EMPEROR NERVA

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, Sep 17, 2020.

  1. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    September 96 AD

    The superstitious Domitian is questioning his team of Imperial astrologers again. Who are the contenders for my throne, who is conspiring against me? The first name to be mentioned is that of Nerva. It is claimed that the Emperor's first reaction was a burst of laughter. A man who could be his father as a successor! Despite everything, he is determined to eliminate all those who would plan his assassination. One of the astrologers close to Nerva convinces him to give up his project since the old man will die shortly anyway. So Domitian, believing that this would really come to pass, did not wish to be guilty of this additional murder, since Nerva was to die so soon in any case. A few days later, Domitian was stabbed in a palace plot involving his wife Domitia, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and many others. It is quite possible that Nerva was part of that conspiracy. In any event, upon the death of Domitian, September 18th, Nerva was immediately proclaimed, at the age of 66, Emperor by the Senate.

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    Museo Nazionale Romano


    Marcus Cocceius Nerva wear the purple from September 96 AD to January 98, and was the first of a succession of rulers traditionally known as the Five Good Emperors. The new emperor was born on November 30 AD in the small town of Narnia in Umbria, 50 miles north of Rome. He came from a distinguished Roman family - his father was a wealthy lawyer, his grandfather had been a member of the imperial entourage at the time of Nerva’s birth, his great-grandfather had been a consul in 36 BC, and his aunt was the great-granddaughter of Emperor Tiberius. He had held a number of official positions under various emperors during both the Julio-Claudian and Flavian dynasties, helping Emperor Nero suppress the Piso Conspiracy in 65 AD and serving as co-consul under both Vespasian and Domitian.

    [​IMG]
    Unique, late 1st century AD bust of emperor Nerva in chalcedony.(4 inches ht)

    His principal weakness was that he had been a lawyer with no military experience, which won him only the half-hearted support of the Roman Legions. Nerva had no children and as such lacked the ability to create a dynasty based upon his bloodline. Nerva thus searched for a successor who was both wise and with an accomplished military career. His choice was Trajan, the governor of Upper Germany, and was supported by many generals. It should be mentioned that Nerva had been the one who had appointed him as governor of Upper Germany, and since Nerva knew little about foreign affairs and lacked any military experience, the appointment of Trajan was made not only to provide an heir but to secure the northern provinces.
    So on this day of his appointment as Emperor, please show us your Nerva's coins!

    Nerva As
    3762870A-0D1D-41F5-B336-2757D4D0B0A3.jpeg
    Nerva Sestertius
    63DA6FCF-F2F6-461D-90F9-0FED2AD98639.jpeg D

     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Concise but informative write-up, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix ! Nice coins, too!

    My favorite Nerva:

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    Nerva, AD 96-98.
    Roman Æ as, 11.96 g, 26.3 mm, 6 h.
    Rome, AD 97.
    Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, radiate head, right.
    Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA S C, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter.
    Refs: RIC 86; BMCRE 131; Cohen 115; RCV --; ERIC II 152.
     
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  4. Carl Wilmont

    Carl Wilmont Well-Known Member

    Good overview, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix!

    Nerva Denarius.jpg
    Nerva (96-98 AD). AR Denarius. Rome mint. Struck 97 AD. IMP NERVΛCΛES ΛVG P M TR POT, laureate head right / COS III PΛTER PΛTRIΛE, priestly emblems: simpulum, aspergillum, guttus, and lituus. 18mm. 2.98 g.
     
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  5. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...seems Domitian had made many enemies.... Nerva was 1st of the 5(6) 'good' :) here's a bronze from Antioch... Nerva Antioch bronze 004.JPG Nerva Antioch bronze 005.JPG
     
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  6. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    Nice post as usual. Here are a couple more Nervas:

    9C924360-5F23-406B-BD86-921AD3ABCC44.jpeg
    Nerva, AR Denarius (17 mm, 3.45 g), Rome, 97. Laureate head of Nerva r. /Rev. LIBERTAS PVBLICA Libertas standing left, holding pileus in right hand and scepter in left. RIC 19
    E8621584-4EFC-411B-A28C-1F5B3359523A.jpeg
    Nerva, Antioch, AE “As” (25.5mm., 14.34g). Laureate head right/ Rev. Large S C; below, Θ, all within wreath. McAlee 421i. RPC 3487.
     
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  7. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Probably a guy who doesn't get enough credit. I have a classic Nerva honker on a dupondius, and a more sedate version of the nose on denarius:

    Screen Shot 2020-09-17 at 8.36.42 PM.jpg
    01104q00.jpg

    He was inordinately fond of Fortuna reverses.
     
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  8. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    Nice review!.......The last Roman emperor laid to rest in the Mausoleum of Augustus.
    His bronzes are certainly on my want list, some lovely examples shown already, but they can be a bit expensive, at least for me....Here's my Denarius..
    Nerva AR Denarius. Rome, AD 97.
    Obverse..IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR POT, laureate head right
    Reverse..COS III PATER PATRIAE, Priestly emblems: simpulum, aspergillum, guttus, and lituus.
    RIC 24; RSC 48. 3.12g, 17mm, 6h.
    Near Very Fine.
    NERVA BLACK.jpg
     
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  9. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Nerva Ae Sestertius 97 A.D. Rv. Fortuna standing left RIC 83 28.47 grms 32 mm nervas1.jpg Photo by W. Hansen
     
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  10. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    My heaviest Sestertius:

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    IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P - laureate head of Nerva right
    FORTVNA AVGVST S C - Fortuna standing left, holding rudder resting on ground in right hand and cornucopiae at her side in left.
    Sestertius, Rome 01 January – 18 September 97 aD (3rd emission of Nerva)
    35,12 mm / 31,20 gr
    RIC 83; BMCRE 107-9 and pl. 5, 6; Cohen 67; Sear -, Banti 21 (18 specimens)
    From the collections of Arthur Löbbecke (1850-1932), Fritz Reusing (1874-1956), and Paul Schürer (1890-1976); Auction Hess Nr. 182 (06.01.1926), lot 1115 a, and
    Manfred Olding fixed price list 96 (March 2019), Nr.200
     
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  11. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    What a pedigree!
     
  12. Limes

    Limes Well-Known Member

    Nice write up!

    17.1.png

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  13. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Funny, Nerva looks to be in his mid 20s on this coin:
    [​IMG]
    Bronze As
    Rome mint, A.D. 97
    Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P
    Rev: AEQVITAS AVGVST - Aquitas, standing, facing left, holding scales and cornucopiae, between S and C
    RIC 77
    26x23mm, 11.4g.
     
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  14. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    We often think of Nerva as an "old emperor," but he was only 67 when he died.
     
  15. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    My only Nerva:

    Rom – Nerva denarius, Aequitas.png
    Nerva, Roman Empire, denarius, 98 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG GERM PM TR P II, laureate head of Nerva right. Rev: IMP II COS IIII PP, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae. 18mm, 2.98g. Ref: RIC II Nerva 44.
     
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  16. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Nerva - Den Clasped Hands.jpg
    NERVA
    AR Denarius. 2.88g, 17.4mm. Rome mint, AD 97. RIC 14; Cohen 20. O: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, laureate head right. R: CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM, clasped hands.
    Ex Ratto Sale, 19 January 1956, lot 366

    Nerva - x6 Didrachm Cappadocia Club 2591.jpg
    NERVA
    AR Didrachm. 6.69g, 22.1mm. Metcalf 33; Sydenham 146. CAPPADOCIA, Caesaraea-Eusebia, AD 97 (3rd Consulship). O: AYTOKPAT NЄPOYAC KAICAP CЄBACTOC, laureate head right. R: YΠATOY TPITOY, Club placed vertically downwards.
    Ex stevex6 Collection
     
  17. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  18. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Was he a "placeholder", a minor surrogate of the senate placed in office before truly great Emperors could take the reins of power or was he a visionary who set Rome on a path to reach its greatest heights?


    upload_2020-9-18_8-52-18.png
     
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  19. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Thanks for the succinct write-up and great coins, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix ! I really enjoy posts with lots of info, cool coins, but do not drone on. WELL DONE!!!

    Nerva

    [​IMG]
    RI
    Nerva
    AE Dupondius
    96-98 CE
    LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileus S C
    Ex: @TIF
     
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  20. JayAg47

    JayAg47 Well-Known Member

    My only Nerva and the best looking denarius in my collection!
    SALVS PVBLICA B84513EF-2476-4EBC-85A8-932F2E30FCF7.png
     
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  21. eparch

    eparch Well-Known Member

    Who can resist his portraits ?

    upload_2020-9-18_19-1-18.png
    Nerva. 96-98 AD. Æ Sestertius (28.50 gm; 32 mm). Struck 97 AD. IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III AVG, laureate head right / FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. RIC II 60

    upload_2020-9-18_19-2-42.png
    Nerva (96-98). Æ Sestertius (33mm, 25.33g, 6h). Rome, AD 97.


    IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P: Head of Nerva, laureate, right

    VEHICVLATIONE ITALIAE REMISSA S C: Two mules grazing, one right, one left; behind high-wheeled cart, with pole and harness, tipped up and pointing slightly to left.

    RIC II 93.
     

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