CNG 85, Lot: 69. Estimate $200. Sold for $190. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 22.45 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 116-117. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P, laureate and draped bust right / ARMENIA ET MESOPOTAMIA IN POTESTATEM P R REDACTAE, Trajan standing right, holding spear and parazonium; to lower right, Armenia seated left, head right, supporting left foot of Trajan; behind, river gods Tigris and Euphrates seated right and left, respectively; S C across field. RIC I 642 var. (river gods holding reeds); Banti 31. Near VF, rough red-brown surfaces.

From the R.A. Collection.

Trajan's final campaign was sparked by Parthia's replacement of the pro-Roman king of Armenia with one of their own in AD 114. Armenia had been a strategic and semi-independent kingdom which served as an important buffer between Parthia and Rome. The last conflict over this region–during Nero's reign–resulted in a delicate balance that stabilized the situation for over fifty years. The move by Parthia now upset the balance and posed a threat to Rome's wealthy Syrian cities. Trajan’s campaign was swift and decisive; by AD 115, Armenia was restored as a Roman client state. To secure the eastern frontier, he then moved southward through Mesopotamia and captured the Parthian capital, Ctesiphon, in AD 116. Although short-lived, these victories were celebrated on much of Trajan’s later coinage.

Following Trajan’s death, however, Hadrian chose to all but relinquish his predecessor’s conquests, naming Parthamaspates as Rome’s client-king in Armenia and Osroene, but doing little to stop Vologases III of Parthia from securing much of Armenia for himself.