Julia Domna NEWP

I was able to afford a new purchase this week due to receiving a refund for some coins that never arrived. So, while I am sad that I did not get my handful of LRB's I ordered this summer from Serbia, I am happy to add another denarius from our lady friend Julia Domna.

This is a pair to my earlier HILARITAS purchase showing Julia personified as Hilaritas with two naked boys at her feet. This new HILARITAS has Hilaritas holding a palm and scepter.

Like the MATER DEVM issues of Julia Domna, these HILARITAS issues seem to place emphasis on the role of Julia Domna as the mother of the imperial household and the Roman people. In particular my earlier issue of HILARITAS with what are assumed to be her two children, Caracalla and Geta. Especially as Julia Domna became more than just the wife of the emperor but also the the mother of two emperors, her role within the empire was not an understated one.

Cybele, the Phrygian Mother Goddess had been adopted into the Roman pantheon of Gods during the time of the Second Punic War (218 - 201BC) as a means of fulfilling a prophesy that by importing her the Romans would prove victorious over Carthage. Hilaria were a day, set of days or a season of rejoicing. As part of the annual ritual "Holy Week" dedicated to the Great Mother, celebrations and rituals were performed from the 15th to 28th of March. According to Wikipedia, this cult and its ritual holy week were well established by the time of Antonius Pius which would have predated Septimius Severus by thirty or more years. Considering that Cybele was originally worshipped in the Anatolian region in modern day Turkey to the north of Emesa where Julia Domna was from may also play into a more solid link between the Empress and the imported Mother Goddess.

For more reading about Cybele, please look here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybele





Julia Domna, Denarius, HILARITAS
AR Denarius
Julia Domna
Born ca. 170AD - Died 217AD
Augusta: 193 - 217AD
Issued: 196 - 211AD
20.0mm 3.14gr
O: IVLIA AVGVSTA; Draped bust, right.
R: HILARITAS; Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and scepter.
Rome Mint
RIC 555; RSC 76; Sear 6585; BMC 32.
Aorta: 96: B6, O2, R44, T60, M4.
kendorney 132305650172 Inv. # 3129
11/2/17 11/6/17



Julia Domna, Denarius, HILARITAS
AR Denarius
Julia Domna
Born ca. 170AD - died 217AD
Augusta: 193 - 211AD
Issued: 196 - 211AD
20.0 x 18.5mm 3.30gr
O: IVLIA AVGVSTA; Draped bust, right.
R: HILARITAS; Hilaritas standing left between two naked boys, holding palm and cornucopiae.
Rome Mint
Sear 6587; RIC IV S557; RSC III 79.
Aorta: 95: B6, O2, R44, T59, M4.
CIVITAS Galleries AC61761
3/24/17 4/1/17


To check on progress of the Julia Domna collection, please click here:

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6296

Feel free to add any notes or ideas, coins of the Severans, Julia, Hilaritas or Cybele!

Thanks for reading.

 

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These are the only Domnas that I've photographed. I think I have 2 or 3 more.

Like a book, left to right; top to bottom.
1. IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, draped bust right / MATRI DEVM, Cybele standing left, leaning on column, holding drum & scepter, lion at foot 20.07mm 3.23g

2. IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, draped bust right / MAT AVGG MAT SEN M PATR, Julia seated left, holding branch and sceptre 19.8mm 2.68g

3. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left with palm & cornucopiae, children to either side of her 18.3mm 2.80g

4. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left with palm & cornucopiae, children to either side of her 19.2mm 3.23g

5. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / IVNO, Juno standing half-left, holding patera & scepter, peacock standing left, head turned back 19.5mm 3.15g

6. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / PIETAS AVGG, Pietas standing left, veiled, sacrificing on altar left & holding incense box 19.0mm 3.35g

-Michael

 

Nice addition, Nic.

 

Very nice!

 

Nice addition. I have a couple of Domna coins on the way, but no Hilaritas.

Cybele and her lion quadriga...

 

That’s a very tough type, congrats @zumbly!

 

Terrific posts!!!

My example of Cybele and a very small lions head (sprouting out of her shoulder)--- the reverse scorpion is LARGER

AR Denarius of M. Plaetorius M f Cestianus, Rome mint 57 BC
CESTIANVS behind turreted and draped bust of Cybele,
forepart of a lion behind, globe below chin.
M PLAETORIVS AED CVR EX S C; Curule chair within wreath, scorpion in left field.
Crawford 409/2; Sydenham 408, Plaetoria 3.

 

@Mikey Zee That is an amazing coin! Such a great portrait.

 

Nice! In addition to the Hilaritas with long palm and scepter and the Hilaritas with two children at her feet, there is a reverse type with Hilaritas standing left, holding palm branch and cornucopiae. This type was issued at Rome and Laodicea. I only have the one from Rome, purchased just recently from @John Anthony :


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.3 mm, 12 h
Rome, AD 198
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding palm branch and cornucopiae
Refs: RIC 556; BMCRE 31; RCV --; Cohen 72; Hill 310; CRE 348.

 

As for Cybele on Julia Domna coinage, here are a couple from my collection:

Julia Domna, AD 193-211
Roman AR denarius, 3.43 gm, 18.8 mm
Rome, AD 198
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: MATER DEVM, Cybele enthroned left, flanked by two lions, holding a branch and scepter, resting on drum
Refs: RIC 564; Sear 6593; BMCRE 51; Cohen 123; Hill 340; CRE 306


Julia Domna, AD 193-211
Roman AR denarius, 2.84 gm, 17.5 mm
Rome, AD 198
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: MATER DEVM, Cybele enthroned left, flanked by two lions, holding branch and resting elbow on drum; no scepter
Refs: RIC 565; Sear 6593 var.; RSC 126a; Hill 340; CRE --

 

Nice new Julia!
Here is an AE Limes of Julia

 

Here are a couple of my IVLIA DOMNAE:


RI AR Den Julia Domna 200 CE Felicitas Isis Horus RIC 577

...and a FOUREE of the above Denarius:


RI Julia Domna 194-217 Fouree AR Plated Den Isis Horus

 

@Roman Collector I haven’t found a Hilaritas with cornucopia that I like yet but of course I would like one to round out the set. I’ll have to add my Mater when I get home. Thanks for the pics!

 

Here is a Iulia Domna of no great quality but with an interesting reverse:
IVLIA DOMNA, Draped bust r. "IVLIA DOMNA" Rev.:"FECVNDITAS" Fecunditas naked t waist.reclining l. under a tree elbow resting l. arm on basket of fruits and placing r.hand on semi-circle or partly hidden globe, on which stars, over which move four small figures personnifying the four seasons. Mint: Rome. AR Denar. 196/211 Ad.(3.58gr.) TRf.: RIC.35, BMC.521,

 

I have a Julia Domna as (or dupondius?) with what I am pretty sure is a HILARITAS reverse. Rather crusty, but perhaps this one could profit from a professional cleaning? But I'm no professional, so I'm leaving it alone.





Julia Domna
Æ As or Dupondius
(c. 196-217 A.D.)
IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / HILARITAS S-C, Hilaritas standing left holding a long branch & cornucopiae. RIC 877; Cohen 74; BMC 786.
(13.17 grams)

 

Wow, I don't know how you guys get your pics ready so fast! Then again, I got sidetracked with the CNG sale. Anyway, here are a couple of pics to complement what Nick and Roman Collector were showing, but also to help me learn about style typing.

The first two are of the staff type.
The first was sold by an auction house as from the mint at Rome. However it has the "loops" for the earring/lock-of-hair and brooch characteristic of Laodicea. Nonetheless it has the refined look of Rome.

This second was sold on eBay as from the mint at Laodicea. This I can believe.




The next two are of the cornucopia type.
The first was sold on eBay as from the mint at Laodicea, but I believe it is from Rome, as RC showed above.


This last was sold by another major house as attributed to Laodicea:
The style of the portrait seems like Laodicea, but the figure is missing the telltale loops.

Maybe the experts can help sort these out.

 

Beautiful coin! Beautiful lady— @nicholasz219 ! My Julia was outside of my collecting range but an opportunity arose and I took advantage of it. I'm glad I did because it's one of my favorite coins. I love the expression on her face and—yes, the reverse is rather enchanting also.

 

LRB. Looks like Rome, Laodicea, Rome, Laodicea. Nice.

 

Here is another look at Cybele on a different MATER DEVM Domna reverse: Here she is standing with only one lion at her feet holding the drum aloft and a branch in her right hand.




Thanks Martin! I'm working on 'em.

 

Here's a Cybele I haven't got to post much...



LYDA, Sala. Semi-autonomous. Magistrate Androneikos.
Æ18, 3.2g, 7h, AD 128-161.
Obv.: CAΛHNΩN; Helmeted head of Athena right, aegis on chest.
Rev.: EΠI ANΔΡONЄIKOY CAΛ; Cybele, turreted, seated left, holding patera and resting arm on drum.
Reference: BMC 18-19; SNG Cop 424.