![ROMAN. Hadrian, Denarius, 'NILVS' [ARI-372] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ARI-372-1.jpg)
Description
Roman Empire, Caesar Trā̆iānus Hadriānus (Hadrian), Roman Emperor of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty 117-138 AD, Silver Denarius (3.11g, 17.5mm), Travelling Series – Personification type, “Nilus” commemorative issue, Rome mint 130-133 AD. Obverse: Laureate head of Hadrian facing to the right, legend surrounds, “HΛDRIΛNVS ΛVG COS III PP”. Reverse: Nilus reclined right leaning on urn, draped in toga and holding cornucopia aloft in left hand and resting reed in left arm, hippopotamus by feet, crocodile in waves below, legend surrounds above, “NILVS”. RIC-310; RSC-989; Sear-3508. Well struck devices are enhanced with a nice polychromatic tone of blues, greys and amber, particularly the reverse with more vivid blue hugging the devices, a nice example of the ever-popular travelling series, good Very Fine, reverse near Extremely Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Hadriānus Augustus, cōnsulāritās tertium, Pater Patriae”, with an English translation of “Hadrianus Augustus, honoured with the office of Consul for a third term, Father of the Nation”. The reverse Latin reads “Nīlus”, naming the Nile, the personification of the great River.
Nīlus was the personification of the great Nile River that flowed through prōvincia Aegyptus, the Roman province which covered much of modern-day Egypt and bordered the Senatorial prōvincia Crēta et Cȳrenaica to the west and Prōvincia Arabia Petraea to the east. Roman Egypt was conquered in 30 BC following the defeat of the Triumvir Mārcus Antōnius and Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, the last Hellenistic Pharaoh of Egypt, in the Wars of Actium, ending of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The conquered Ptolemaic territories remained the personal property of Gāius Iūlius Caesar ‘Octāvianus’ (Octavian, later Augustus) for several years before officially becoming an Imperial prōvincia in 27 BC at the formation of the Principate. Prōvincia Aegyptus would go on to become an essential aspect of the Roman economy, serving as a major producer of grain and an important geographical position to facilitate trade through the Red Sea towards the Indian subcontinent.
The Travels of Hadrian: After visiting Greece for the second time, the first in 124 AD, Hadrian travelled through Prōvincia Ā̆sia and arrived in Aegyptus in August of 130 AD – here he restored Pompey the Great’s tomb at Pelusium, and whilst his entourage sailed down the river Nile, his lover Antinous drowned. The ‘AEGYPTOS’, ‘NILVS’ and ‘ALEXANDRIA’ issues could be considered “Part Seven” of his travelling series.
