ROMAN EMPERORS REIGN AND LEGENDS ON COINS

These often appear with abbreviations, especially for titles of honor. In some cases these words are completely spelled out. The order of words varies with different coins. Thus, IMP may appear as the first word in some cases, as the last in others. Consequently some of the words used here may not be present on all inscriptions. This is especially true of coins issued during the early period of an extended reign. The examples given below are the most common but by no means the only possible combination as titles were frequently added. Commemorative pieces may have different legends.


Augustus 14 B.C.-A.D. 27 CAESAR AVGVSTVS
Nero 54-68 NERO CLAVDIVS CAES AVG GERM
Galba 68-69 IMP SER GALBA CAES
Civil War (68 – 69)
Otho 69 IMP M OTHO CAES AVG
Vitellius 69 VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG
Vespasian 69-79 IMP CAES VESP AVG
Titus 79-81 T CAES VESPASIAN IMP
Domitian 81-96 IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM
Nerva 96-98 IMP NERVA CAES AVG
Trajan 98-117 IMP CAES NERVA TRAIANO AVG GERM
Hadrian 117-138 IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG
Antoninus Pius 138-161 ANTONINVS AVG PIVS
Marcus Aurelius 161-180 M ANTONINVS AVG ARM
Lucius Verus 161-169 IMP CAES L AVREL VERVS AVG
Commodus 180-192 M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG PIVS
Pertinax 193 IMP CAES P HELV PERTINAX AVG
Didius Julianus 193 IMP CAES M DID SEVER IVLIAN AVG
Clodius Albinus 193-197 D CLOD SEPT ALB CAES
Septimius Severus 193-211 IMP CAES L SEPT SEV PERT AVG
Caracalla 198-217 ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
Geta 209-212 P SEPT GETA CAES
Macrinus 217-218 IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG
Elagabalus 218-222 ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG
Severus Alexander 222-235 IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG
Maximinus 1 235- 238 MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM
Gordianus 1, Africanus 238 IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG
Gordianus 11, Africanus 238 IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG
Balbinus 238 IMP CAES D CAEL BALBINVS AVG
Pupienus 238 IMP CAES M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG
Gordianus 111, Pius 238-244 IMP CAES GORDIANVS PIVS AVG
Philip 1 244-249 IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG
Philip 11 244-249 M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES
Trajan Decius 249-251 IMP C M Q TRIANVS DECIVS AVG
Hostilian 251 IMP CAE C VAL HOS MES QVINTVS N C
Trebonianus Gallus 251-254 IMP CAES C VIB TREVONIANVS GALLVS AVG
Volusian 252-254 IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG
Aemilian 253-254 IMP CAES AEMILIANVS PF AVG
Valerian 254-260 IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG
Gallienus 253-268 IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS PF AVG
Postumus 259-267 IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG
Victorinus 265-270 IMP C VICTORINVS PF AVG
Quintillus 270 IMP C M AVR QVINTILLVS AVG
Tetricus 1 270-273 IMP C TETRICVS PV AVG
Tetricus 11 270-273 C P ESV TETRICVS CAES
Claudius 11 Gothicus 268-270 IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG
Aurelian 270-275 IMP C L DOM AVRELLIANVS PF AVG
Tacitus 275-276 IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG
Florianus 276 IMP C MAN FLORIANVS AVG
Probus 276-282 IMP C PROBVS PF AVG
Carus 282 -283 IMP C M AVR CARVS PF AVG
Numerian 283-284 IMP C NVMERIANVS PF AVG
Carinus 283-285 M AVR CARINVS NOB CAES
Diocletian 284-304 IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG
Maximianus 1 284-305 IMP CMA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Carausius 287-293 IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG
Allectus 293-296 IMP C ALLECTVS PF AVG
Constantius 1, Chlorus 293-306 CONSTANTIVS PF AVG
Galerius Maximianus 293-311 IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Severus 11 305-307 IMP C SEVERVS PF AVG
Maximinus 11, Daza 305-314 IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG
Maxentius 306-312 IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG
Licinius 1 307-324 IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS PF AVG
Constantine, the Great 306-337 CONSTANTINVS PF AVF
Constantine 11 317-340 FL CL CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
Constans 333-350 CONSTANS PF AVG
Constantius 11 323-361 FL IVL CONSTANTIVS PF AVG
Julian 11, the Apostate 355-363 D N FL CL IVLIANVS NOB C
Jovian 363-364 D N IOVIANVS PF AVG
Valentinian 1 364-375 D N VALENTINIANVS PF AVG
Valens 364- 378 D N VALENS PF AVG
Gratian 367-383 D N GRATIANVS PF AVG
Valentinian 11 375-392 DN VALENTINIANVS IVN PF AVG
Theodosius 1 379-395 D N THEODOSIVS PF AVG
Magnus Maximus 383-388 DN MAG MAXIMVS PF AVG
Honorius 393-423 D N HONORIVS PF AVG
Johannes 423-425 
Majorian 457-461
Libius Severus 461-465
Anthemius 467-472
Glycerius 473-474
Julius Nepos 474-475
Romulus 475-476

Tiberius A.D.14-37 TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG 
Caligula 37-41 C CAESAR AVG GERM 
Claudius 41-54 TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG
Civil war (193 – 197)
Valentinian 111 425-455
Avitus 455-456


Full Imperial Titles used on Roman coins

AVG or AVGG – Augustus or Augustii. Emperor or EmperorsCAES – Caesar. EmperorCOS – Consul. Refer to one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman state.
DN - Dominus Noster
IMP – Imperator. General. Commander – in - Chief of the army
PP – Pater Patriae. Father of his Country
PF – Pius Felix. Pious. Happy
PM – Pontifex Maximus. High Priest
SC – Senatus Consulto. By order on the Senate
TR P - Tribunicia Potestas. Tribunician power

Coins minted during the two civil war periods are scarce as well as those of Gordianus 1.