TRAJAN SESTERTII
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Dacian Types
5a. Felicitas seated/Dacian
This reverse depicts Felicitas seated holding caduceus over head of Dacian kneeling in supplication.
Photo and description courtesy of CNG
TRAJAN. 98-117 AD. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 28.16 gm). Struck circa 104-107 AD. Laureate bust right, wearing aegis / Felicitas enthroned left, feet on stool, holding winged caduceus and resting elbow on arm of throne; before her, kneeling Dacian with arms upraised in supplication. RIC II 499; BMCRE -; Cohen -. Banti - Fine, brown patina, minor reverse pitting. A very rare type.
Similar and more numerous specimens portray Pax instead of Felicitas on the reverse . While the significance of Pax is understood to refer to the aspired or enforced peace with Dacia after the Roman victory, the depiction of Felicitas on this coin must refer to the hope of prosperity and success which Roman rule will bring to the conquered province.
bust left aegis RARE
BMCRE mentions the Museo Nazionale, Rome, has a bust left, aegis speciman where Pax is holding a winged caduceus not a branch. Only the second known speciman of this type is illustrated below: We now see it to be a left bust version of the Felicitas reverse rather than Pax.
(EX) Matthew Sersch collection
obv : IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP COS V PP
rev: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI SC
34mm
25.02g
Bust left, aegis
103-111ad
ref: BMCRE note 804.
extremely rare
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