I found this nice chunk of silver in the recent Spink USA auction. As a collector who is specializing in the coinage of Domitian, it is unforgivable that I am now just adding a coin that features his wife. This is an interesting coin struck near the beginning of Domitian's reign. Given the role that Domitia would supposedly play in the death of her husband, it is interesting to see her with such a prominent place in his early time as Augustus. Domitian only issued Cistophori twice in his reign, once in 82 CE and once near the end in 95 CE. It is not surprising that Domitia only appears on the early issue. This is only my second Cistophorus issued by Domitian. I am very happy that the Domitia Cistophorus below did not attract much attention in the auction. Maybe this was partly because of the condition, but its place in the auction was also not intuitive. Please post your favorite coins of Domitian or examples of your favorite Cistophorus. Domitian, with Domitia (81-96). AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of uncertain mint (Ephesos or possibly struck in Rome for export and usage in Asia). (10.5 g) Obv: Laureate bust of Domitian right; IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PM COS VIII Rev: Draped bust of Domitia right; DOMITIA AVGVSTA RIC 845; RPC II 866; RSC 2. Spink USA 370 - The Numismatic Collector's Series e-Auction Lot 18 July 14, 2021
I only have a mediocre As. I first knew Domitian as being one of the very few emperors with extant colossal marble fragments intact. The only others I know of are Constantine and Augustus.
I was also stalking a Domitia in a future auction. A denarius in good condition. But the price in prebid is already prohibitive for me. So I will stick to my Domitians. A pleasant provincial with a good portrait and a nice reverse type - for me, a perfect coin. Thrace. Sestos. Domitian AD 81-96. Bronze Æ 16 mm., 3,84 g Obverse inscription ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑ-ΝΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ Obverse design: laureate head of Domitian, r. Reverse inscription ϹΗϹΤΙWΝ Reverse design lyre ---------------- My only Domitian denarius so far. Not the best coin but as I was told by a specialist here, issues from 87 AD are not too common. It is also one of the few coins with a clear provenance in my collection - from Tareq Hani Domitian AD 81-96. From the Tareq Hani collection. Rome Denarius AR 20 mm., 3,00 g. RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 517 RSC 228 Date: AD 87 Obverse Legend: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VII Type: Head of Domitian, laureate, right Reverse Legend: IMP XIIII COS XIII CENS P P P Type: Minerva advancing right, holding spear and shield ------------------------- My favorite Domitian and one of my favorite coins. Other people seemed to dislike this coin and I won it with 4 EUR over the start price - hammer 14 EUR. I really think this was a bargain. Domitian AD 81-96. Rome As Æ 27 mm, 10,73 g RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 707 Old RIC 394 AD 90 - AD 91 Obverse Legend: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P Type: Bust of Domitian, laureate, right Portrait: Domitian Reverse Legend: FORTVNAE AVGVSTI S C Type: Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae
Wow, @Orfew! A cistophorus no less! Go big or go home, as they say! My Domitia coins are all provincial bronzes. This is the nicest -- a twofer with her husband. Domitian, AD 81-96, and Domitia, AD 82-96. Roman provincial Æ 24 mm, 9.45 g. Cilicia, Anazarbus, city year 112 = AD 93/4. Obv: ΑΥΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΘΕ ΥΙ ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟΣ ΣΕ ΓΕΡ, laureate head of Domitian, right; behind, star. Rev: ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ ΔΟΜΕΤΙΑ ⳞΕΒΑⳞΤΗ, ΙΒ-Ρ (in field; = year 112 of the city), draped bust of Domitia, left. Refs: RPC II 1749; SNG France 2019-20; BMC 9; Ziegler 76 (obv 1/rev 3); SNG Levante 1374.
Metallic composition and style is that of Rome. Great type regardless. Glad you got one! Suetonius and Dio have a lot to answer for! The Flavian historian Brian Jones puts it this way - 'The fact that Domitian was the victim of a court plot does not imply the complicity of the entire court. On the contrary, other evidence suggests she (Domitia) was at least moderately fond of her husband.' The Emperor Domitian, p. 37.
Amazing score! Domitian looks like he has a scruffy beard on your coin. Mines just a provincial and then the Senate looking very much like a Flavian woman:
Excellent snare, @Orfew . Here is my only Domitia: Her hair style reminds me of a BUNCH OF GRAPES as featured on the Reverse... Maybe the reverse is a face-on view... RProv LYDIA. Philadelphia. Domitia, 82-96. 1/3 Assarion (Bronze, 16 mm), struck during the rule of her husband Domitian, under the magistrate Lagetas. ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑ ΑΥΓΟΥCΤΑ Draped bust of Domitia to right. Rev. EΠΙ ΛΑΓΕ ΦΛΑΒΙΩΝ ΦΙΛΑΔEΛΦEΩΝ Bunch of grapes on stem. BMC 64-65. RPC II 1336. SNG Copenhagen 379DOMITIA Comments: thick slate green patina, obv centered, rev sl off-ctr;
I only have a few of Domitia, but this is my favorite: Domitia. Augusta, AD 82-96. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.01 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Domitian, AD 82-83. Obv.: Draped bust, right; DOMITIA AVGVSTA IMP DOMIT Rev.: Infant on globe surrounded by 7 stars; DIVVS CAESAR IMP DOMITIANI F Diam.: 17.5 mm. Weight: 3.01 gr. Attrib.: RIC II 153 (Domitian). RSC 11. BMCRE 63 (Domitian). CNG 397 (17 May 2017), Lot 555. Numismatica Ars Classica 84 (20 May 2015), lot 1836. {Photo credit: CNG listing picture.} Some interesting symbolism is packed into that reverse.
Since I collect larger Roman portrait bronzes (sestertii and larger) Domitia is a truly tough nut to crack. I was extremely fortunate in 2007 (CNG Triton X) to get not only a Sestertius-size Domitia (Diasserion of Anazarbus, 19.8gm) -- but also a Medallion-size Domitia (Tetrassarion of Anazarbus, 42.9gm). Anazarbus is in what is now eastern Turkey, NE of Cyprus. In Roman days it was in the province of Cilicia.
I've just got this coin of Domitian. It was struck at Samaria and represents the event of Judaea Capta when the Romans achieved victory over Judaea. Reverse shows Athena helmeted and holding shield and spear. Trophy in left field. I could read Germanicus on the right legend of reverse. The coin weighs 9.83 g.
My only coin of Domitia's is the exact same type as @Roman Collector's: Domitian and Domitia, AE 22.7, 93/94 AD, Cilicia, Anazarbus. Obv. Laureate head of Domitian to right, AYTO KAI ΘΕ YI ΔOMITIANOC CE ΓEP around from upper right / Rev. Draped bust of Domitia left, date IB P (= Year 112, = 93/94 AD)* across fields, star behind head, KAICAPEΩN ΔOMETIA CEBACTH around from lower left. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. II 1749; RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/2/1749 ; SNG Levante 1367 [Levante, E., Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Switzerland I, Levante-Cilicia (Zurich, 1986)] (see https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=40245); BMC Vol. 21 Lycaonia, Anazarbus 9 p. 32 [Hill, G.F., A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Greek Coins of Lycaonia, Isauria, and Cilicia (London, 1900)]. 22.7 mm., 10.09 g. (Purchased from Zuzim Inc, Brooklyn, NY Jan. 2021; exported from Israel 2016 pursuant to IAA [Israel Antiquities Authority] Export License No. 531619, April 17, 2016.) (Double die-match to RPC II 1749, specimen no. 16; see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/2/1749.) *Year 1 of era was 19 BCE, date of founding of Anazarbus after visit of Augustus.
Thanks everyone for the kind comments, and for sharing all of those great coins. I hope that I will soon add a denarius for Domitia, but they are elusive and expensive.
My only Domitia Æ22 of Cadi, Phrygia. AD 70-83. ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, draped bust right ΚΑΔΟ-ΗΝΩΝ, filleted cult statue in the style of Artemis of Ephesos. RPC 1361 (this coin - shown as entry 18)
