Roman Empire – Trajan (AD 98–117) – AE Dupondius
Rome, AD 103–111
Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P. Striking laureate bust of Trajan right, cuirassed and draped, rendered with bold realism that reflects the emperor’s commanding presence. The portrait exudes the confident authority of Rome’s most celebrated military leader.
Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / S C. An evocative and symbolic scene — the defeated province of Dacia sits in sorrow upon a heap of captured arms and a shield, her head bowed in submission. To the left stands a trophy of victory, bristling with captured weapons, an unmistakable reminder of Trajan’s hard-fought triumph in the Dacian Wars (AD 101–106). The imagery captures both Rome’s dominance and the cost of conquest.
Struck in orichalcum, this impressive dupondius commemorates one of the defining moments of Trajan’s reign: the expansion of the empire to its greatest territorial extent. The artistry of the reverse composition — combining pathos with imperial propaganda — makes it one of the most compelling bronze issues of the early 2nd century.
This dupondius is more than just a coin — it is a tangible fragment of Rome’s imperial destiny. Issued at the height of Trajan’s power, it immortalizes the emperor’s greatest military triumph and the subjugation of Dacia, a campaign that poured gold into Rome’s coffers and financed an age of monumental building. The mourning figure of Dacia, rendered with uncommon pathos, stands as one of the most evocative images in Roman numismatics — a perfect fusion of art, history, and propaganda. Few coins so powerfully convey the drama and human cost of Rome’s expansion. A must-have for any advanced collection of Roman bronzes or Trajanic history.
Roman Empire – Trajan (AD 98–117) – AE Dupondius
Rome, AD 103–111
Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P. Striking laureate bust of Trajan right, cuirassed and draped, rendered with bold realism that reflects the emperor’s commanding presence. The portrait exudes the confident authority of Rome’s most celebrated military leader.
Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / S C. An evocative and symbolic scene — the defeated province of Dacia sits in sorrow upon a heap of captured arms and a shield, her head bowed in submission. To the left stands a trophy of victory, bristling with captured weapons, an unmistakable reminder of Trajan’s hard-fought triumph in the Dacian Wars (AD 101–106). The imagery captures both Rome’s dominance and the cost of conquest.
Struck in orichalcum, this impressive dupondius commemorates one of the defining moments of Trajan’s reign: the expansion of the empire to its greatest territorial extent. The artistry of the reverse composition — combining pathos with imperial propaganda — makes it one of the most compelling bronze issues of the early 2nd century.
This dupondius is more than just a coin — it is a tangible fragment of Rome’s imperial destiny. Issued at the height of Trajan’s power, it immortalizes the emperor’s greatest military triumph and the subjugation of Dacia, a campaign that poured gold into Rome’s coffers and financed an age of monumental building. The mourning figure of Dacia, rendered with uncommon pathos, stands as one of the most evocative images in Roman numismatics — a perfect fusion of art, history, and propaganda. Few coins so powerfully convey the drama and human cost of Rome’s expansion. A must-have for any advanced collection of Roman bronzes or Trajanic history.
