone using this money to know he won that war.
- P M (Pontifex Maximus): Means "High Priest." It shows he is also the head of Roman religion.
- TR P (Tribunicia Potestas): Means he holds the power of a Tribune, making him the official protector of the everyday citizens of Rome.
The Back (Reverse): A Message of Peace
The back shows Pax, the Roman goddess of peace. She is chilling out, leaning on a column, and holding a small olive branch.
It might seem funny that an emperor who just crushed his enemies in a giant war would put the Goddess of Peace on his coin, but to the Romans, this made perfect sense. The message here was: "Thanks to Trajan's awesome military victories, our enemies are defeated, and we now enjoy peace and prosperity."
The text around Pax reads:
COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC
- COS V (Consul for the 5th time): This helps historians date the coin. Trajan served as Consul (Rome's highest political office) for the fifth time starting in AD 103.
- P P (Pater Patriae): Means "Father of the Country." A title of high honor given to him by the senate.
- S P Q R (Senatus Populusque Romanus): "The Senate and People of Rome." It's the official stamp of the Roman government.
- OPTIMO PRINC (Optimo Principi): This translates to "The Best Prince" or "The Best Ruler." The Roman people and Senate genuinely loved Trajan because he built public parks, helped poor kids, and expanded the empire. This title was his ultimate badge of honor.
The Big Takeaway
If you were a Roman citizen holding this coin in AD 105, it was a piece of propaganda telling you: "Your emperor is a brilliant general who conquered Dacia, he respects our traditions, the Senate loves him, and because of him, our world is peaceful and safe."
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