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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 7849727, member: 82616&quot;]My latest addition gets into the weeds with a rare type from Alexandria. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1351672[/ATTACH]<b>Domitian</b> </p><p>Æ Diobol, 7.08g</p><p>Alexandria mint, 95-96 AD</p><p>Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΔΟΜΙΤ ϹƐΒ ΓƐΡΜ; Head of Domitian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: LΙΕ; Agathadaemon serpent erect, r., with corn-ears and caduceus</p><p>RPC 2734 (1 spec.). Emmett 275.15. Dattari-Savio 6800.</p><p>Acquired from eBay, August 2021.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is a fairly scarce diobol struck for Domitian at Alexandria featuring the Agathadaemon serpent (the &#039;Good Spirit&#039; of grain fields and vineyards) on the reverse and wearing the Skhent (double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt). The &#039;Good Spirit&#039; was venerated in both Greek and Roman religions, depicted as a serpent on Roman shrines and lararia and honoured as an omen of good luck among the Greeks. The Agathadaemon serpent&#039;s most developed form flourished in Roman Egypt where it became an exalted deity, far beyond the status of a mere household god. On this diobol it is a symbol of fertility and the regeneration of crops, as indicated by the corn-ear and caduceus at its side. The Skhent crown the serpent wears represents the power over both upper and lower Egypt. The type was frequently repeated on Alexandria&#039;s middle bronzes throughout Domitian&#039;s reign. RPC makes no distinction whether or not the regnal year is in exergue or across field. The plate specimen cited by the catalogue is from the ANS collection with the date in exergue. Dattari 562 is also referenced, but it has the date across field. Although not cited, Dattari-Savio 6800 is in exergue. Apparently regnal year date placement is not important!</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, last year I picked up the variant with the date across field.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1351673[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Domitian</b></p><p>Æ Diobol, 9.35g</p><p>Alexandria mint, 95-96 AD</p><p>Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΔΟΜΙΤ ϹƐΒ ΓƐΡΜ; Head of Domitian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: LΙΕ; Agathadaemon serpent erect, r., with corn-ears and caduceus</p><p>RPC 2734 var. Emmett 275.15. Dattari-Savio 562.</p><p>Acquired from CGB.fr, October 2020.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to post your flyspecking obsessions, snakes, or both![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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