Year
minted : 107 AD
Minted
by : Emperor Trajan ( born 53 AD, reign 98 AD – 117 AD )
Observe
:
portrait of Emperor Augustus, with the word ‘DIVUS AUGUSTUS’
portrait of Emperor Augustus, with the word ‘DIVUS AUGUSTUS’
Reverse
:
‘MP. CAES TRAJAN VGGEP. CACPP. REST’
‘MP. CAES TRAJAN VGGEP. CACPP. REST’
BACKGROUND
The coin featuring Augusts’ image is
only one of two coins minted by Emperor Trajan in AD 107 as part of a series of
coins that honored emperors before him.
This coin dedicated to Augustus refers to him as “Divus Augustus” or
August the Divine who reigned during the life of Christ (27 BC to AD 14).
Emperor Augustus : Founder of the
Roman Empire
Augustus
was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC
until his death in 14 AD.
Together
with Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus, he formed the Second Triumvirate to
defeat the assassins of Caesar.
Following
their victory, they divided the Roman Republic among themselves and ruled as
military dictators, before their individual ambitions tore the alliance apart.
Lepidus
was driven into exile and stripped of his position, and Antony committed suicide
following his defeat at the Battle of Actium by Octavian in 31 BC.
In
response, Augustus placed governmental power with the Roman Senate and other
legislative institutions, to establish constitutional framework called the
Principate - the first phase of the Roman Empire - while secretly remaining in
overall control as a military dictator.
The
reign of Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana,
or, The Roman Peace and he enlarged the empire too.
Augustus
died at the age of 75, officially of natural causes, although there were
rumours his wife Livia poisoned him.
