TRAJAN (98-117). Sestertius. Rome.

Obv: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P.
Laureate bust right, with slight drapery.
Rev: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / VIA TRAIANA S C.
Via Traiana reclining left on rocks, head right, holding branch and wheel.

Woytek 476b; RIC 636.

The building of infrastructure, such as roads, was a significant technical and economic undertaking and was therefore widely celebrated on coins, through allegorical personifications symbolizing imperial expansion and the central government's commitment to promoting the welfare of its people. The Via Traiana, also known as the Appia Traiana, was built by Trajan between 108 and 110 AD. It connected Beneventum to Brundisium and remained in use until the end of the Middle Ages. It was an alternative to the Via Appia Antica and was easier to travel on because it was cleared of snow and mud even in the winter months.

Condition: Very fine; parts of the coin are reconstructed using wax or silicone.

Weight: 26.43 g.
Diameter: 33 mm.

Estimate: € 500