Julia Domna sestertius

Yesterday i finally got this Coin from the New York sale in january. Its a sestertius of empress Julia Domna. The size of the coin was a pleasant surprise. But the main reason i bought the coin was the portrait. I think its a worthy addition to my collection af roman portraits on sestertii coins.



Julia Domna Sestertius, under Septimius Severus 209 A.D. RIC 849
Draped bust of Julia Domna right, IVLIA AVGVSTA
Size: 35 mm
Weight: 26 g


Reverse: Ceres seated left, holding grain ears and torch.


Feel free to post your coins of Julia Domna or of other members of her family.

 

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R.O., Great score ! Lovely portrait & attractive toning . I scored a nice one of her hubby last year.

 

Impressive coin. Well done!

 

great portrait, congrats Restitutor Orbis.

another Julia sestertius:

 

That ia a fine specimen of the portrait in use near the end of the life of Septimius before the obverse legend was changed to IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG under Caracalla. At a minimum, I would consider a 'set' of Domna portrait coins to require an example of the first legend IVLIA DOMNA AVG, one with IVLIA AVGVSTA and the earlier hairstyle, one like this OP coin, and one with IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG with plain head and another with that same legend that added a crescent diadem to the head. Certainly specialists would find other minor distinctions worth noting.

IVLIA DOMNA AVG

IVLIA AVGVSTA early hair

I do not have a IVLIA AVGVSTA sestertius of this later hair class so I'll include an as.

IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG no crescent diadem

IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG with crescent diadem

 

Absolutely gorgeous, @Restitutor Orbis! It must be hefty in hand.

Here's one from late in the reign of Septimius Severus and thus with a similar coiffure to yours.


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman orichalcum sestertius; 26.43 g, 32.5 mm, 12 h
Rome, AD 211
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: IVNONI LVCINAE, Juno enthroned left, holding flower and child in swaddling clothes
Refs: RIC 857; BMCRE 770; Cohen 94; RCV 6627; Hill 1173.

This one was issued under the authority of Caracalla after the death of Septimius Severus and bears the IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG inscription.


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman Orichalcum sestertius, 21.3 g, 32 mm.
Rome, issued under Caracalla, AD 213.
Obv: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: IVNONEM SC, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter; peacock at feet.
Refs: RIC 585b; BMCRE 210; RCV 7114 var.

This one, too. I have posted it only a few times before:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 19.44 g, 29.75 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 211-217.
Obv: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, bust of Julia Domna, draped and wearing stephane, right.
Rev: VESTA S C, Vesta seated left, holding simpulum in right hand and transverse scepter in left hand.
Refs: RIC 593; BMCRE 217-219; Cohen 228; RCV 7123; Hill 1460.

 

Beautiful coin, love everything about it. Congrats.

 

Just picked up a Domna denarius with Isis and infant Horus (or Harpocrates) on the reverse. Haven't snapped a photo yet.

 

That's a beauty! I love the Julia Domna portraits done during the late rule of Caracalla. It's just a personal feeling, but I think they're more accurate even if (or because) they show her less glamorously than her earlier portraits under her husband's rule - I would expect something like that from Caracalla.

I'd love a sestertius, but all I have is a denarius:

 

Great OP coin on a nice large flan! Here is my late Julia Domna Sestertius:


IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG - Draped bust of Julia Domna right, wearing stephane
SAECVLI FELICITAS S C - Felicitas standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding long caduceus
Æ Sestertius, Rome 215 AD
31 mm / 24.71 g
RIC IV 590, BMCRE 215, Cohen 178, Banti 42 (18 specimens, same obverse die as illustrated)
ex Soler y Llach Auction 109 (10.07.2019), lot 602

 

Very cool! I always get a kick out of the JDs from Caracalla's reign.
In his, emperors of Rome, great courses, Garrett Fagan describes Domna's hair on these types as looking like someone poured a bucket of dough on her head
I only have old lady Domna in silver, but very recently picked up this Sestertius of her when she was young:

Julia Domna
(died 217 AD). AE Sestertius. Struck under Septimius Severus, 198-200. Obv. Draped bust right. Rev. Hilaritas standing left, holding palm frond and cornucopia. RIC IV (Sept. Sev.) 855. AE. 24.34 g. 31.00 mm. VF/About VF.

 

Congrats on a very handsome looking coin.

My sestertius of Julia Domna with IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG title and Juno Lucina reverse....

 

I do not have a Domna sestertius, but I have a Mamaea sestertius, similar to the one presented by @Andres2


Julia Mamaea. Augusta AD 222-235. Rome
Sestertius Æ
30 mm, 19,80 g
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, bust of Julia Mamaea, diademed, draped, right / VENERI FELICI SC, Venus, draped, standing right, holding sceptre in right hand and Cupid in left hand
RIC IV Severus Alexander 694; RCV II 8232; BMCRE 190

I liked the portrait and the fact that Cupid is visible. Others didn't. Low hammer price. I can live with that.

The Julia Domna coin I find most interesting is this denarius, because of the strong reverse legend, plus I can't say I dislike the portrait.




Julia Domna. Augusta AD 193-217. Rome
Denarius AR
18 mm, 2,68 g
RIC IV Caracalla 381 (denarius) S
Date: AD 211
Obv: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, Bust of Julia Domna, hair elaborately waved in ridges and turned up low at the back, draped, right / Rev: MAT AVGG MAT SEN M PATR, Julia Domna, draped, seated left, holding branch in extended right hand and sceptre in left hand

Another score, in my opinion, was this Marcianopolis showing Septimius and Domna. One of the coins that caught my attention instantly and I was very happy for winning it.




Moesia Inferior. Marcianopolis. Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna AD 193-211.
Pentassarion Æ
28 mm, 11,42 g
Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna. AD 193-211. Moesia, Marcianopolis.
Flavius Ulpianus, legatus consularis. Struck AD 210-211. Æ Pentassarion .
AV K Λ CEΠ CEYHΡOC IOYΛIA ΔOMNA CEB; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another / ΥΦΛ ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΟΥ ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ; Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia; Є (mark of value) to left. H&J, Marcianopolis 6.15.35.4; AMNG I 601; Varbanov 868; Moushmov 411.

 

Stunning reverse! Simply stunning!

 

Gorgeous portrait!

 

Don't have a Domna Sestertius, perhaps some day, only denarii.
My latest, which I got in a multiple lot of 13 Roman coins last July has a young, girlish portrait of Julia Domna:

Rome, 204 AD struck under the authority of Septimius Severus
18x17 mm, 3.502 g
RIC IV Septimius Severus 572; BMCRE 62; RSC III 150; SRCV II 6600

Ob.: IVLIA AVGVSTA Bust of Julia Domna to r., draped, hair waved and coiled at back. Border of dots.
Rev.: PIETAS AVGG Pietas, veiled, draped, standing left, with r. hand dropping incense on lit altar at left and holding box in l. hand. Border of dots.

 

All I have are denarii.

This one is not very pretty, but the image on the reverse in interesting. Imagine trying to get a team of lions to pull your cart. That would be tougher than herding cats.



Denarius of Julia Domna, Obverse: IVLIA AVGVSTA “Julia augusta” Reverse: MATER AVGG “Mother of augustus.” Cybele seated in cart pulled by lions. Sear 6592

This one is a bit nicer.



Denarius of Julia Domna, Obverse: IVLIA AVGVSTA “Julia augusta” Reverse: SAECVLI FELICITAS “Happy age.” The goddess Isis nursing her son, Horus. Sear 6606

Isis was ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility. In addition she was the goddess of motherhood, magic, death healing and rebirth. It is interesting to see an Egyptian goddess on a Roman coin.