Julia Domna: Empress, Scholar, Mother to Emperors

I got this coin in the mail today and I'd like to write something about the person depicted on it. Please bear with me. I hope you find it at least mildly interesting.

Julia Domna as Empress under Septimius Severus


As far as Ancient Roman Empresses go, few match up to the amazing Julia Domna. Not content to be a passive player in the world of late 2nd and early 3rd century Imperial politics, Julia Domna was in many ways a feminist far ahead of her time.

The union between the North African Septimius Severus and the Syrian-born Julia Domna, whose family came from an ancient line of priest kings, was a happy and prosperous one. Julia was highly literate, a shrewd political analyst, a scholar in her own right, and soon a valued advisor to her husband and future Emperor.

Septimius Severus


When Septimius Severus contested for the Imperial throne, Julia Domna was at his side and shared in all the hardships of military camp life. Other Empresses would have been content with waiting back in Rome, shopping, getting massages, and enjoying the social high life...but not Julia Domna. She donned a tunic and joined her husband on campaign, her counsel proving to be of immense value to her husband during the difficult and bloody civil war.

Not resting on her laurels after the civil war, Julia Domna was a patron of philosophy and helped make Rome a safe heaven for philosophers. She also continued to get her hands dirty in Imperial politics, helping to ease her husband's burden. She was a feared and respected power-broker in early 3rd century Roman politics.

When Septimius Severus went on campaign in Britain, he not only took his sons Geta and Caracalla, but also his trusted companion and advisor, Julia Domna. When Severus died, it was she who helped to temporarily reconcile the bickering Geta and Caracalla.


Geta


Caracalla


However, here Julia Domna met her match. No matter how hard she tried, she could not get her sons to permanently reconcile, and Caracalla eventually murdered Geta in front of their mother. There is a story that Caracalla looked into his mother's eyes as she held the dying Geta to see whether she would shed any tears for him. She did not for had she shown any emotion, Caracalla would have killed her too on suspicion of being a co-conspirator with Geta. I don't know about you, but seeing a son murdered at the hands of another son, and not showing any emotion at that moment knowing that if you do you might also die, that takes a lot of strength!

Julia Domna as Empress Mother under the Reign of Caracalla

Although Caracalla disliked Julia Domna, when he went on campaign he requested that the old Empress be at his side in the same manner she had been there for Septimius Severus during times of war. However, Caracalla was soon murdered, and upon hearing the news Julia Domna took her own life. She was old, tired, suffering the effects of terminal cancer, and had seen far too much suffering during her life courtesy of her sons. And thus the life of an amazing and powerful woman was forever extinguished.

 

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Nice addition. I have many of her. Just toss a few up.


Julia Domna (194 - 217 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, Diademed and draped bust right, resting on crescent.
R: VENVS GENETRIX, Venus seated left holding hand out, and scepter.
Rome
4.5g
23mm
RIC 388a, RSC 206a


Julia Domna (19 - 217 A.D.)
AR Denarius
IVLIA DOMNA AVG; Draped bust to right.
VESTA; Vesta seated left, holding palladium and scepter.
Rome Mint, 193 - 195 A.D.
3.3g
17mm


Julia Domna (194 - 217 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right.
R: VENUS FELIX (Venus the Fortunate), Venus standing facing, head left, holding apple in right hand and drawing drapery from shoulder.
Rome Mint, 196 - 211 A.D.
3.4g
18mm
RIC IV 580, BMCRE V 85, RSC III 198

 

Thanks for the write up. Nice job. Fun read.

 

Nice write-up and coins! I love Julia Domna! You'll be interested in these two books, which I presume are available on Amazon.

 

Nice write up. I'm in the middle of a historical fiction series about the times of SAep Sev and JD. The main character keeps getting caught up in the court politics. Anyway, good read so far.

 

Thanks. I'll look up the books. I hope they are on kindle, which is how I tend to read most everything these days (except for law books and coin catalogs which I prefer on paper form.)

Incidentally, just in case anyone wants to give their wives a Julia Domna hairstyle...

 

Ha! I simultaneously posted a video of Cleopatra VII's hairdo!
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/cleo-and-her-hairdo.290947/

 

another nice lookin' coin, here's my JD denarius...

 

A sweet addition Sallent.

 

Nice coins, Sallent and everyone! Domna is certainly one of the more impressive women of ancient Rome.

Thanks for those recommendations, @Roman Collector!

...


Julia Domna
AR denarius, 19.5mm, 3.17 gm, 6h. Rome mint
Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 207-211
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA; draped bust right
Rev: Fecunditas or Tellus (Earth) reclining left under tree, resting arm on basket of fruit and placing hand on celestial orb; standing before her are four children representing the Four Seasons
Ref: RIC IV 549 (Septimius Severus); RSC 35
ex R.H. Collection


SYRIA, Laodicea ad Mare. Septimius Severus & Julia Domna
CE 193-211
Æ, 31 mm 18.8 gm
Obv: jugate draped busts right of Septimius Severus, radiate and cuirassed and Julia Domna, set on crescent; countermarks: 1) C(AΓ) within rectangular incuse; 2) COL within rectangular incuse
Rev: Marsyas standing left, right hand raised, holding wineskin over his left shoulder
Ref: SNG Righetti 2114; Howgego 581 and 586
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection


MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum
Julia Domna, Augusta
AE 22 mm, 4.5 gm
Obv: IOVΛIA ΔOMNA CEBAC; draped bust right
Rev: NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠPOC ICT; ithyphallic Priapus standing right
Ref: Varbanov 2858

 

Very nice write-up, Sallent.

It is difficult to interpret Julia Domna's state of mind or true feelings as she showed little emotion when Caracalla killed his own brother in front of her.
Whichever the case, she definitely was a woman with a strong will and character.

 

Julia Domna? You know I got to post mine again

 

@Sallent An enviable set of Severan denarii! Julia Domna is one of a handful of Romans I'd like to meet once a time machine is invented. She was a brilliant, courageous, determined woman - the sort I could easily fall for! Old grizzly SS was a lucky guy.

 

I love the portrait on that Sept. Sev., @Sallent. (He looks like a faun!)

RIC 373A, issues 211-215 (same as Sallent's second one):


Thanks for posting those book suggestions, @Roman Collector... do we get to see some of those JDs close up? (I'm especially interested in the small bronzes.) @Bing, what's the name of the book series? Historical fiction (with subsequent fact checking) is my favourite way to learn history.

 

Eagles and Dragons historical series by Adam Alexander Haviaras. There is some fantasy involved in the series, i.e., the gods intervention at times, but overall I have found the book follows the rise of the Severans fairly accurately. It's a fun read for me.

 

Thanks, I will check it out!

 

Me, too. I wanted this coin very badly - irrationally so. The Alexandrian calendar marked the new year on August 29 so this year 20 (LK) coin was struck after August 29, 211. The reverse shows Caracalla and Geta shaking hands (that is the only kind of historical fiction I like) but not too many of these were made before Geta's murder on December 26, 211 made the die obsolete. Really I have no idea how long it took for word to reach Alexandria but the coin could not have been popular with either of the emperors by the time it was struck. This coin was the last use of the first hair style portrait with the other year 20 type for Julia using the second hair style. Rome mint had made the change about three years earlier but Alexandria struck few tetradrachms for her and had continued with this design. I was recently shown a year 19 coin using the same obverse die and am not sure if there ever was another die in use that year.

I wish I had a late hair Alexandria coin but that one has not come my way. Searching the usual places has turned up three bronzes but no tetradrachms sold this century. They might be rare. If anyone sees one, I would like to hear about it. A late hair style AE drachm was sold by CNG in 2010:
https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=169647

 

A pretty woman on an ugly coin, a limes, or AE denarius of JD. Sometimes you buy a coin for its numismatic rather than aesthetic interest. Most of the AE denarii rarely have this level of detail...

 

That is a pretty nice coin. Never seen that reverse, got to add that on to my list.

 

LOL, that is because that is all you have left, you SOLD me a bunch a couple years ago!


RI Julia Domna 196-211 CE AE As Hilaritas cornuc RIC IVa 877


RI AR Den Julia Domna 193-217 CE VENER VICT Venus RIC IVa p176


RI Julia Domna 193-195 CE AR Den Vesta Palladium


RI AR Den Julia Domna 200 CE Felicitas Isis Horus RIC 577
Ex @Mat