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Message:: [QUOTE="Orielensis, post: 3296707, member: 96898"]3. The Nerva–Antonine dynasty, in silver Almost all of these emperors are available and affordable as denarii. It is of course also possible to collect them bronze – they produced excellent chunky sestertii, for example. This is up to your budget and what you like best. In 96 AD, Domitian was assassinated after years of quarelling with the senate. The senators now elected Nerva (r. 96–98 AD) emperor – actually, this was the first time a Roman emperor was elected. Already 65 years old, childless, and in bad health, Nerva was a safe choice for the senate which didn’t aim at establishing another family dynasty. Since his reign lasted only 15 months, he is the only “good emperor” whose coins are a bit hard to find:[ATTACH=full]872690[/ATTACH] Nerva, Roman Empire, denarius, 97 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, 40. Not having biological children but desperately needing a capable successor, the aging Nerva adopted the young and popular general Trajan (r. 98–117 AD), who succeeded him after his death in 98. Trajan is often considered Rome’s best ruler, the optimus princeps. The empire reached its peak of power under the Trajan, whose denarii are often very appealing:[ATTACH=full]872691[/ATTACH] Trajan, Roman Empire, denarius, 101/102 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CAESAR NERVA TRAIAN AUG GERM, laureate head of Trajan right. Rev: PM TRP COS IIII PP, Victory standing facing, holding wreath and palm branch. 18mm, 3.04g. Ref: RIC II, 58. Trajan followed Nerva’s example and adopted a successor, Hadrian (r. 117–138 AD). There is a great novel about him by Marguerite Yourcenar (“Memoirs of Hadrian”), which I can strongly recommend.[ATTACH=full]872687[/ATTACH] Hadrian, Roman Empire, denarius, 119–122 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head of Hadrian right. Rev: PM TR P COS III, Pax seated left, holding Victory on globe and branch. 18.5mm, 3.05g. Ref: RIC II, 95. Hadrian in turn adopted Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161 AD), whose reign was the most peaceful period of time Rome ever saw. Nonetheless, someone defaced his portrait on this denarius:[ATTACH=full]872692[/ATTACH] Antoninus Pius, Roman Empire, denarius, 145–161 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right. Rev: COS IIII, thunderbolt on altar. 16.5mm, 4.02g. RIC III, 137. Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180 AD)is well known not only as the last of the “good emperors,” but also as a capable Stoic philosopher and author of the Meditations. He initially shared the throne with Lucius Verus (r. 161–169 AD), who died of an illness in 169 AD. I really need to upgrade my Marcus Aurelius:[ATTACH=full]872689[/ATTACH] Marcus Aurelius, Roman Empire, denarius, 163/164 AD, Rome mint. Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG IMP II, head of Marcus Aurelius right. Rev: TR P XVIII COS III, Minerva standing left with branch, spear, and shield. 17mm, 2.4g. [ATTACH=full]872688[/ATTACH] Lucius Verus, Roman Empire, denarius, 167/168 AD. Rome mint. Obv: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head of Lucius Verus right. Rev: TR P VIII IMP V COS III, Aequitas seated left, holding scales and cornucopiae. 18mm, 2.62g. Ref: RIC III, 595. Ex Coast to Coast Coins. For some reason, Marcus Aurelius didn’t adopt a capable heir, but appointed his biological son Commodus (r. 177–193 AD) as his successor. After his father’s death, Commodus turned out to be a brutal megalomaniac. He was assassinated by his wrestling partner Narcissus in 192 AD, followed by an interlude of civil war, the “Year of the Five Emperors” (193 AD), and the rise of the Severan dynasty.[ATTACH=full]872686[/ATTACH] Commodus, Roman Empire, denarius, 182 AD, Rome mint. Obv: M COMMOD[VS ANTON]INVS AVG, laureate head of Commodus right. Rev: LIB AVG V TR P VII IMP IIII COS III PP, Liberalitas standing left holding counting board and cornucopiae. 18mm, 2.24g. Ref: RIC III, 36A.[/QUOTE]

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