Hadrian, 117-138, Sestertius

Hadrian, Sestertius, AE, emperor AD 117–138, Rome, AD 119–122, 28.24 g, 33 mm. Obverse: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG; laureate head right. Reverse: PONT MAX TR POT COS III; Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory and spear; S C in field. Well-centered on a broad flan with even circulation wear; fields show areas of smoothing and possible light tooling; dark olive-brown patina. RIC II.3 (Hadrian) 249.

Issued early in Hadrian’s reign, this sestertius retains Trajan’s name in the obverse legend to emphasize adoptive succession. The reverse titles with COS III date the issue to AD 119–122, and the seated Roma type continues Trajanic iconography while the S C mark reflects the senatorial authority traditionally associated with aes coinage. These early Rome-mint bronzes formed the backbone of everyday circulation in Italy and the western provinces during Hadrian’s consolidation of power.