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AVG. &c.) except in a few cases in which the dative is used (IMP. NERVAE TRAIANO, &c.) it is the grammatical case used instead of the nominative on the Consecration coins (DIVO PIO, DIVO CARO).

On the Reverses of the coins however a much greater variety of cases was in vogue. For the Deities, the nominative, the dative and sometimes also the accusative was used (IVPITER, IOVI, MARS, MARTI, IVNO, IVNONI, IVNONEM, later on DN. XS. REX REGNANTVM.); for the Emperors and Empresses the nominative, or the dative (RECTOR ORBIS, RESTITVTORI ORBIS TERRARVM, MATER AVGG., MATRI CASTRORVM.); for the allegorical personifications the nominative, the dative, and sometimes the ablative (PAX, FELICITATI, PERPETVITATE). Historical events were commemorated with the nominative, and with the ablative absolute (FELIX PROCESSVS CONS — ADLOCVTIO, or we may take VEHICVLATIONE ITALIAE REMISSA PLEBEI VRBANAE FRVMENTO CONSTITVTO). The ceremony of Consecration is always expressed in the nominative (CONSECRATIO). The prayers for the Emperor called Voti are expressed in the nominative or the ablative (VOTA, VOTIS).

248. Coins without legends are very rare in the Imperial Roman series. Some rather rare coins have only the Obverse, without legend, others have only the Reverse, and these last are the more common, especially if we count those bearing only the initial letters S.C. without any other legend. Reverses without legends are proportionately more common among the medallions in bronze.

249. LANGUAGE IN WHICH The Legends are written. The Imperial legends are in Latin on all the coins issued during the period of the Western Empire; during the prosperous times they were very correctly expressed, but afterwards they gradually deteriorated.

As early however as the first years of the Eastern Empire the Greek alphabet began to be introduced, at first under Anastasius only to indicate the year of his reign, but afterwards for more important information.

After that reign the Greek language was gradually introduced disguised in Latin letters and the words BASILEOS or DESPOTES in the eighth century supplanted those of AVGVSTVS or DOMINVS. Then we see the Latin letters shaped often like the Greek and at length in the eleventh century the Greek language definitely triumphed over the Latin.

250. As a general rule the legends commence on the left and follow the rim, the whole being written with the letters arranged so as to be read from the centre of the coin; rarely they commence

on the right, and are to be read by turning the coin round, the base of each letter being next the rim.

251. Dates are never directly expressed on Roman coins unless in very rare and exceptional cases, which may be only three in number, a coin of Hadrian known in gold and bronze on which we read ANN. DCCCLXXIIII NAT VRB. P. CIR. CON. that is anno 874 Nat(alis) urb(is) p(rimum) cir(cences) con(stitui); another coin of Philip I with the legend MILIARIVM SAECVLVM, which was intended to commemorate the thousandth year of Rome, and a third of Pacatianus with the legend AN. MILL. ET PRIMO. But we are able to discover indirectly though not directly the date of a very great number of the coins, if not the greater number, by several means.

In the first period of the Empire we find the number of the Consulate, and more often the year of the Tribunitial power telling the date, and later, that is, in the sixth century, commencing in the reign of Justinianus, the years of the reign are marked on the coins.

The office of the Tribunate was given annually and was renewed up to the time of Antoninus Pius on the day of the year in which it was conferred for the first time, and from Antoninus Pius to the time of Gallienus on the first day of January.

The Consulate was neither conferred nor renewed regularly; but for all that we know precisely the list of the Consuls during the whole period of the Empire.

Hence it is natural that from the notice of these two offices in the legends, the Tribunates and the Consulships, it will not be very difficult to assign dates to the coins on which they are recorded.

Let us take as an example a coin of M. Aurelius with the legend: M.AVR. ANTONINVS AVG. TR. P. XV.COS. III. Knowing that M. Aurelius was instituted for the first time to the Tribunitial power in the year 147 A.D. the coin will have been issued fifteen years later, that is in 161, the year which corresponds exactly with the assumption of his third Consulate.

252. The two following lists will he found useful in determining the dates of coins; in the first are noted the years in which each Emperor was given the Tribunitial power for the first time, and in the second all the Consulates from Julius Cæsar to Constantine the Great.

TRIBUNATES

WITH NOTES OF THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH THEY WERE CONFERRED

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