Denarius of Trajan, part of the R.D. Milns coin collection.

This silver denarius of Trajan was minted in Rome, AD 103-111, and displays some typical features of imperial coinage. At the mint, coins were manufactured from a blank piece of metal, struck between dies with detailed carving. These produced the embossed images. The die struck against an anvil is the obverse, and the reverse against the punch. As stated in the museums online catalogue, the obverse depicts a detailed bust of Trajan, wearing a laurel wreath. This is a commonly used symbol of victory . The reverse refers to Trajans great Dacian victory, as typically the reverse image came from something that the emperor had achieved. Trajan would often convey victories by depicting the defeated enemy in a submissive state, or trophies. We see here a seated personified Dacia , wearing the iconic hat of the region , and a trophy of armour . The legends on the coins reveal even more imperial themes. Trajan had uniquely lengthy coin legends . The obverse legend reads as listed there IMP.TRAIANO AVG.GER.DAC.PM.TR.P.COS. V P.P. The first, IMP, short for imperator has connotations of military and also some divine power . The traditional AVG is for Augustus, the first and ever-emulated emperor . Trajan uses the title Germanicus/GER as Domitian did. He added the titles pontifex maximus/PM, the Augustan pater patriae/PP , and used tribunicia potestas/TR. P on his coins , after his adoptive father Nerva died . The title DAC was received in AD 102 after the first victory against Dacia. It is recorded by the author Cassius Dio, who writes that when Trajan celebrated a triumph and was given the title Dacicus , i.e. DAC. Trajan held his 5th consulship COS. V from AD 103-111 . The reverse legend also shows the coin could have been minted at any time from AD 103 or continuously to AD 111 . The dedicatory reverse legend, S.P.Q.R. OPTIMO PRINCIPI, is probably a direct celebration of the Dacian victory. Traditionally the true power in Rome , the S.P.Q.R. or Senatus Populus Que Romanus (Senate and people), is seen to proclaim Trajan as the perfect emperor . OPTIMO PRINCIPI, first used officially by Trajan, also has strong symbolism attached to it . It is a title generally reserved for Romes god Jupiter Optimus Maximus . This coin therefore overall promotes the good emperor image described by Dio . Trajan was evidently a very popular emperor, with a strategy in mind for maintaining this. Cassius Dio, writing his history centuries after Trajans rule , praised the emperor , describing him for example as being most conspicuous for his justice, for his bravery, and for ! 1!
Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:27 PM Comment [12]: Topic!sentence.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:28 PM Comment [13]: Point!one.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:19 PM Comment [11]: Linking!sentence.! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:18 PM Comment [10]: Topic!sentence.! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:20 PM
Comment [8]: Sentences!written!to!be! more!concise.!!

Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:04 PM Comment [1]: The!topic!sentence!now! describes!what!the!paragraph!is!about.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:05 PM
Comment [2]: The!first!of!three!points,! also!leads!onto!the!next!point.!!

Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:05 PM Comment [3]: Point!two.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:09 PM Comment [4]: The!sentence!structure!has! become!more!concise,!most!being!under!30! words!long!(Media!module).!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:06 PM Comment [5]: Point!three.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:09 PM Comment [6]: Linking!sentence!to!round! off!the!structure!of!the!paragraph.!Topic! sentence,!3B5!point!rule,!linking!sentence! have!all!been!used!here.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:08 PM
Comment [7]: Topic!sentence.!!

Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:18 PM Comment [9]: Linking!sentence!

the simplicity of his habits . His goal was to be all that Domitian was not, and took inspiration from Augustus . Domitian had been providing payment to Dacia from Rome before Trajan came into power. This is one reason, as Cassius Dio tells us, Trajan went to war against Dacia, in AD 101-2 . He writes; for he took into account their past deeds and was grieved at the amount of money they were receiving annually, and he also observed that their power and their pride were increasing. Scholars also believe Trajan sought to make Dacia one of Romes many provinces , which did occur after the second war was fought and won in AD 105-6. According to Dio, Dacia became subject to the Romans . The way Dacia is depicted on the coin is indicative of this submission to Rome, and Trajans power. Coins are commonly viewed as propaganda for the emperor . They can depict an event as it has occurred , or the emperor can tailor what messages were being sent out to his populace . This coin type clearly serves this purpose for Trajan and his Dacian victory. However Wallace-Hadrill states the people wanted an emperor who could serve them best, no matter his origins . Therefore, whether or not the message of victory over Dacia was truly conveyed to or noticed by the people is a source of much debate . This coin type, while promoting the many qualities of the emperor, may have done nothing but remind the people that Trajan was their emperor, and a good one.
Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:32 PM
Comment [18]: Overall!the!main!changes! to!this!document!have!been:! B!!to!restructure!the!paragraphs,!reordering! the!information!and!the!order!they!appear! in! B!sentences!that!were!more!that!30!words! long,!or!contained!multiple!separate!but! related!points!were!written!more!concisely.! This!has!hopefully!also!improved!the!clarity! of!the!writing.!! B!in!some!paragraphs,!the!3B5!point!rule!was! used,!with!each!point!linking!to!the!next!

Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:28 PM

Comment [14]: Point!two.!!

Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:28 PM Comment [15]: Point!three.!! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:28 PM Comment [16]: Linking!sentence.! Rhianna Pedwell 27/10/13 12:28 PM Comment [17]: Topic!sentence!

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Bibliography Ancient Sources Cassius Dio (trans. E. Cary). 1925. Roman History, London: William Heinemann. Modern Works Bennett, J. 1997. Trajan: Optimus Princeps, London and NY: Routledge. Access Online via The University of Queensland 17 August 2013 http://www.uql.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1801 01&tstamp=1376727566&userid=9Zex0BtnxdGuQDv6tz7PcJGpKF8liCkl&id=665165 06C1C23F0633EE3D4F08F2223DBBDF6282 Bond, S. M. 1957. The Coinage of the Early Roman Empire, Greece & Rome 4: 149159. Access Online via The University of Queensland 17 August 2013 http://www.jstor.org/stable/642136 Howgego, C. 1995. Ancient History from Coins, London and NY: Routledge. Access Online via The University of Queensland 17 August 2013 http://www.uql.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1783 09&tstamp=1376727763&userid=9Zex0BtnxdGuQDv6tz7PcJGpKF8liCkl&id=DBF09 13B832D6BE730B4BB9C9520048DF790AA74 Mattingly, H. 1966. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum Volume III Nerva to Hadrian, British Museum Publications. R.D. Milns Antiquities Museum. 2013. c089 Roman Denarius Coin: R.D. Milns Antiquities Museum. Access Online 18 August 2013 http://www.uq.edu.au/antiquities/c089 Salmon, E.T. 1936. Trajans Conquest of Dacia, Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 67: 83105. Access Online via The University of Queensland 7 August 2013 http://www.jstor.org/stable/283229 Wallace-Hadrill, A. 1981. The Emperor and His Virtues, Historia: Zeitschrift fr Alte ! 3!

Geschichte 30: 298323. Access Online via The University of Queensland 11 August 2013 http://www.jstor.org/stable/4435768 Waters, K. H. 1969. Traianus Domitiani Continuator, The American Journal of Philology 90: 385-405. Access Online via The University of Queensland 11 August 2013 http://www.jstor.org/stable/292635 !

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