This Domitian As arrived last week and I just now got around to posting it. The Fides reverse reminds me of a waitress delivering a plate of food, which in essence, isn't too far from its original meaning. Domitian Æ As, 11.04g Rome mint, 88 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIIII CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: FIDEI PVBLICAE; S C in field; Fides stg. r., with corn ears and plate of fruits RIC 647 (R). BMC -. BNC 451. Acquired from London Ancient Coins, June 2020. Fides holding a plate of fruits was a recurring type under Domitian until 88. This fairly rare Fides Publica dated COS XIIII was the last appearance of it under Domitian. It copies a similar reverse struck for Vespasian and must have held some special meaning to Domitian. H Mattingly in BMCRE II (p. xci) speculated on the importance of Fides to Domitian: "The word 'Fides' has a wide scope and includes the ideas that we express by the words 'loyalty', 'integrity', 'honour'. Probably 'credit', in a wide sense, is the nearest English equivalent. If, as seems probable, the type is closely associated with the Emperor's activities as censor, we can at once understand its popularity under Domitian. The censorship of Domitian is usually represented as a device to secure control of the composition of the senate. But this was only part of its significance. Domitian was simply carrying on from his father Vespasian the policy of close attention to the business affairs of the state and, in making himself censor for life, he was offending susceptibilities rather than serious interests. In view of the care of Domitian for the Italian land we can perhaps explain the 'agricultural' attributes of 'Fides'. It appears certain that the Flavians developed a financial policy of great importance, of which only the barest hints have come down to us. The fact that a festival of Fides fell on the first day of October, the month which was rechristened 'Domitianus' in A.D. 84, lends further appropriateness to the type." Missing from the extensive BM collection. Please post your Fides!
TITUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: T CAES IMP VESP CENS, laureate head right, "o" beneath neck REVERSE: FIDES PVBL, hands clasped over caduceus, two poppies and two corn-ears Struck at Uncertain Asian Mint or Ephesus, 76AD 2.9g, 19mm RIC V 1485 (Vesp), RPC 1459 Ex David Atherton; ex Harry Sneh Collection; ex Sayles; ex Lavender CARACALLA AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAE MAVR ANT AVG P TR P - Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: FIDES PVBLICA – Fides standing right, holding corn ears and fruit dish Struck at Rome, 198 AD 3.0g, 18mm RIC 24a, C 82 MAXIMINUS I AE Sestertius OBVERSE: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right REVERSE: FIDES MILITVM S-C, Fides standing left, standard in each hand Struck at Rome, 235-236 16.3g, 30mm RIC 43 CARINUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP CARINVS P F AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left with a standard in each hand. KAEpsilon in ex. Struck at Rome, 284-5 AD 2.9g, 22mm RIC 253c, C 28
Not Domitian, but... Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. Æ Sestertius (31mm; 22.39 gm; 12h). Rome mint. Struck 143-4 AD. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right. Rev: IMPERA-TOR II, S-C across fields, Fides standing right, holding grain ears in r. hand, basket of fruit in l. RIC III 716a; BMCRE 1608.
Vitellius (Augustus) Coin: Bronze As A VITELLIVS IMP GERMAN - Laureate head left FIDES EXERCITVVM. S.C. - clasped hands Exergue: SC Mint: Tarraco (January-June AD 69) Wt./Size/Axis: 8.00g / 27mm / 180 References: RIC I, 42 Acquisition/Sale: Lucernae Catawiki/internet $0.00 10/17 Notes: Mar 27, 20 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection Fides Exercitvvm means "the loyalty of the armies".
@David Atherton.......That's a nice looking coin! Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Sestertius. Rome mint. Struck AD 171...(32mm, 24.68 g) Obv. Laureate, draped head right, IMP M ANTONINVS AVG TRP XXV Rev. Fides standing left, holding Victory and standard, FIDES EXERCITVVM COS III SC RIC III 997......Double die match to the only example in the British Museum Collection..
I have only one coin with this reverse type: Caracalla as Caesar, AD 195-198. Roman AR denarius, 2.46 g, 18.5 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 198. Obv: M AVR ANTON CAES PONTIF, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: FIDES PVBLICA, Fides standing right, holding grain ears and dish of fruits. Refs: RIC 8, Cohen 83; Hill 321. You might think, "Shame about the gash on Caracalla's cheek," but I think it's cool! Reminds me of this!
I especially love the tear you put below Domitian's eye in the second one. After all, he was almost as cultured as Nero.
Domitian. 29 mm. Similar to the type in the original post, but COS XII instead of XIIII. I bought this coin in 1977.
Septimius Severus at Alexandria produced the same type facing both ways. Septimius Severus denarius Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides (Bonus Eventus - RIC) standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears Minted in Alexandria, A.D. 194 References:– RIC 347, BMCRE 321, RSC 66 Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides standing right holding basket of fruit and corn ears Ref:– BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -. (Not listed with Fides right) 2.72g. 17.10mm. 0o Additional information from Curtis Clay “Not previously known for Septimius Severus but a reverse die match with a Julia Domna in Vienna”
