Trajan was present during the disaster, and rushed to the relative safety of the city’s hippodrome, where he waited for several days. This spectacular issue of AD 114-5, depicts Trajan (left) standing beneath a much larger Jupiter (left) whom holds his arm out, protecting the emperor. The coin is likely to have been struck to celebrate divine intervention from Jupiter, who kept Trajan safe during the earthquake and tsunami which claimed the lives of so many civilians.
Trajan (98-117) AV Aureus 7.19gm., Rome 114/115. Laureate, cuirassed and draped bust right, IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC. Rev: Jupiter standing left, naked except for cloak draped from shoulders, holding sceptre in left hand, and thunderbolt in right, protecting Trajan, togate, standing to lower left, holding laurel branch in right hand, P M TR P COS VI P P SPQR. (RIC 336 var. (bust not cuirassed); Woytek 512f; Strack 229; Calicó 1065; BMCRE 533; BN 814-6 var. (pellets in rev. legend); Biaggi 515). Extremely Fine, very high relief. £28,000
Ex NAC 2016; Ex Raunch 2010
