Trajan, 98-117, Denarius

Trajan, Denarius, AR, AD 98–117, struck AD 112, 3.31 g, 19 mm. Rome mint. Laureate head of Trajan right; legend IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P. Reverse with the dedication S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI. Struck at Rome during Trajan’s sixth consulship as indicated by the obverse legend. RIC II Trajan 194.

The “S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI” series reflects the Senate’s dedication to Trajan as “best of princes,” a formula appearing on his silver issues and closely tied to his consensus with the Senate and people of Rome. The COS VI dating places the coin in AD 112, amid major building programs such as the Forum of Trajan and before the formal assumption of the title Optimus in AD 114, illustrating the evolving honorific language surrounding the emperor at the height of his rule.