Description
| Roman Imperial. Trajan (98-117). Denarius, 112-114, Rome mint. | |
| Obverse: | IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P [P]. Laureate and draped bust right. |
| Reverse: | S P Q R OPTIMO PR[INCI]PI. Personification of the Via Traiana reclining left, her head turned back right, holding wheel in her right hand and branch in her left, resting the left arm on rocks, in exergue VIA TRAIANA. |
| Dimensions: | AR, 2.55 g, 20 mm, 7h. |
| References: | RIC 266; Cohen 648; Woytek 398b. |
| Condition: | Minor flan defect, almost very fine. |
| Provenance: | From a German private collection. |
| Comment: | The original route of the Via Appia led via Benevento and Taranto to Brindisi. In 114 the emperor Trajan build a shortcut from Benevento via Bari to Brindisi (Via Appia Traiana). This reduced the travel time from Rome to the important port of Brindisi by around two weeks. Trajan celebrated this important new construction in his coinage by depicting the personification of the Via Traiana. |
