My 4th Pegasus & my 1st Domitian denarius without Minerva

For years, I've had exactly one Domitian denarius, with -- naturally -- Minerva on the reverse:



(RIC II-1 667 (2007 ed.), old RIC II 137 (1926 ed.), RSC II 252, BMCRE 151.)

I never had any great desire to buy more, because it seemed rather difficult to find them with interesting non-Minerva reverses. And, admittedly, I've been prejudiced against Domitian ever since I read a number of historical novels by Douglas Jackson in which Domitian was the evil, cowardly villain who not only stole the beautiful Domitia from the hero, but poisoned Titus. Sort of the equivalent of King John to King Richard in the Robin Hood tales. He was portrayed somewhat more positively in Lindsey Davis's novel about him, Master and God, but not terribly much.

However, given my fondness for coins with mythical beasts, I couldn't resist buying this denarius of Domitian Caesar depicting Pegasus on the reverse when I came across it recently. I know it's considered quite common (especially with the full "CAESAR" legend), but that just meant I could afford it! And I like the rather realistic-looking (albeit a bit thuggish!) portrait of Domitian as well, complete with neck beard. One can see the family resemblance to his father and brother more than in some later coin portraits.

Domitian Caesar (son of Vespasian), AR Denarius 76 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, bearded, CAESAR AVG F • DOMITIANVS (Counter-clockwise beginning at 5:00) / Rev. Pegasus stepping right with left foreleg raised, wings curling to right, COS IIII above (with line above IIII to signify numerals) [Domitian COS IIII = AD 76; see table at Sear RCV I p. 308]. 19 mm., 3.43 g. RIC II.1 Vespasian 921 (2007 ed.), old RIC II 238 (1926 ed.), RSC II 47, Sear RCV I 2637 (ill. p. 485), BMCRE 193. Purchased from cgb.fr, March 2022.*



*See Sear RCV I 2637 at p. 485 fn.: “The reverse type is copied from the coinage of Augustus (see [RCV I] no. 1629).”

Does anyone think all those black spots are areas of dirt and would benefit from cleaning? Or should I just leave well enough alone?

Here are my three other Pegasi:

Corinth AR Stater. Circa 375-345 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying left, Q below / Rev: Helmeted head of Athena left. Control-symbols behind head: Retrograde N and Ares standing left holding shield and spear. Pegasi 376 var. [“N” not retrograde] [Calciati, R., Pegasi Vol. I (Mortara, 1990)]; Ravel 1056 [Ravel, O.E., Les "Poulains" de Corinthe, I - II (Basel, 1936; London, 1948)]; BCD Corinth 121 [Numismatik Lanz, Münzen von Korinth: Sammlung B, Auction 105 (Munich, 26 Nov. 2001)]; SNG Copenhagen 121 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 15, Corinth (Copenhagen 1944)]. 21mm, 8.46 g., 6h. Ex. Roma Numismatics Ltd. Auction IX, 22 March 2015, Lot 168.



Roman Republic, Q. Titius, AR Denarius, Rome 90 BCE. Obv. Head of Mutinus Titius[?] [ = Priapus] right with beard & winged diadem / Rev. Pegasus springing right, “Q TITI” on tablet below. RSC I Titia 1, Crawford 341/1, Sear RCV I 238, BMCRR Rome 2220. 18.5 mm., 3.8 g.



Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint (1st Officina). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Pegasus springing right, about to take flight. SOLI CONS AVG; A offset to right in exergue. RIC V-1 283 (p. 155), RSC IV 979, Sear RCV III 10362, Wolkow 26a1[Cédric Wolkow, Catalogue des monnaies romaines - Gallien - L'émission dite "Du Bestiaire" - atelier de Rome (BNumis, édition 2019)], Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 712b. 21 mm., 3.12 g, 11 h.



Please post (1) your denarii of Domitian with non-Minerva reverses, and/or (2) your coins depicting Pegasus.

 

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Nice! That’s a fun coin type.
Your next purchase will soon have to be a bigger apartment, for all those coins!

A dip in acetone can be an idea at times, but I’m not sure it would make much difference. The coin looks great as it is anyway.

 

Great coin, but what an odd bust. I wouldn't have guessed it was Domitian if I hadn't known. I wouldn't sweat the dirt - it's not distracting.

 

I think I have found a die match:

 

Domitian (81 - 96 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M, laureate head of Domitian right.
R: IVPPITER CONSERVATOR, eagle standing facing, head left, on thunderbolt, wings spread.
Rome Mint, 82-83 A.D.
3.18g
19mm
RIC II.1 144

This reverse type commemorates the events during the civil war of 69 A.D. Upon the arrival of the flavian troops in Italy, Sabinus (the elder brother of Vespasian) was forced to seek refuge in the Capitoline fortress (the sanctuary of Jupiter). He also brought in Domitian, his nephew. Eventually the fortress was set on fire and Sabinus captured and executed. Domitian managed to escape and found shelter at one of his father's clients. Later in that place he built a temple for Jupiter Conservator (= the Protector). Source: Tacitus, Histories, the 3rd book, section LXXIV : "Domitianus.....ac potiente rerum patre, disiecto aeditui contubernio, modicum sacellum Iovi Conservatori aramque posuit casus suos in marmore expressam)

 

..i was thinking more like....

 

I like the denarius, @DonnaML. As usually, you acquire great coins with great eye appeal. And I fully understand the need to add a non Minerva Domitian coin. Everybody likes them (my first Domitian denarius was also a classic Minerva type) but if you have one and you're not a specialized collector, I don't think much more are needed.
I posted this coin before but I hope it's not overkill.

Yep, still Minerva, but a Minerva Victrix, flying.


Domitian AD 81-96. Rome
Denarius AR
18 mm, 2,62 g
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 791
Old RIC 194 (s) C. 294; BMC 237; CBN 210.
Date Range: AD 95 - AD 96
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XV
Head of Domitian, laureate, right
IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P
Minerva, winged, draped, helmeted, flying left, holding spear in right hand and round shield on left
RSC description - Minerva Victrix, winged, flying l., holding javelin and round shield.

From a description I found in an auction:
The iconography of this coin is most intriguing. This is the only depiction of a winged Minerva in all of Roman coinage, and indeed the concept itself has few parallels in surviving classical art. The closest comparable figure may be found in the winged statue of Minerva Victrix at Ostia, which originally formed part of the decoration of the upper gate known as the Porta Romana. This winged form of Minerva may well have been taken from earlier Greek images of Athena, such as that shown on a black-figure vase found at Orvieto and illustrated in Röm. Mitt. XII, pl. xii, which shows two representations of Athena – one winged and one without wings. With the exception of Nike-Victoria, most of the Greco-Roman gods had shed their wings by the early classical period; that such an archaism should be revived in the time of Domitian is therefore quite inexplicable, save perhaps for the possibility that it was simply an act of whimsy by an emperor who was known to favour Minerva above all other gods.

A low budget denarius from Domitian (as Caesar) bought also for the reverse



Domitian (Caesar, 69-81) AR Denarius, Rome, 77-78
CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS - laureate head right
Rev: COS V - Soldier on horseback rearing right, raising right hand.
RIC 957 (Vespasian); C 49a
Old RIC 242
2,57 g, 18 mm


Pegasus coins in my collection:


I was extremely surprised for getting this at 10 EUR as I find the Gallienus portrait unusually well struck.

Gallienus AD 260-268. Rome
Antoninianus Æ silvered
20 mm, 2,88 g
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head of Gallienus right / Rev: SOLI CONS AVG, Pegasus flying right.
RIC V Gallienus 283, RSC IV 979




Corinthia. Corinth circa 345-307 BC.
Drachm AR
13 mm, 1,87 g
Pegasos flying left, wings curled, Koppa below. / Head of Aphrodite left, hair in a sakkos. ΠA monogram behind head. BCD Corinth 162; SNG Fitzwilliam 3455-3456; SNG Cop. 136.




Q. Titius, Rome, 90 BC. AR Denarius.
Head of young Bacchus right (Liber) , wearing ivy wreath.
Rev: Pegasus springing right Q·TITI
Crawford 341/2; RBW 1275; RSC Titia 2.
3.51 gr. 19 mm

 

You evil man! Now I can't unsee my Domitian staring with intense, heavy-lidded interest at the rear end of Pegasus.

 

This is why in antiquity they called it Peg Rear Endus

 

I’m sorry, I realize that was a low blow!

 

Congrats Donna, excellent choice.
I think its horned silver.
Anyway heres mine:

 

Very nice Pegasus Donna! Love the design of those wings
Ask and you shall recieve...
Does Domitian with Minerva's helmet count?

As for the Pegasus, I'll share one and a sakkos:

 

That's a beautiful coin!

If it's horn silver, would you try to do something about it or leave it alone? I've never tried removing horn silver myself. My "treatment" of coins has never gone much beyond soaking in distilled water.

 

@DonnaML ...Very nice pick up!
Here's my only Domitian...
Domitian. 81-96 AR Denarius (3.17 gm, 18mm). Rome mint. Struck 81 AD.
Obv.: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M, laureate head right.
Rev.: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P, tripod surmounted by a dolphin right. RICII# 74.
These early type portraits are my favourite and coupled with an interesting reverse, the tripod and dolphin, being symbols of Apollo.

 

Coincidentally, the Domitian with Minerva Victrix I posted had horn silver but much more distracting than your specimen.



I used the thiosulphate method found here in CT. For this coin I am quite happy with the result although the coin changed the color, becoming more gray, as seen in my first photo. However, If I could go back in time, I would leave it as it was.
When the thiosulphate method works (for some coins it didn't) the coin becomes completely black and needs to be cleaned with sodium bicarbonate or, in some examples I noticed, just tapped and cleaned gently with a cloth.

However I didn't like this method - I am not 100% sure that horn silver is not attacking the surface but from what I know, it doesn't, I repeat, I'm not sure.
I am not skilled enough in cleaning and the coin would look cleaned, if sodium bicarbonate is used it might get scratches or uneven color on the surface. Plus I don't like the idea of messing with 2000 years old coins.

Your coin does not have distracting deposits and it is in an excellent condition, I would leave it alone.

 

Donna that's a great Moe Szyslak portrait on that Domitian!

 

I think I probably will. It isn't at all distracting in hand.

 

I always enjoyed the fact that Domitian as Caesar on coins rather resembled his father and brother but his later coins as Augustus showed less of a family resemblance. Today, we would suspect plastic surgery but there probably is a different answer here. Domitian has ha good selection of reverses that are not Minerva but after he adopted her as most favored goddess, she was most of what we see.
Caesar


Early Augustus


Later Augustus

 

Very nice! I would leave it alone too; it looks lovely the way it is. Here's the Augustan type that it copies...

AUGUSTUS
AR Denarius. 3.64g, 19.9mm, Rome mint, 19-18 BC, P. Petronius Turpilianus, moneyer. RIC 297 (R2). O: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right. R: P PETRON TVRPILIAN III VIR, Pegasus walking right.

Two others Pegasi in poses left often seen. Chained to a wall...


CORINTHIA, Corinth
AR Stater. 8.28g, 21.2mm. CORINTHIA, Corinth, circa 400-375 BC. BCD Corinth -; Calciati 241. O: Pegasus standing right with curved wing, tethered to a ring fixed to a wall above him; Ϙ below. R: Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet; behind neckguard, aphlaston.

The one on the right depicted facing and rearing up on its hind feet...


AKARNANIA, Leukas
AR Diobol. 0.81g, 11.9mm. AKARNANIA, Leukas, circa 450-400 BC. BCD Akarnania 183. O: Pegasos right with curled wing; Λ, below. R: Δ-I-O, Pegasos facing slightly left, rearing up on hind legs, wings spread.