HADRIAN SESTERTIUS
(134 AD )
Obverse:
HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP draped bust facing right.
Reverse:
Of (Exercitus Britannicus) right Hadrian standing to right on low platform facing left, spurring three soldiers before him; first soldier holding an aquila, second a shield and a signa pax romana, third a signa a vexillum in background.
- hand embossed
- gold colors
- Diameter 3.5 cm
- May show slight signs of wear
The coins minted under Hadrian's reign give an overview of the travels the emperor made . The series of so-called travel coins can be divided into several types.
The coin shown above was minted after the return of his second great journey around 134-138 A.D. Thus, through the various coins one gets an almost complete overview of the empire under Hadrian. Of the various travel coins, there are three other series besides the Restitutor type, the Adventus, Natio and Exercitus mintings.
The coin shown above corresponds to the Exercitus type.
The Exercitus type This is the last type within the travel coins. This series of coins is dominated by a very uniform basic scheme. The sestertius offered here shows the emperor in field dress standing on a small platform. It gives the impression that Hadrian is giving a speech, which is emphasized by the gesture of the raised hand. He is facing three soldiers who are differently equipped. On the left stands a legionary with an aquila ( the so-called legionary eagle ), the middle one holds a shield and a signa pax Romana ( standard of Roman peace ) and the third soldier shows a signa a vexillium ( a standard of the Roman troop unit ). This coin type is related to Hadrian's army reforms and his extensive troop inspections during his travels. Of the Exercitus type travel coins, there are the following subtypes: Britannicus, Cappadocius, Dacius, Germanicus, Hispanicus, Mauretanicus, Moesiacus, Raeticus, Syriacus, and Thracius. All these provinces were toured by Hadrian and the troops and units stationed there were visited .
