---
title: Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103/
description: 'A Roman bronze sestertius of Trajan shown front and back: the obverse has his laureate bust and titles including Germanicus and Dacicus, the reverse the…'
section: Collection
---

[Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)

[![Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103.jpg)

# Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy

A Roman bronze sestertius of Trajan shown front and back: the obverse has his laureate bust and titles including Germanicus and Dacicus, the reverse the emperor on horseback riding down a fallen enemy under the legend of the Senate and People of Rome to the best of princes, with S C for the Senate's authority.

## Text on the object

Original (Latin) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
Obverse (clockwise from lower left): IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P

Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI

In exergue: S C
```

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

```
Obverse: Imperator Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power, consul for the fifth time, Father of the Fatherland.

Reverse: The Senate and People of Rome to the best of princes.

In exergue: By decree of the Senate.
```

Read from the image; some letters on the obverse are worn and the string of titles was read from the Met's photograph without checking a catalogue, and the translation expands standard abbreviations. The legend on this specimen runs P M TR P COS V P P.

[← Relief on the Arch of Titus, Rome: soldiers carrying the menorah and other spoils from the Temple at Jerusalem in a triumphal procession](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/relief-arch-of-titus-spoils-of-jerusalem-0081/) [Gold coin of Kanishka: King of Kings legend, king at the altar, deity Oesho →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/gold-dinar-kanishka-king-of-kings-0130/)

## Using the same techniques

- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Tomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dna-inscription-darius-i-naqsh-e-rustam-490bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Testimonial, Card stacking)
- [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial)
- [Bronze sestertius of Gaius (Caligula), reverse S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS in an oak wreath](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-caligula-ob-cives-servatos-0037/) (Roman Empire · 0037 · Testimonial, Transfer)
- [Seljuq gold dinar of Sanjar, dated 493 AH, with the Abbasid caliph named on one face](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/seljuq-gold-dinar-sanjar-caliph-name-1099/) (Great Seljuk Empire · 1099 · Testimonial)
- [Estoire d'Eracles page with Bernard of Clairvaux preaching the Second Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 180v)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-bernard-preaching-second-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial)
- [Opening page of the Estoire d'Eracles (William of Tyre in French), with the Crucifixion and Pope Urban II preaching the First Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 1r)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-urban-ii-preaching-first-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial, Transfer)
- [Miniature of Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont, Les Passages d'outremer (BnF Fr. 5594, fol. 19r)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/passages-doutremer-council-of-clermont-colombe-1474/) (France · 1474 · Testimonial, Fear appeal). Content note: Medieval religious imagery and a French text describing alleged killings and captivity of eastern Christians, as used to argue for the First Crusade; the text is shown as written.