A rare and historical bronze sestertius of Trajan, 98-117 A.D. TRAJAN. 98-117 AD. Æ Sestertius (26,19 g. ). Struck circa 104-107 AD. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C in exergue, arched, single-span bridge with six posts across Danube (Donau) River; single-bay arches at either end, surmounted by statues; boat sailing left in river below. RIC II 569; Strack 385; Banti 261; BMCRE 849; Cohen 542. The bridge illustrated on this sestertius is usually identified with the one Trajan had ordered to be built by Apollodorus of Damascus across the Danube at Drobeta (Turnu Severin in Romania). It was intended as a permanent warning signal to king Decebalus telling him that the Romans would again invade Dacia at the slightest misbehaviour of the king whom Trajan had repulsed during the First Dacian War after difficult and tough battles, without succeeding in completely defeating him. This famous bridge on the Danube was made of wood and had twenty arches as we know from its representation on the column of Trajan. Other scolars points at a stone bridge in Rome, as represented on coins of Septimius Severus (cf. RIC 198, 786 and pl. 10, 9), see also A. Donini, Ponti su monete e medaglie (1959), 41ss. and 65ss. (Septemius Severus), and H. Küthmann and B. Overbeck, Bauten Roms auf Münzen und Medaillen (exhibition catalogue, Munich 1973), 56, 108. In any case a very interesting coin with the best image of a bridge on any ancient coin! Condition: Good VF, attractive dark green patina. This is a rare coin in this exceptional condition. Note that the reverse image of the bridge is very detailed on this specimen and that the portrait is strong! Nice flan and a good strike, combined with the original patina.

Antique Coins
Ancient coins