Domitian Shows His Devotion

I was very happy to receive this Domitian as Caesar denarius in the mail over the weekend.

Domitian as Caesar
AR Denarius, 2.96g
Rome mint, 76-77AD
RIC V920 (R). BMC spec. acquired 1947. RSC 45b.
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: COS IIII; Minerva stg. r. on prow, with spear and shield; to r., owl
Ex Private Collection.

The first appearance of Minerva on a denarius struck for Domitian as Caesar under Vespasian. His devotion to the goddess came early in life, so it comes as no surprise he wished to honour her on the coins minted in his name. This denarius is a clear indication Domitian had some say in what reverse types were struck for him under Vespasian. The Minerva on prow is an early prototype of one of the four standard Minerva types (M2) Domitian would later extensively strike on his own denarii as Augustus. An extremely rare type for him as Caesar.

A pleasing coin with an admittedly odd portrait.

Feel free to post your Domitians, Minervas, or odd portraits(?).

 

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Congrats on another neat find.

My only Domitian/Minerva:

 

A special coin, for sure! I'm sure you were grinning ear to ear when you took it out of the envelope. Even the non-specialist can appreciate that one, a lot.

I recently picked up my first Domitian with Minerva denarius. Shocking, I know! How could I not have ever acquired one in my over thirty years of collecting Roman coins? Frankly, I have no idea!


Somewhat worn, but I liked the portrait style a lot, and the price was right. In part due to your enhancement of my appreciation for Flavian coinage, I can promise you... this one won't be my last Domitian Minerva!

 

Nice pick up, the portrait looks more like a mix of Vespasian and Titus.

 

The issue your denarius is from has some really fine dies, yours is a good example of such!

I agree, the face is very Vespasian-like!

 

How are we to know whether Vespasian wanted his younger son to look like the rest of the family or if older Domitian wanted to be Hollywood handsome? I'm not sure the word here is 'odd' as much as 'realistic'.

 

Like Doug, I thought (perhaps wrongly?) that the early portraits of Domitian were likely more realistic and that vanity led to the less Bluto-y later portraits.



Of course, maybe what we consider handsome today was different then.

Bluto did clean up pretty well though... here he shaved and wore a tux for this fancy date with Olive Oyl . Maybe Domitian was just prettying himself up to impress Domitia.



I don't have an unusual portrait of Domitian but here he is with an unusual portrayal of Isis: Isis and her armless torso melded with a serpent, as Isis-Thermouthis.


EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian
AE obol, 20 mm, 5 gm
regnal year 10, CE 90/91
Obv: laureate head right
Rev: AVTKAIΣAPOMITIANOΣΣEBΓEPM; Isis-Thermouthis standing right; LI in right field
Ref: Emmett 321.10, R5; RPC 2593; Geissen 376

 

Oh, I totally agree. The portraits of Domitian as Caesar under Vespasian are very likely to be more 'realistic' than the later idealised portraits engraved by fawning mint workers during his own reign. 'Odd' was perhaps the wrong word, I was referencing more the rough style of the piece, although I would not go as far to say it's crude.

@TIF that is an amazing obol. The kind of coin that makes me want to branch out into AE!

 

Thanks!

Please don't.

 

Ha! No worries. My next area will be the silver coinage of Elagabalus - if ever I talk myself into it!

 

Great coin David. Here's one of mine from 76 AD from the eastern "O" mint. I've shown it before but the portrait is just so great on these...



CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS
laureate head right, small 'o' below neck truncation

PON MAX TR P COS IIII
winged caduceus.

Uncertain eastern "O" mint
76 AD

3.24g

RIC II 1496 (R2); BMCRE II, 489; RSC II, 369; RPC II, 1469.

Apart from the COS IIII, these titles are appropriate for Vespasian, not Domitian as Caesar

 

Great coin David. Here is one from his first few weeks as Augustus.

 

The eastern mints really did produce some fine denarii for Vespasian and his sons. However, the 'o' mint is notable for it's many rookie mistakes! Truly a fascinating issue.

 

..we shall party here when that day comes

 

I've been researching Elagabalus' reign for nearly a year and a half, sadly no coins have been acquired yet. My Flavians have kept me too busy!

 

I'd be interested in hearing the thought process that makes a Flavian specialist find Elagabalus' silver the next thing to study. I rarely can explain where my whims will take me next so I don't say you should have reasons that can be put in words but it would interesting if you could. Also, what characteristic will a coin of Elagabalus need to have to qualify as the first acquisition. I am most fond of Eastern mint denarii of several rulers so it is no surprise that my favorite coins of Elagabalus (and Domitian) are Easties. For that matter, I do tend to hold it against a ruler who only used one mint or whose coins are all openly mintmarked but not separated by distinctive style. Perhaps some numismatic psychologist could explain the factors that drives some of us in one direction and others in others. I have no idea where I will go next.

 

You ask some very good questions. I will try to answer them as best I can.

Elagabalus' reign is unlike anything else in the pantheon of Roman emperors. I suppose I'm attracted to its 'un-Roman' like nature. He is, if you will, the antithesis of Vespasian or Titus. If we are to believe the scandalous ancient sources, Elagabalus conducted one long teenage debauched toga party. Caligula would bush! And not forgetting his disruption of the Roman state religion in favour of an eastern cult is the exact opposite of what Domitian had done. I find it interesting the wheels of government, everyday life, and (luckily for us) the mints continued on business as usual despite all this. Of course, his grandmother Julia Maesa had a lot to do with keeping things from going sideways. I find her an interesting figure, one of the strongest women in Roman imperial history. I want to know more about her and own a few of her coins.

As far as first acquisitions, the eastern denarii attract me very much. The iconic Emesa stone denarius would be one of my top first purchases. I really enjoy the various styles of his coinage - apparently there were some very fine die engravers working both at Rome and in the provinces.

Collecting Elagabalus would be an act in opposites for me. Going from a dynasty that is typically Roman to a reign that can best be described as 'exotic' is immensely appealing.

 

Cool new coin @David Atherton !

Here's my weird/cool Domitian fouree/limes thingy coin...

 

Here's a Domitian provincial from an Eastern mint... I like the portrait





Of course, the reverse lettering stands for Coele-Syria. The left-facing portrait is interesting as well...