Description:
This denarius coin was minted during the rule of Hadrian, who was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. The obverse features the head of Hadrian with the legend HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP, translated to “Hadrianus Augustus, Consul 3, Father of the Fatherland.” Hadrian is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman territory in Britain. A significant portion of the wall still exists and today is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and almost two thousand years later, its dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.
During his reign, Hadrian traveled to nearly every province of the Empire ordering the construction of libraries, aqueducts, baths and theaters. He spent extensive amounts of his time with the military; he usually wore military attire and even dined and slept amongst the soldiers. Hadrian was known as an intellectual and a patron of the arts. He is considered by many historians to have been wise and just and one of the finest of all Roman Emperors.
The reverse of this coin shows the legend PIETAS AVG and depicts the goddess Pietas standing with her hands in prayer in front of an altar. Pietas was the Roman personification of a respectful and faithful attachment to gods, country and relatives, especially parents. Pietas had a temple in Rome that was dedicated in 181 BC and she was often depicted as on the reverse of Roman Imperial coins.
