Diva Marciana, died 112/4. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 32 mm, 26.88 g, 7 h), Rome, struck under Trajan, circa 112-117. DIVA AVGVSTA MARCIANA Diademed and draped bust of Diva Marciana to right. Rev. EX SENATVS CONSVLTO / S•C Diva Marciana, veiled, holding grain ears in her right hand and scepter in her left, seated left on cart, decorated with shields, helmets and weapons and drawn by two elephants with mahouts to left. BMC 1086. Cohen 13. RIC 750 corr. Woytek 725. Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, with a beautiful portrait of Trajan's beloved elder sister. Smoothed, otherwise, about extremely fine.



This rare and striking sestertius of Trajan’s deified sister, Marciana, features her with a hairstyle of two rolls at the forehead, secured by a diadem, then gathered and rolled at the back - fashionable among high-status women of the period. Similar styles are seen in portraits of Plotina, Matidia, and, to some extent, Sabina. Marciana, Trajan’s elder sister, was the mother of Matidia and grandmother of Sabina, who married Trajan’s successor, Hadrian. She and Trajan were exceptionally close, and he honored both her and his wife, Plotina, with the title Augusta. On the reverse of this remarkable coin, an ornate cart drawn by two elephants, each with its own mahout, carries the seated figure of the deified empress, holding ears of grain and a scepter. The accompanying legend (repeated for emphasis) notes that her deification and this coin were issued ex senatus consulto, by authority of the Roman Senate.