★ A Superb Aureus of Hadrian ★

Hadrian AV Aureus. Rome, AD 125-127. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / COS III, emperor on horse prancing to left, raising right hand and holding spear in left. RIC II.3 779; C. 415; BMCRE 439; Biaggi 596 (same rev. die); Calicó 1230, cf. 1229 (same rev. die). 7.42g, 20mm, 7h.

NGC graded Ch AU ★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style (#6944528-003). highly lustrous, untouched surfaces.

Though not a warrior emperor in the same manner as his predecessor Trajan, the iconography of this coin immediately recalls similar warlike types issued under the previous emperor, and also the ancient denarii of the Republic which featured the Dioscuri with couched lance. Despite the militaristic theme of this coin and others issued during his reign (which are almost as common as coins with peaceful themes), Hadrian's policy was peace through strength, or threat of strength, with an emphasis on discipline. His skills as a military administrator were well applied during his reign, and aside from the consolidation of the empire's frontiers, Hadrian also made a great many beneficial reforms to the Roman military system, including the introduction of the first regular unit of auxiliary, mailed cataphract cavalry, the ala I Gallorum et Pannoniorum cataphractata, whose primary armament was a heavy lance far more effective than a regular cavalry spear, capable of puncturing two layers of chain mail.