I wish to share an awesome Domitian denarius the postman delivered over the weekend. Domitian AR Denarius Rome mint, 85 AD RIC 339 (R2), BMC 80, RSC 180a Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P IIII; Bust of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis Rev: IMP VIIII COS XI CENS POT P P; Minverva stg. l., with spear (M4) This denarius is part of the rare fourth issue of 85, the first struck after Domitian reduced the fineness of the denarius by 5% to the old Neronian level after having raised it in 82 to the Augustan standard. Despite the reduction in fineness this is a remarkably well crafted series signified by the aegis, which only appeared in issues of special note. A well executed portrait in fine style. Struck on an oblong flan which does not detract too much from the coin's overall appeal.
awesome addition, V70 ... cool toning and great portrait (congrats) Man, I love it when people post their new Domitian examples!! Here is my only example of this fine ruler ...
nice weekend coin score V70! I have this similar coin, just posted in another thread...but i'll post it again.
Terrific example, but I really Love the portrait!! Is there any 'special ' reason you're aware of for this particular issue??? I hope it wasn't to celebrate the addition of his niece to his household
For the issue no, but for this particular series yes ( I hope that makes sense!). When Domitian raised the fineness of the denarius in early 82 the portrait style changed as well. It was much finer in style than what came before and became ever increasingly more elaborate into 84 and 85. The appearance of the aegis (rarely draped) on the portrait busts was common during this time period. Sometime during mid 85 he reduced the fineness by 5%, which was still a higher standard than the one he inherited upon his accession. The aegis disappeared as a regular part of the bust on denarii in the fifth issue of 85 (although it would appear on a few exceedingly rare denarii in 88 and toward the end of the reign). In regards to the rumours surrounding his niece Julia, the Flavian historian Brian Jones has called the supposed affair between Domitian and Julia (some ten or eleven years younger) and the subsequent forced abortion which killed her as "implausible" and "nonsense". Further he wrote "Scholars seem not to have stressed one of the most significant factors in assessing the rumour's accuracy - Martial's epigram 6.3, written not long after Julia's death and deification. In it, he expresses the hope that Domitian will produce a son, implies that the baby's name will be Julius (6.3.1) and states that (the now deified) Julia will be able to watch over him (6.3.5). Martial was neither a hero or a fool. Had there been the slightest hint of an affair between emperor and niece, he would hardly have written those lines; had Julia's recent death been caused by an abortion forced on her by Domitian, would Martial have so far neglected the bounds of 'safe criticism' and common sense as to humiliate Domitia publicly, urging her to become pregnant, to give the child a name reminiscent of her husband's mistress and finally to remember that same mistress, now dead and deified (thanks to her husband), would be able to protect the child?"
Beautiful portrait type guys!! 'Mat', Yours is gorgeous and suggests a resemblance to Augustus--or is that just me?? My example--a denarius-- has been described by 'V' as a 'common portrait type' yet highly distinctive...I wonder which depiction is the most realistic of the actual man??
That's a really good question Mikey. Many of Domitian's coin portraits are highly idealised and polished and show him with a full head of hair, although we know from Suetonius he was balding. The period between 84-89 was arguably the high watermark for this idealised style (Flavian Baroque, if you will) when many of the portraits were more elaborate with added finery such as the aegis. Is this portrait bust in the round any closer to the truth than the numismatic examples? Currently on loan at the Met from the Toledo Museum of Art.
