Roman Coin Legend Translator (Free Tool)
Decode any Roman coin
inscription — instantly
Paste a legend from your coin and our translator breaks down every abbreviation into plain English.
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Translation
The Basics What is a Roman coin legend? A legend is the circular inscription ringing a coin's portrait. Roman mints compressed everything — the emperor's full name, his offices, military victories, and the year of his reign — into a string of abbreviations. A typical obverse like IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG PM TR P COS V PP is a complete political biography in ten characters. Reading these legends is one of the first skills every ancient coin collector masters — and one of the most rewarding.
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM PM TR P XV Domitian — Denarius, Rome mint, AD 95–96
IMPImperator
CAESCaesar
DOMITDomitianus
AVGAugustus
GERMGermanicus
PMPontifex Maximus
TR PTribunicia Potestate
XV15th tribunate year
Reference Common Roman coin abbreviations The most frequently encountered titles and offices on Roman Imperial coinage, from the first century through the late empire.
IMPImperatorCommander or victorious general — later a standard prefix for all imperial titles.
AVGAugustusThe supreme title of a reigning emperor, first granted to Octavian in 27 BC.
CAESARCaesarOriginally Julius Caesar's family name; later the standard title for the heir apparent.
PMPontifex MaximusChief priest of Rome — the highest religious office, held by every emperor.
TR PTribunicia PotestateTribunician power, renewed annually — the number after it dates the coin to within one year.
COSConsulRome's highest elected office. Roman numerals after COS show how many times held.
PPPater PatriaeFather of the Country — a senatorial honorific for outstanding service to Rome.
SCSenatus ConsultoBy decree of the Senate — found primarily on bronze coinage under senatorial authority.
GERM / DACVictory TitlesGermanicus, Dacicus, Parthicus, Britannicus — titles awarded after major military victories.
Why It Matters For collectors, legends unlock everything Once you can read a legend, a coin stops being a mystery and becomes a document — a dateable artifact from a specific moment in Roman history.
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Date a coin to within a year The tribunician power number (TR P) was renewed every December 10th. Match it to the emperor's reign and you can pinpoint the mint year with extraordinary precision.
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Authenticate with confidence Forgers routinely get titles wrong or combine offices that never co-existed. A basic legend check is one of the fastest forgery tests available.
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Understand the political narrative Roman emperors used coinage as the ancient world's broadcast medium. The titles they chose — and omitted — reflect propaganda, alliances, and the stability of their reign. Maximinus Thrax never used CAESAR because he was the first emperor who had never been a senator. His legend tells you his entire political situation at a glance.
Ready to start your collection? Browse NGC-certified Roman, Byzantine, and Greek coins — each with full legend documentation and historical context.
Roman Coin Legend Translator
Type a Roman coin legend (e.g. IMP CAESAR AVG PM TR P COS PP) to decode it.