Lot 4554

Description

Trajan, (A.D.117-138), AE sestertius, Rome mint, issued 103-111, (23.08 g), obv. laureate bust of Trajan to right, drapery on far shoulder, IMP CAE[S NER]VAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P [COS V PP], rev. single span bridge with tower at each end SPQR OPTI[MO PRIN]CIPI, boat below, S C in exergue, (S.3207, RIC 569, BMC 849, C.542). Dark brown patina, weak in places, nearly fine/fine and scarce.

Ex Noble Numismatics Auction Sale 78 (lot 5145) and Manfred Wilschke in June 1993.
Although it has been suggested that the reverse represents the famous bridge over the Danube, RIC states that it is "impossible that a bridge of this type was used to negotiate so wide a river as the Danube". RIC suggests that it may be the ancient Pons Sublicus. "Celator" in a June 1995 article by Marvin Tameanko `The "Danube Bridge" on the coinage of Trajan' concludes, that the reverse was a political statement that in essence states `The Senate and the Roman people salute Trajan, the very best of rulers. He defeated our enemies and greatly expanded the empire. He even built large bridges to cross over wide rivers, all for the greater glory of Rome'.