Dating Coins of Trajan
Several of the elements of the Reverse inscriptions are helpful in dating
Trajan's coinage [ and others]. The titles of Imperator, Tribune, and Consul were granted yearly and were assigned a number which often - and conveniently - appear on the reverse of his coins. These titles will appear as IMP, TR.P and COS respectively. Thus, fairly precise dating can be done using the chart below. Dates of additional hornors and when they appeared on coins are presented in brackets.
- 97 C. E. - TR.P [Germanicus Introduced]
- 98 C. E. - IMP, TR.P [and TR.P I & II], COS II
- 99 C. E. - TR.P III & IV
- 100 C. E. - TR.P IV & V, Cos IIII
- 101 C. E. - IMP II, TR.P V & VI, Cos IV
- 102 C. E. - IMP III & IV, TR.P VI & VII, [DACICVS Introduced]
- 103 C. E. - TR.P VII & VIII, Cos V [OPTIMO PRINCEPS - 'Best Ruler' Introduced]
- 104 C. E. - IMP V TR.P VIII & IX,
- 105 C. E. - TR.P IX & X,
- 106 C. E. - IMP VI TR.P X & XI,
- 107 C. E. - TR.P XI & XII
- 108 C. E. - TR.P XII & XIII
- 109 C. E. - TR.P XIII & XIV
- 110 C. E. - TR.P XIV& XV
- 111 C. E. - TR.P XV & XVI
- 112 C. E. - TR.P XVI & XVII, Cos VI
- 113 C. E. - TR.P XVII & XVIII
- 114 C. E. - TR.P XVII & XVIII [OPTIMO Augustus 'best of Emperors Introduced]
- 115 C. E. - IMP VIII - XIII TR.P IXX & XX, [PARTHICVS Introduced]
- 116 C. E. - TR.P XX & XXI
- 117 C. E. - TR.P XXI
* note: Trajan was granted Tribunal powers under Nerva in Oct. 97. After Nerva's death Trajan adopted Nerva's dating system. He established Dec. 10 of 97 as TR P II and thus Dec. 10, 98 as the beginning of TR P III. Although there is some question as to exact dates for subsequent reinvestments, the evidence points to December 10.
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