Imperial Denarius of Rome Issued by Hadrian

119-138

11/16 in. (diameter) x 1/16 in. (1.7 cm x 0.1 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• denarii - Roman silver coins originally valued at ten asses, later debased in value and purity; in use from the late 3rd century BCE until the mid-3rd century CE.
• Gods and Goddesses - Added June 2010 by M. Weldon
• Imperial - Refers to the period in history and the style of art that developed when the Roman Republic ceased to exist and Rome expanded its territory and was ruled by emperors. The period is generally considered to begin with Octavian's victory at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, and to last through the rule of the Severans. For later emperors, see "Late Antique." For the period and culture of the Holy Roman Empire, use "Holy Roman Imperial." Note that some classifications include the Tetrarchic, Constantinian, and the Holy Roman Empire in the "Roman Empire."
• palm leaf - Material comprising the leaf of any variety of palm tree, used for thatching, weaving, etc.
• silver - Pure metallic element having symbol Ag and atomic number 47; a malleable, ductile, white metal with characteristic sheen, considered a precious metal. Silver is widely distributed throughout the world, occurring rarely as metallic silver (in Peru, Norway) but more often as silver-gold alloys and silver ore. Today silver is obtained as a byproduct in the refinement of gold, lead, copper, or zinc ores. Silver was smelted from the ore galena as early as 3800 BCE. As a pure metal, silver is second to gold in malleability and ductility, can be polished to a highly reflective surface, and used -- typically in an alloy -- in jewelry, coinage, photography, mirrors, electrical contacts, and tableware.