Large bronze sestertius of Hadrian (117-138 CE), Rome mint, Roman Empire.

HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P laureate bust right / SPES P R S-C, Spes walking left, holding flower and raising hem of robe. 30mm, 24.48 grams. Rome mint. RIC 790F.

Hadrian (r. 117–138 CE) was one of Rome’s most capable and cultured emperors, known for consolidating rather than expanding the empire. A member of the Five Good Emperors, he focused on stabilizing frontiers, most famously constructing Hadrian’s Wall in Britain. He traveled extensively across the provinces, reorganizing administration, supporting cities, and promoting Hellenic culture. His reign produced remarkable architecture, including the Pantheon’s reconstruction and his villa at Tivoli. Hadrian’s later years were troubled by the Bar Kokhba Revolt in Judea, but he left behind a more orderly and cosmopolitan empire.