Watch List notes:

JDL Collection Part II: Roman Coins
THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

TRAJAN, January 28, 98–August 7, 117.

Sestertius, Rome c. 104/105-107, Æ 25.11 g.
Obv. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR
P COS V P P His laureate bust right, paludamentum on left shoulder; border of dots.
Rev. S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / S C Trajan on horse prancing right, brandishing javelin at Dacian who falls to his knees right, holding up his hands and turning back to look at Trajan; border of dots.
Literature
Cohen 504
BMC RE III, 176, 834
RIC II, 282, 534
Banti 207
BN 217
Woytek 203bB
M.-M. Bendenoun, Coins of the Ancient World, A portrait of the JDL Collection, Tradart, Genève, 2009, 57 (this coin)
Condition
A lovely portrait and a very interesting reverse composition. A pleasant olive green patina and about extremely fine.

Provenance
Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung Gmbh 117, München 2001, lot 556.
Many of Rome's emperors identified themselves with Hercules, the demi-god who offered many different aspects which
an emperor could emulate. Trajan, who styled himself after Hercules the conqueror, was no exception. In some rare issues he is portrayed with a heroic, well-sculpted bust reminiscent of Hercules, and many of his reverse inscriptions identify him as optimo principi, the best of emperors.
Hill places the optimo principi issues from 103 to 115, and this particular coin in 107, arguably the zenith of Trajan's long and successful reign. He was in the midst of celebrations for his decennalia and was basking in the triumph he had been awar-
ded for his victory in the Second Dacian War, which concluded in 106 with the suicide of the Dacian king Decebalus, whose severed head was displayed in Rome. It was an intoxicating moment for this vainglorious emperor, who may have believed his enterprises were favoured by Hercules.
Dio tells us that Trajan took great pride in having been awarded the cognomen Optimus, valuing it above all other titles com- bined, and Pliny reports that upon their accessions to the throne, the senate addressed all future emperors with the well-wish that they might be felicior Augusto, Trajano melior, "Happier than Augustus, better than Trajan."