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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 4858374, member: 82616&quot;]My latest arrival has a most fetching portrait of Domitian from his youth. He was in his early 20s and in the prime of life and perhaps not so paranoid about an assassin&#039;s blade.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1173088[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Domitian as Caesar [Vespasian]</b></p><p>Æ Dupondius, 11.09g</p><p>Rome mint, 73-74 AD</p><p>Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS II; Head of Domitian, laureate, draped, bearded, r.</p><p>Rev: FELICITAS PVBLICA; S C in field; Felicitas stg. l., with caduceus and cornucopiae</p><p>RIC 658 (C). BMC p. 157 note *. BNC 693.</p><p>Acquired from CGB.fr, September 2020.</p><p><br /></p><p>A stylish dupondius struck for Domitian Caesar in either 73 or 74 from one of his earliest bronze issues at Rome. The dupondii from this issue are laureate instead of radiate and can be differentiated from the asses by the draped busts and metal content (yellowish orichalcum). The Felicitas on the reverse symbolises the prosperity and abundance the Flavian dynasty has brought to the empire. It is certainly one of the most abundant reverse types of Vespasian&#039;s reign. Surprisingly, this common Domitian Caesar Felicitas is missing from the BM&#039;s extensive collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>It certainly helps that the engraver who worked on the obverse had talent to spare and rendered a wonderful portrait in fine style.</p><p><br /></p><p>Show off your &#039;fine style&#039; portraits![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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