Trajan: Rome's Greatest Emperor — And One of the Best Coins to Start Collecting
Trajan: Rome's Greatest Emperor
AD 98 to 117, the conqueror of Dacia and the empire at its greatest extent.
Trajan ruled from AD 98 to 117, conquered Dacia, campaigned deep into the East, and presided over the Roman Empire at its territorial high-water mark.
Whether he was literally Rome's "greatest" emperor is a matter of judgment. Romans themselves remembered him extraordinarily well, and later emperors were famously wished the good fortune of Augustus and the excellence of Trajan. For collectors, the more practical point is simple: a ruler of enormous historical importance left behind abundant and diverse coinage at many price levels.
Who Was Trajan?
Marcus Ulpius Traianus was born in AD 53 at Italica in the province of Baetica, in modern Spain. He built a distinguished military and senatorial career before the emperor Nerva adopted him as heir in AD 97. When Nerva died the following year, Trajan succeeded peacefully.
His reign became famous for the Dacian Wars against King Decebalus. Rome annexed Dacia after two major campaigns, and the victory helped finance a vast building program. Trajan's Column still preserves a monumental visual narrative of those wars. Trajan later fought the Parthian Empire and temporarily extended Roman control into Armenia and Mesopotamia. The exact area of the empire depends on how temporary eastern conquests are counted, but his reign marks Rome's maximum territorial reach.
Later emperors were wished the good fortune of Augustus and the excellence of Trajan, the standard against which Rome measured its own rulers.
Why Are Trajan Coins Good for Beginners?
Trajan combines a famous name, recognizable portrait, long reign, multiple denominations, abundant surviving coinage, and reverses tied directly to wars, provinces, gods, virtues, and public works. A beginner can start with a worn bronze or denarius and later move into specialized Dacian victory types, provincial issues, architectural reverses, rare varieties, or high-grade portrait coins without ever leaving Trajan's reign.
- Silver denarii, common reverses show Pax, Fortuna, Victory, and Aequitas, with DAC CAP (Dacia Capta) types commemorating the defeat of Dacia especially sought after
- As, a practical entry point, often with strong portraits and traditional Roman reverse types
- Dupondius, usually distinguished by Trajan's radiate crown and originally struck in orichalcum
- Sestertius, large surfaces allowed ambitious military, architectural, harbor, bridge, and provincial reverses
- Provincial coins, pairing the emperor with local gods, temples, river gods, and city personifications across the Greek-speaking East
Collectors often seek DAC CAP types, shorthand for Dacia Capta, commemorating the defeat of Dacia. Prices vary dramatically with type, portrait, centering, surfaces, rarity, and condition, so "Trajan denarius" is a broad category rather than a single price point. Regional silver requires more precision: Antiochene and Levantine tetradrachms differ from the billon tetradrachms of Roman Egypt, distinct regional systems rather than one uniform provincial series.
Collecting Trajan and the Golden Age
Trajan is one of the best entry points into all of Roman collecting, a famous emperor whose coinage runs from affordable worn bronzes to museum-grade sestertii. He sits at the heart of the Five Good Emperors, the sequence of adoptive rulers, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, who presided over the empire at its height.
A collection naturally links Trajan to the emperors around him. The reign of Antoninus Pius, a generation later, continued the same golden-age stability and left abundant, accessible silver, making it a natural companion to Trajan within the Five Good Emperors sequence.
Whether you begin with a worn as or pursue a DAC CAP denarius, Trajan is an emperor whose coinage can take you from your first Roman coin to a lifetime specialty, tied to the conquest of Dacia, the wars in the East, and the empire at its greatest extent.
Hold what the greats held.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Trajan really Rome's greatest emperor?
There is no objective ranking, but ancient Roman memory treated Trajan as a model emperor, and his reign is associated with military success, public building, and Rome's maximum territorial extent.
What does DAC CAP mean on a Trajan coin?
It abbreviates Dacia Capta, "Dacia captured," and refers to Trajan's victories in the Dacian Wars.
Are Trajan coins expensive?
Some are, especially rare types and high-grade sestertii or aurei. But common denarii, bronzes, and provincial coins make Trajan accessible across a wide range of budgets.
History wasn't just written. It was minted.
Browse Roman Imperial Coins at Kinzer Coins
Authentic Roman coins from the empire at its height, NGC-certified where available, guaranteed authentic, with 30-day returns on every purchase.
Browse Roman Coins