My Current Interest in Julia Domna Coins

Since I started getting into Roman coins, I've had an interest in Julia Domna's history.
Pretty sure a lot of people know of her history already so I won't post it all over again. Lately I've been picking up more and more of her coins. Some with interesting reverses, and of course some common ones. This is one of my most recent one.


Julia Domna, under Caracalla, 198 - 217 AD
Silver Denarius, Rome Mint, 19mm, 3.28 grams
Obverse: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, Draped bust of Julia right.
Reverse: MATRIA DEVM, Cybele standing facing with legs crossed and resting arm on column holding drum and sceptre, lion at feet.
RIC383

Thanks again @Ken Dorney

Oh and its my first lion coin too.

 

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Such a pretty OP coin. Did you catch my recent thread on Julia Domna?

To this day this is still my favorite coin of a Roman Empress in my collection. Yes, the picture is accurate, it does have that gold toning that accentuates the design.

 

Mice OP coin.

 

I almost bought one of her denarii last weekend, but I had to put her off in favor of scarcer coins that I would not see as often.

 

Yes I did. Nice Domna coin. I'm still green that @TIF got the one I really wanted. But thats ok, I'm going to keep hunting for one.

 

Very nice denarius icerain! I just have provincials with her.


Sarmatia, Tyra. Julia Domna AE24. Cybele


Cilicia, Hieropolis-Kastabala. Caracalla AE25. Julia Domna reverse


Pisidia, Parlais. Julia Domna. Cult Image of Men


Thrace, Callatis. Julia Domna AE18. Eros

 

Nice addition IR.
About a month ago I started a side collection of empresses. I had a Julia Domna watched on Ken Dorneys Vcoins I finally decided to go ahead and buy it yesterday. I patiently wait for it now.(it's already shipped)
I've yet to photograph any of them, when I get closer to my goal I'll share them here on CT.

 

Nice coin icerain, I have to admit she does present well on her coins.

 

Here is an uncommon Julia Domna type:


IVLIA AVGVSRA
MATRI CASTRORVM . "mother of the camps" or "camp mistress"
empress seated left holding eagle (RIC says Phoenix) on globe in right and scepter in left, two standards before.
18 mm. 3.42 grams. 12:00.
Struck 197 or 198 at Rome according to Hill.
Sear 6596. Similar to BMC 58, plates 28.10, much more crowded than this one. RIC 568 "S". Hill 298 (197 AD, R2) or 370 (198 AD, R3).

Many JDs are much better stuck than this one. If you just want a portrait of JD, this is not the type to get. However, the type is a fascinating testament to her role in government. Resorting to reference works, one finds that, "for the type" it is as nice or nicer than most.

 

I have too many to pick favorites but these are my favorites anyway.
Alexandria mint, typical example


'Emesa' mint with IICOS reverse legend (women were not consuls but this mint did not worry about die mismatches)


There are many Venus coins but this is the only one I have seen that spells out VENERI VICTRICI completely.


...unless you count this one that reads VENEBI VICTBICI and uses the same obverse die.



I mentioned that the 'Emesa' mint played it loose with die pairings but I also have this exact die used with a Septimius obverse. The basket of fruit is not common for either.


This very early Rome mint die has a face more like Manlia Scantilla than most Domnas. The coin was overstruck on an earlier coin. I believe I see Commodus' eye and nose looking up from Julia's head. I have owned this coin for 54 years.




The legionary reverse from Nicopolis is an interesting pairing for an empress. The obverse legend begins Thea (goddess) which is a bit much considering the portrait style suggests it was made a decade before Julia died. I'd like to know more about this coin.



If you aren't tired of seeing this one, you have not been reading my posts. The reverse shows Caracalla and Geta shaking hands no more than four months before Geta's murder. To the best of my knowledge it is the only one of the coins showing the two together struck after Septimius died.


This is my favorite Julia type. The exact type was known to Cohen (#250) from a coin in the French National collection (which I would love to see if they ever photograph it). I have two. The photo shows both on top of each other demonstrating that they are die duplicates. As with so many 'Emesa' coins, the reverse would seem more appropriate for a male ruler but neither Septimius or Pescennius Niger used the type. I really want to see any others of these if any are found.

 

Wow Doug, that's a pretty tough act to follow!

Hey, icerain => wow, congrats on that OP-stunner!! (total winner)

Ummm, yah sadly, I still only have this one example to toss into your cool thread ...

Julia Domna. Augusta, AR Antoninianus
Rome mint
AD 193-217
Struck under Caracalla AD 215-217
Diameter: 23 mm
Weight: 5.76 grams
Obverse: Draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent
Reverse: LVNA LVCIFERA, Luna, with fold of drapery floating around and above head, driving biga of horses left
Reference: RIC IV 379a (Caracalla); RSC 106a
Other: 1h … VF

Kinda interesting, eh?

 

Where to begin? I have so many Domnas, I'll post a representative sample.

Under Septimius Severus:

Denarius


Minor Bronze


Sestertius


Under Caracalla:

Denarius


Antoninianus

Minor Bronze


Sestertius


Provincials:

 

My only Julia Domna, Marcianopolis with Caracalla. Ae 28mm.

 

Great reverse type, @icerain!

If by the French National collection you mean the Bibliothèque Nationale, you might find a photo here, they've uploaded a bunch recently: http://gallica.bnf.fr . Terrible search engine though... you might have to look through every single Domna they have.

I love your consul type from Emesa, and the VENERI/VENEBI die match!

My sweet portrait again:


Note the coquettish curl on the cheek, common on her coins and also present in some of her sculptures, e.g. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Julia_Domna_MBA_Lyon_X482-115.jpg

And for something truly amazing, see:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/25.78.90/

 

Nice one, @icerain! I like the reverse type. Here's another Domna with Cybele, but seated.

 

Very nice!

 

Anyone wanting an Alexandrian example should be able to easily find the following type, which is relatively common and is differentiated from Rome examples purely by style.

Julia Domna denarius

Obv:– IVLIA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right
Rev:– VENVS FELIX, Venus standing left, holding apple in right hand, raising robe with left hand
Minted in Alexandria.
Reference:– BMCRE -. Bickford-Smith pl. 1, 10. RIC IV -. cf RIC 580 (Rome).



Very similar is the scarcer variation with the earlier version of the obverse legend

Obv:– IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right



Mules? or intentional mixing dies exist with reverse dies of Septimius Severus

this example also having an obverse legend error



which turns up with other reverses



It took me many years to obtain a basket of fruit type



The II COS reverse are rare in general but seem to occur even less frequently for Domna than for Severus

 

Julia Domna As:


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

 

Great Julia Domna coins! I have a Aureus coming in March (trade for bugs) with reverse like Steve's AR Denarius....can hardly wait ! I have to trade him 45K in bugs for that coin....looks mint state/FDC. Also have proxy bid on a flawless denarius in upcoming auction.