The Coins
Achaemenid Siglos
Minted in 490 BC when Xerxes ascended the Persian throne following the death of his father Darius the Great.
This coin depicts a Persian king facing right, carrying a spear and drawing a bow.
Carradice Type IIIa – identified by the two pellets behind the beard.
Legionary Denarius of Marc Antony
Mint date: 32–31 BC
Mint location: Patrae, Greece
Denomination: Denarius
Diameter: 17mm
Weight: 3.56g
Obverse: ANT AVG / III-VIR RPC – Naval Galley
Reverse: LEG VI – Aquila between military standards
A Roman naval galley decorates this coin, celebrating Marc Antony's titles.
ANT AVG refers to his priestly title as augur, and III-VIR RPC shows his role as one of the Triumvirs restoring the Republic.
Minted during Antony’s war with Octavian. This particular piece honors Legion VI, which was originally raised by Julius Caesar and fought at the Battle of Tharsus – where Caesar famously declared "Veni, Vidi, Vici."
Trajan Denarius
Trajan was known as Rome's best emperor and oversaw the expansion of the Empire to its greatest geographical extent.
This coin features a bold portrait of Trajan on the obverse and a female deity—likely symbolizing prosperity or victory—on the reverse.
Hadrian Denarius
Hadrian succeeded Trajan and is remembered for building Hadrian’s Wall in northern Britain.
His coins often celebrated Roman engineering and unity across the provinces.