Silver Tetradrachm, Ancient Rome - Colonial, c. 98-117 AD
Emperor: Trajan
Obv: Laureate head of Trajan right above eagle standing right; club in right field.
Rev: Laureate bust of Melqart-Hercules right, with lion’s skin draped around neck.
Mint: Tyre (Phonecia)
26mm, 14.19gm. Struck AD 103-109. Prieur 1495; McAlee 455. Near VF, toned.
Trajan was Roman emperor from 98 AD until his death in 117 AD. Officially declared by the Senate as optimus princeps ("the best ruler"), Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over the greatest military expansion in Roman history, leading the empire to attain its maximum territorial extent by the time of his death. He is also known for his philanthropic rule, overseeing extensive public building programs and implementing social welfare policies, which earned him his enduring reputation as the second of the Five Good Emperors who presided over an era of peace and prosperity in the Mediterranean world.
