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<p>[QUOTE="kevin McGonigal, post: 20155551, member: 72790"]Evaluating the reign of almost any ancient ruler is almost a fool's errand but with Roman emperors it's close to impossible to do it accurately. Either the sources are lacking, or worse, so sensational as to defy credulity, especially if the historians writing about them have very sharp axes to grind. Imagine a history of American presidents put together from nothing but late evening comics and cable news commentators. As for Domitian himself, he may not have been wielder than most emperors (and a lot less than some) but Tacitus, a contemporary historian who could write well, took him apart with an ax, though he could make it look like he was using a fine scalpel. Certainly the army liked and respected Domitian, and probably much of the business community for restoring the proper specie content of the coinage (but they weren't writing the histories). e was also pretty smart and witty. I believe he was the emperor who quipped that no one ever gave credence to death threats against an emperor until they were murdered. As for the coinage of Domitian, his coins were usually struck in high relief, which makes for good images, though some mints were starting to add lead to the base metals amalgam leading to some very dark later toning, which is OK if one like dark coinage. Here are four coins of Domitian's reign , two denarii and two asses.The denarii have his favorite deity on the reverse, Minerva, and both weigh exactly 3.18 grams of good silver, probably a bit over 90% pure. They are Sear 2736.The two bronzes are again the same coin, with the same reverse, Moneta, but they may be from different mints as the lighter, more coppery appearing coin at 11.5 grams is noticeably lighter in weight than the much darker one at 12. 2 grams. They are Sear 2807.[ATTACH=full]1540174[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1540174[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1540175[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="kevin McGonigal, post: 20155551, member: 72790"]Evaluating the reign of almost any ancient ruler is almost a fool's errand but with Roman emperors it's close to impossible to do it accurately. Either the sources are lacking, or worse, so sensational as to defy credulity, especially if the historians writing about them have very sharp axes to grind. Imagine a history of American presidents put together from nothing but late evening comics and cable news commentators. As for Domitian himself, he may not have been wielder than most emperors (and a lot less than some) but Tacitus, a contemporary historian who could write well, took him apart with an ax, though he could make it look like he was using a fine scalpel. Certainly the army liked and respected Domitian, and probably much of the business community for restoring the proper specie content of the coinage (but they weren't writing the histories). e was also pretty smart and witty. I believe he was the emperor who quipped that no one ever gave credence to death threats against an emperor until they were murdered. As for the coinage of Domitian, his coins were usually struck in high relief, which makes for good images, though some mints were starting to add lead to the base metals amalgam leading to some very dark later toning, which is OK if one like dark coinage. Here are four coins of Domitian's reign , two denarii and two asses.The denarii have his favorite deity on the reverse, Minerva, and both weigh exactly 3.18 grams of good silver, probably a bit over 90% pure. They are Sear 2736.The two bronzes are again the same coin, with the same reverse, Moneta, but they may be from different mints as the lighter, more coppery appearing coin at 11.5 grams is noticeably lighter in weight than the much darker one at 12. 2 grams. They are Sear 2807.[ATTACH=full]1540174[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1540174[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1540175[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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