Bronze Dupondis of Emperor Hadrian - C.4055 Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 117 AD to 138 AD Collection: Numismatics Style: Roman Medium: Bronze Pegasus, from the Greek word for strong, was a semi-divine horse who was sired by Poseidon (the God of the Sea) in his guise as a horse god. He was awarded to the Muses of Mount Parnassus, and subsequently became a familiar of the poets. He was known for his quick-wittedness, beauty and strength, which is presumably why he was chosen for this coin stamp. Coinage operates as a propagandist device in all cultures, and particularly during the Roman Empire when the borders were uncertain and internal strife threatened to destabilise the economy. Hadrian, like all other emperors, sought to associate himself with positive iconography and heroic imagery. As it happened, he deserved them more than subsequent, decadent emperors, who squandered the stability his conservative and comparatively peaceful rule had engendered.

Antique Coins
Ancient coins