Ancient Roman Silver Coin pendant - Denarius, Emperor Trajan (No reserve price)

Silver pendant with a 2nd-century AD Trajan emperor coin, How a man from the provinces was the first to reach power in Rome?

Because he was the most respected, he had great political and military experience, he was austere as well as prudent, exemplary according to Roman values, and his predecessor Nerva needed an heir, and the Hispano Marcus Ulpius Traianus (98-117 AD) was also married to Pompeia Plotina, a cultured and faithful woman.

Now, he knew that to stay in power he needed the esteem of the people, the support of the Senate, and the loyalty of the army, so he began to lead by example:

• he forced corrupt senators and provincial governors to return money, cut superfluous expenses, and attended to the needs of Romans, including Christians;

• implemented the Alimenta Law, food assistance for orphans and the poor of the Italian peninsula;

• walked on foot and fought with the legionaries on the front lines, in addition to taking his personal physician to tend to the wounded.

And not only that, to avoid raising taxes, he modified the value of coins, and as a show, the denarius of this 18.2 mm pendant weighing 2.92 g that he had minted with 89.5% silver between 103-111 AD at the Rome mint; look at the details:

➤ on the obverse you have Trajan’s bust clothed and wearing a laurel crown facing the East. On the edge, the legend: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P (victorious commander, Augustus, Germanicus, conqueror of the Dacians, Father of the Fatherland, tribunician power, consul, prefect of the praetorian guard);

➤ on the reverse, the winged goddess Victoria standing on a shield, facing left, while holding a crown in the right hand and an inclined palm to the right in the left hand. At the edge of the legend: COS V P P SPQR OPTIMO PRINC (consul for the fifth time, Father of the Fatherland, by decree of the Senate and the Roman People, to the best of princes).

Moreover, Trajan led an ambitious public works program, a pattern to follow for future emperors:

✦ Trajan’s Bridge over the Danube (103-105 AD), a clever work that facilitated supply and movement of the legions in just 2 years during the Dacian Wars;

✦ the Port of Ostia, initially built to extract salt from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which over time became a sophisticated logistical enclave that generated wealth for the entire Empire;

✦ Trajan’s Market (107 and 110 AD), the world’s first covered commercial center of the ancient world;

✦ Trajan’s Column: reliefs at 2.30 meters tall recounting campaigns against the kingdom of Dacia.

And if that were not enough, baths, theaters, libraries, fountains, roads, temples… And of course rebuilding the great Circus Maximus and leading the Roman Empire to its greatest expansion. People adored this Optimus Princeps so much that from then on, at the start of every emperor’s reign, they wished:

“Be luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan.”

Notice that there are almost 2000 years of silver coin; a miniature work of art that revalues with each passing day in a timeless design pendant, which makes you part of that historical period and naturally brings people to you to start conversations with you that are difficult with contemporary jewelry.

*** disclaimer: I ONLY SHIP TO EU COUNTRIES. The item is received by certified mail with tracking number.***