Marcus Ulpius Trojanus held several military posts before appointment as governor of Upper Germany by Nerve who later adopted him as the heir to the throne. On his succession, Trajan began a program of territorial expansion and conquered and incorporated Dacia as Roman province. He carried out a spectacular construction program in Rome, and he built or repaired many roads, bridges and aqueducts throughout the Empire. Late in his reign, four new provinces were added to the Empire but revolts broke out in number of provinces and he withdrew to Antioch.
A very interesting aureus is the REGNA AD SIGNATA reverse which probably refers to the confirmation of the rulers of Rome's Eastern client states, ca. 114 AD, in preparation for the conquest of Parthia
Trajan's Parthian campaign was a military victory, and there are several types with Victory that refer to this period. He took the title "Parthicus" that appears on other coins, but after Trajan's death in A.D. 117, Hadrian abandoned the new conquests as too difficult to hold. There are examples of coins believed minted in Rome for exclusive use in the East during the Parthian campaign. All are orichalum, and the entire issue consists primarily of dupondii, as and semis - the uncia are incredibly rare. In the fact that the series of coinage was minted in orichalum lies the interesting facet of these types.
TR P refers to the tribune power of the emperor, and indicates the year. It may appear on the obverse or reverse. Dating can also be done from consulships (COS) and imperatorial acclamations (IMP):
| TR P COS V = | |
| TR P COS VI = 1st Jan 112 - Aug 117 (died) | |
| Trajan's Parthia coins are better dated by the Victory title Parthicus, taken during A.D. 116 |
Click on coin catalog links to view images:
| Catalog | Denom | Inscription | Reverse Type |
|---|---|---|---|
Trajan A.D. 98-117 |
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| Image | aureus | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / REGNA AD SIGNATA | Trajan and two officials seated on a platform addressing three Eastern kings stand. below |
| RIC2 326 | aureus | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | radiate, draped bust of Sol R |
| RIC2 324 RSC2 185 BMC 603 Hill 751 C. 184 |
aureus | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | below trophy two captives, in front of each a bow in bow case; PARTHICA CAPTA in exergue |
| BMC 48 | aureus | DIVO TRAIANO PARTH AVG PATRI | Phoenix stand. R |
| BMC 50 | aureus | DIVO TRAIANO PARTH AVG PATRI / PLOTINAE AVG | Plotina bust dr. R |
| ANS 1990.23.4 1990.23.6 |
denarius forgery |
IMP CAES NER TRAIAN AVG OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI SPQR | Mars stand. R holding spear in R and parazonium in L |
| Image | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Mars advancing R holding spear and trophy |
| RIC2 316 RIC2 316 (with aegis) |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia, FORT RED in exergue |
| RSC2 150 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia, FORT RED in exergue |
| RSC2 154g | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHIC / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia |
| BMC 599 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS V TR P SPQR | Pax stand. L holding branch and cornucopiae |
| Image | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS V TR P SPQR | Providence stand. L holding scepter, globe at her feet, PRO VID in fields |
| RSC2 154d BMC 602 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia; also RSC 154e, 154f |
| RSC 277 RSC 277 BMC 595 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Genius or Bonus Eventus stand. L holding patera and corn ears; also RSC 277a & c and 280a & c |
| RSC 85 BMC 590 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Mars advancing R holding transverse spear in R and trophy over L shoulder |
| BMC 607 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Providentia stand. L pointing with R at large globe to L and holding vertical sceptre in L, L elbow resting on column; PRO AVG in exergue |
| BMC 592 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI P SPQR | Sol bust rad. R |
| BM-600, C-272 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Virtus stand. R, L foot on helmet, holding spear in R and parazonium in L |
| BMC 617 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Mars adv. R holding transverse spear in R and trophy over L shoulder |
| BMC 626 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Felicitas stand. L holding caduceus in R and cornucopiae in L |
| BMC 631 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Virtus stand. R, L foot on helmet, holding vertical spear reversed in R and parazonium in L |
| RIC2 315 RIC2 315 BMC 634 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia, FORT RED in exergue |
| BMC 640 BMC 642 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Providentia stand. L pointing with R at large globe L and holding straight sceptre in L, L elbow resting on column, in exergue PRO VID |
| BMC 645 | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC / PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R | Salus dr. seated l. on throne feeding out of patera in r. snake coiled around altar and resting l. arm on throne, in exergue SALVS AVG |
| BMC 595 RIC 350 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Genius stand. L holding patera and ears of corn |
| BMC 590 RIC 340 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Mars adv. R holding trophy over shoulder in L and transverse spear in R |
| BMC not RIC 357 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Providentia draped stand. L holding sceptre in L; her L elbow rests on column and she points with R to globe at her feet pointing with R at large globe to L and holding vertical sceptre in L, L elbow resting on column; in exergue PRO AVG |
| Image | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG GERM / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI | Aequitas stand. L, holding scales and cornucopia |
| RIC2 343 BMC 594 |
denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG DAC PARTHICO / PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Felicitas stand. L holding caduceus in R and cornucopiae in L |
| RSC2 150a | denarius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM GERM DAC / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Fortuna seat. L, hand on rudder and cornucopia, FORT RED in exergue; also RSC2 150b |
| RIC2 332 | denarius | IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P / PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP SPQR | Felicitas stand. L, holding palm and scepter |
| ANS 1949.98.55 |
denarius AE forgery |
IMP CAES NER TRAJANOIT AVG GERDAC PARIMICO / PARTHIA CAPTA | obverse head laur. R |
| ANS 1941.15.86 |
denarius AE forgery |
/ PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI P P SPQR | obverse head rad. |
| BMC 1033 RIC 642 BMC 1036 |
sestertius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / ARMENIA ET MESOPOTAMIA IN POTESTATEM P R REDACTAE | Trajan stand. front head R holding spear in R and parazonium in L; river gods (Tigris and Euphrates) to L and R; between them Armenia seated L as captive |
| RIC 663 BMC 1041 |
sestertius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / PROVIDENTIA AVGVSTI S.P.Q.R. | Providentia stand. l., holding wand over globe in r. hand, scepter in l., l. elbow resting on column; S C |
| RIC2 667 RIC2 667 BMC 1046 |
sestertius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / REX PARTHIS DATVS | Praefect stand., Trajan seated L on on sella castrensis on platform holding parazonium, placing diadem on king Parthamaspates stand L before Parthia kneeling; in exergue S C |
| RIC2 668 var | sestertius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / REX PARTHIS DATVS | As above, but reverse legend is located in the exergue, not around outside. See this variant in Superb Patinas of the Sestertii of Imperial Rome (Elio Biaggi) and in Banti's I Grandi Bronzi Imperiali as Trajan 98 |
| BMC 1041 | sestertius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / PROVIDENTIA AVGVSTI SPQR | Providentia stand. L pointing at globe L holding sceptre |
| BMC 1050 | dupondius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP / PROVIDENTIA AVGVSTI SPQR | Providentia stand. L pointing at globe L holding sceptre |
| BMC 1052 | dupondius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P / SENATVS POPVLVSQVEE ROMANVS | Trajan stand. between trophies L and R |
| BMC 1054 | dupondius | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P / SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS | Trajan stand. between trophies L and R |
| RIC 645 RIC 649 BMC 1100 BMC 1101 |
semis | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM / DAC PARTHICO PM TR POT XX COS VI PP | orichalum, struck in Rome for circulation exclusively in the East, probably during Trajan's Parthian campaign from A.D. 116; reverse inscription around oak wreath, large S C within. See RIC 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 659 and 684 |
| BMC 225 BMC 1055 RIC 681 |
as | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P / SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS | two trophies, S C in exergue |
| RIC 647 RIC 647 RIC 647 Image |
as | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM / DAC PARTHICO PM TR POT XX COS VI PP | " [an orichalcum As, despite the radiate bust]. Legend around oak-wreath; large S C within |
| BMC 1093 BMC 1095 RIC 648 |
as | IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM / DAC PARTHICO PM TR POT XX COS VI PP | legend around S C within wreath |
| BMC 1090 BMC 1092 BMC 1094 |
as | IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM PM / DAC PARTHICO PM TR POT XX COS VI PP | legend around S C within wreath |
| Image (not in RIC) |
uncia | smallest coin in this series; no legend except S C in wreath on reverse | orichalum, struck in Rome for circulation exclusively in the East, inscription around oak wreath, large S C within |
| ANS 1996.70.1 |
drachm | IMP CAES NER TRAIA OPTIM AVG GER DAC PART / ΔΙΚΤΥΝΝΑ / ΚΡΗΤ | Diktynna seated L on rocks holding javelin (?) in R and infant Zeus in L; before and behind, Curetes (Crete) |
| D 988 M 807 |
drachm | ΑΥΤ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ ΑΡΙ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚΙΚ ΠΑΡ / | Nilus reclining L (Alexandria) |
| W 178 | tetradrachm | ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙΣ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣ ΑΡΙ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚ ΠΑΡΤΗ / ΔΕΜΑΡΧΗ ΕΞ 21 ΥΠΑΤ 6 | Herakles head r., club over shoulder (Antioch?) |
| SGIC 1076var | AE 26 | ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙΣ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣ ΑΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚ ΠΑΡ / ΦΛ ΧΑΛ ΚΙΔΕΩΝ Α | Chalcis. Reverse inscription in a laurel wreath |
| Catalog | Denom | Inscription | Reverse Type |
The images are used by permission of their copyright owners. See the Coins of Rome about Parthia index page for a listing of these generous individuals, dealers and institutions.
This page last updated 23 Feb 2021
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