About a year ago, I won this coin in one of the first Zeus sales, attributed as Trajan with Plotina. Didn't really think too much on it until a couple days ago when I realized that I had bought a misattributed coin - very much in my favor! Trajan, with Marciana, Augusta AE28 Diassarion of Anazarbus, Cilicia Dated civic year 126, 107 AD ΑVΤO ΚAI ΘЄ NЄP VI NЄP TPAIANOC CЄ ΓЄP ΔAKI, Laureare head of Trajan right KAICAPЄΩN ΠP ANAZAPBΩ MAPKIANH CЄBACTH / ЄT - ςKP, Draped bust of Marciana right Why this is important - Born in about 45, Ulpia Marciana was the elder sister of Trajan, and while not overtly as involved in politics as later empresses such as Julia Domna, she was arguably the matriarch of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, as the mother of Matidia, grandmother of Sabina, and great-great grandmother of Marcus Aurelius. She was one of Trajan's most trusted confidants and often advised him on political matters. At the behest of Plotina, she was granted the title of Augusta in 105, and the city of Parthenopolis was re-founded as Marcianopolis in her honor. Despite these honors, coinage issued in her name and image during her lifetime is quite rare, even within the scope of her already rare coinage. She appears on only a single(?) Imperial issue, in addition to two extremely rare provincial issues by herself (Lydia, Sardes and Lydia, Thyateira), in addition to two rare appearances on the reverse of provincial coins of Trajan (This one, and one from Mysia, Parium, alongside Plotina). Marciana died of old age in about 112 or no later than 114, and was given slightly more extensive posthumous honors after her deification on orders from her brother. An example of a much more affordable posthumous denarius: Let's see those related coins to the tough early Nerva-Antonine ladies, anything you bought and only correctly identified much later, or anything else related!
Nice writeup, and congrats on a great coin! I have her Granddaughter SABINA RI Sabina 117-137 Denarius 3.18g Venus standing right holding an apple RSC73
My Sabina is just a fourree and rather poor in preservation but I like it because it is the less usual hairstyle for this lady. Sabina FO denarius / Venus from behind (Anepigraphic)
I was just reading about Trajan and his family over the weekend! What an amazing find @Finn235 The ridonkulous Marciana denarius reminds me of one of my favorite empresses on bronze: SABINA Dupondius, 136 CE Mint: Rome 26.3 mm, 10,2 g. Rarity : R1 Obverse legend : SABINA AVGVSTA - HADRIANI AVG PP, Obverse: Diadémé bust and drape of Sabina on the right, hair raised, artistically capped. RIC.- - BMC/RE.1900
Excellent detective work, @Finn235, and a difficult empress to procure, too! This issue from Anazarbus is the perhaps the most affordable way to get Marciana or Matidia. Plotina is a bit more frequently encountered in the Provincial series. It's worn, but here is the coin of Trajan and Plotina the dealer had mistaken yours for: Here is the Trajan and Matidia from the series: