Description
Denomination: Silver denarius
Period: Imperial Rome
Date: AD 125-128
Origin: Rome mint
Condition: VF. striking split to flan
Obverse: Laureate head of Hadrian. right. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS
Reverse: Genius standing left. holding cornucopia and patera over altar. COS III
Size and Weight: 19mm. 3.27g
References: RIC 173
Features and Provenance: Ex Spink sale
Hadrian became emperor of the Roman Empire in 117 AD and saw it as a divine mission to keep the empire in one piece. When rebellion broke out in Britannia in 119. he sent 3.000 troops and ordered the construction of a wall to keep out the blue faced undesirables from the North. Now known as Hadrian’s Wall. it took six years and when Hadrian visited Britain in 122 it was only partially built; he never saw it finished.
Genius – for Romans. Genius was the nature of the spirit of every individual. not one particular deity. This divine spirit would be with them throughout their life. There were also specific genii for particular occasions such as marriage and childbirth and the household would have a shrine to honour the family genius. Juno (for women) and Jupiter (for men) were associated with the genii.
Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between
Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear
Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear
Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn
Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible
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