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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 3584253, member: 82616&quot;]My latest acquisition has me stumped. The reverse depicts a military ceremony held by Domitian, perhaps post triumph, for which I have little clues for.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]956679[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Domitian</b></p><p>Æ Sestertius, 26.14g</p><p>Rome mint, 85 AD</p><p>RIC 281 (R). BMC 301.</p><p>Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM COS XI; Bust of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis</p><p>Rev: S C in exergue; Domitian stg. r., clasping hands over altar with officer stg. l.; behind officer, one soldier with standard and one soldier at r. with spear and shield</p><p>Acquired from Olding, MA Shops, June 2019 = Olding, List 96, March 2019, Sammlung Fritz Reusing, no. 182. From the collection of Fritz Reusing (1874-1956), inherited and continued by Reusing&#039;s nephew Paul Schürer (1890-1976).</p><p><br /></p><p>In 85 Domitian struck a fairly impressive issue of sestertii, M. Grant hyperbolically called it the most &#039;ambitious&#039; of any one reign or year. The series is the first major <i>aes</i> issue of the Domitian&#039;s reign produced after the overhaul of the mint and is dominated by panoramic types commemorating his greatest military victory over the Germanic tribe the Chatti. The Germanic triumph received a certain amount of ridicule from ancient writers who thought the whole thing was a sham (Dio goes so far as to say Domitian raided the palace&#039;s furniture stores for his fake spoils!), no doubt the numismatic propaganda for the victory was likely viewed in the same manner by contemporary senatorial elites. This rare sestertius depicts a rather ambiguous scene showing Domitian, the much larger figure on the left, clasping hands with a legate over an altar while two legionaries stand by. What exactly is going on here is a mystery. Mattingly in BMCRE II believed it to be &#039;the taking of the sacramentum, the military oath&#039;. It&#039;s an intriguing scene in the context of the Germania Capta series, perhaps depicting a post victory ceremony. Whatever the meaning, the reverse strongly underscores Domitian&#039;s bond with the military.</p><p><br /></p><p>This wonderful old cabinet toned piece is from the collection of the German portrait painter Fritz Reusing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Feel free to chime in with any ideas or coins that may illuminate the reverse&#039;s meaning.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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