Reading Coin Legends: A Beginner's Guide
The inscriptions (legends) on Roman coins are written in Latin and packed with abbreviated titles. Once you crack the code, a coin reads like a miniature biography of the emperor or a snapshot of a political moment.
The Basics of Roman Legends
Roman coin legends run clockwise from roughly the 7 o'clock position on the obverse. They typically include the emperor's name (in the nominative, genitive, or dative case), along with a sequence of honorific titles — all abbreviated.
Common Abbreviations Decoded
- IMP — Imperator: Commander-in-Chief; later adopted as the equivalent of "Emperor"
- CAES — Caesar: The dynastic title, later indicating a junior emperor or heir
- AVG — Augustus: The supreme title of the emperor, meaning "revered" or "majestic"
- PM — Pontifex Maximus: High Priest; the emperor's religious authority
- TR P — Tribunicia Potestas: Tribunician Power; renewed annually, useful for dating coins
- COS — Consul: The traditional magistracy, often numbered (e.g. COS III = Third Consulship)
- PP — Pater Patriae: Father of the Fatherland
- SC — Senatus Consulto: By decree of the Senate (seen on bronze coins)
A Practical Example
Take the legend: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIANVS AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P
This reads: Imperator Caesar Nerva Trajanus Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunician Power, Consul for the fifth time, Father of the Fatherland. This is Emperor Trajan — a single legend places him precisely in time and documents his major victories.
Dating Coins with TR P
The Tribunicia Potestas was renewed each year on a specific day (usually 10 December). Numismatists use the TR P number to narrow down the mint date of a coin, often to within a 12-month window — an invaluable tool for research.
Reverse Legends
Reverse legends name the deity, personification, or event depicted. Common reverses include LIBERTAS AVG (Liberty of the Emperor), VICTORIA AVG (Victory of the Emperor), and PROVIDENTIA (Foresight).
With practice, reading a legend becomes second nature. Start with well-documented emperors like Augustus, Trajan, or Hadrian — their coins are abundant and thoroughly catalogued in RIC (Roman Imperial Coinage).