Abbreviations

The abbreviations below are used in coin inscriptions, Forum 's catalog descriptions and in numismatic publications.

ab init. - ab initio (Latin) - from the beginning

A.D. - anno Domini (Latin) - in the year of our Lord

a.d. - ante diem (Latin) - before the day

ad fin. - ad finem (Latin) - at the end

ad init. - ad initium (Latin) - at the beginning

A.U.C. - anno urbis conditæ (Latin) - in [the year from] the building of the City (i.e., Rome), 753 B.C.

AVG. - augustus (Latin) - emperor

c. - circa (Latin) - about

CAES., CAE., C. - caesar (Latin) - junior emperor, son or heir of the emperor

cf. - confer (Latin) - compare

D.G. - Dei gratia (Latin) - by the grace of God

D.N. - Dominus noster (Latin) - our Lord

D.V. - Deo volente (Latin) - God willing

e.g. - exempli gratia (Latin) - for example

et al. - et alibi (Latin) - and elsewhere

et al. - et alii (aliae) (Latin) - and others

etc. (&c.) - et cetera (Latin) - and others, and so forth

et seq. - et sequentes (Latin) - and those that follow

h.a. - hoc anno (Latin) - in this year

h.e. - hoc (hic) est (Latin) - that (this) is

h.m. - hoc mense (Latin) - in this month

h.s. - hoc sensu (Latin) - in this sense

h.t. - hoc tempore (Latin) - at this time

ib. (ibid.) - ibidem (Latin) - in the same place

id. - idem (Latin) - the same

i.e. - id est (Latin) - that is

IMP. - imperator (Latin) - commander of military forces

in f. - in fine (Latin) - at the end

inf. - infra (Latin) - below

init. - initio (Latin) - in the beginning

in loc. - in loco (Latin) - in its place

in loc. cit. - in loco citato (Latin) - in the place cited

in pr. - in principio (Latin) - in the beginning

in trans. - in transitu (Latin) - on the way

i.q. - idem quod (Latin) - the same as

loc. cit. - loco citato (Latin) - in the place cited

l.s.c. - loco supra citato (Latin) - in the place above cited

m.m. - mutatis mutandis (Latin) - with the necessary changes

N. - Nepos (Latin) - grandson

N.B. - nota bene (Latin) - mark well

ni. pri. - nisi prius (Latin) - unless before

non seq. - non sequitur (Latin) - it does not follow logically

o.c. (op. cit.) - opere citato (Latin) - in the work cited

P. - (pater) papa (Latin) - father (pope)

P. - populus (Latin) - people

q.e. - quod est (Latin) - which is

R. - regina (Latin) - queen

s.a. - sine anno (Latin) - without date

S. C. - Senatus Consulto (Latin) - by the authority of the Senate

v.g. - verbi gratia (Latin) - for example

viz - videlicet (Latin) - namely

v.s. - vide supra (Latin) - see above

Dictionary of |Roman Coins|

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ABBREVIATIONS.--The legends and inscriptions of Roman coins, as well as imperial as consular, present many particularities, in the shape of abbreviations, monograms, and isolated letters, open research, and susceptible of various explanations.  The ancients, indeed both Greeks and Romans, in order to bring their monetal inscriptions within the smallest space, adopted the use of siglae, monogrammatic and conjoined letters.  At first these were confined to proper names.  Subsequently, they were employed to signify titles of authority and dignity, and made to stand for certain words and for certain phrases.  It is this objectionable custom of employing abbreviations in writing, which renders the explanation of legends, for the most part, so unsatisfactory, and at the same time, gives rise to so many false interpretations.