Normally I like to savour my new coins one at a time giving each one its own special spotlight. However, I recently purchased two denarii that are so closely related to each other that it only makes sense to present them together. Both are very rare PONT denarii struck for Domitian within his first few months as emperor. Domitian AR Denarius, 3.23g Rome mint, 81 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P; Altar, garlanded and lighted RIC 41 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -. Ex Private Collection, July 2020. An early pulvinar PONT denarius struck towards the end of 81. The reverse is a carry-over type from Titus's pulvinar issue struck to commemorate the opening games of the Colosseum. The second coin is from the same issue as the above denarius but with a slightly different obverse legend. Domitian AR Denarius, 3.22g Rome mint, 81 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P; Curule chair, wreath above RIC 46 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -. Ex Private Collection, July 2020. This is another PONT denarius but with the legend variant of DOMITIANVS fully spelled out. The reverse features another pulvinar type carried-over from Titus's last denarius issue struck in celebration of the Colosseum's dedication. It possibly represents the pulvinar of Divus Vespasian, honouring his labours in building the structure. The abbreviation PONT for Ponitfex Maximus must have come early in the sequence of titles Domitian employed on his denarii and likely was short lived if its rarity is any indication. The records of the Arval brothers do not show Domitian as Pontifex Maximus by 30 October, so presumably he acquired the title in either November or December. Historically, PONT did not stand for Pontifex Maximus under Augustus, but did so under Nero (PONT was used after Nero was already Pontifex Maximus, BMC 9). It is possible Domitian followed Nero's example and used PONT as an abbreviation for Pontifex Maximus. Conversely, it is also possible he followed in Augustus' footsteps and used the temporary title PONT until the ceremony electing him to the position was completed. We simply do not know. Curtis Clay wrote this concerning the PONT conundrum: 'As to interpretation, I don't doubt that PONT on the denarii means that Domitian had not yet been elected Pontifex Maximus. Carradice was in error to think that Nero's bronzes sometimes have just PONT at a time when the emperor was certainly already Pontifex Maximus: those obv. dies with PONT were meant to go with reverses continuing MAX etc., and it was just sloppy work by the mint when a PONT obv. was coupled with a rev. not beginning MAX.' Some have argued that PONT is the same as PM, I disagree. Titus as Caesar early on had also used the title PONT on his coinage and he was certainly never Pontifex Maximus under Vespasian - only the emperor can be Pontifex Maximus or greatest priest! Do you have a coin with PONT in the legend? I would like to see it.
GETA AR Denarius OBVERSE: GETA CAES PONT COS, draped bust right REVERSE: VOTA PVBLICA, Geta standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod & holding roll Struck at Rome, 205 AD 3.18g, 18mm RIC IV 38b
Congrats, @David Atherton ! Very nice scores! Tough time to see my PONT, as it is barely touching the reverse of my Vitellius, but it is there... RI Vitellius 69 CE AR Denarius PONT MAXIM Vesta Seated RI Tiberius AE As 14-37 CE Laureate-PONT MAX Globe Rudder sinister left RIC I 58
I find it hard to accept a ruler allowing PONT when he was entitled to PM. My coins are Severan. Many spell out Pontif. This one Caracalla has PON shortened to make room for PARTH MAX. I do not have a coin with PONTIF that I believe was struck after Septimius died and before Geta was killed. That would be Caracalla TRP XIIII with PM or Geta TRP III with Pontif. This Geta as Augustus has PONT but is before 211. Sole reign Caracalla show PM.
Nice acquisitions! I too have been collecting PONT denarii of Domitian for decades. I am a litttle mystified, however, that you can quote my explanation of this title, repeated below, yet still consider the question undecided. PONT cannot mean PONT MAX, because the supposed parallel of Nero is invalid: Nero's PONT only obv. dies were obviously meant to be coupled only with rev. legends beginning MAX. Ian Carradice immediately accepted this objection of mine when I brought it up in private correspondence, which is why there is no mention of the supposed Nero parallel in his and Buttrey's new edition of the Flavian RIC volume. Curtis Clay wrote this concerning the PONT conundrum: 'As to interpretation, I don't doubt that PONT on the denarii means that Domitian had not yet been elected Pontifex Maximus. Carradice was in error to think that Nero's bronzes sometimes have just PONT at a time when the emperor was certainly already Pontifex Maximus: those obv. dies with PONT were meant to go with reverses continuing MAX etc., and it was just sloppy work by the mint when a PONT obv. was coupled with a rev. not beginning MAX.'
@David Atherton....Nice pick ups!... I only have one PONT coin...Geta with dreadlocks! Geta, as Caesar, AR Denarius. Rome, AD 203-208.( Minted AD 205 ) Ob- GETA CAES PONT COS, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev- VOTA PVBLICA, Geta standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod & holding roll. RIC 38b. 3.57g, 14mm, 7h.
Nice catch(es?) David. I'll leave your question to the experts however, I have nothing to add to it... Triggered by your post and question, I checked my coins. I haven't really paid attention to this before. My '12 Caesars' coins show the abbrevation PONT, but followed by MAX or MAXIM. Another example is PONTIF followed my MAXIM. All of the adoptive-emperor coins I have (30 in total) lack PONT, or PONTIF. The PM is used of course. Then the 'Severan dynasty' coins: it goes without explanation that the title PONT is used for Geta and Caracalla, as shown by @dougsmit above. I won't repeat that.
I think PONT or Pontif means a Roman priest, there were between 3 and as many of 16 of these Roman priests , the emperor was head of these priests the PONTIF MAXIMUS
I of course agreed with your interpretation for the use of PONT in my final conclusion above. I was just presenting what Carradice wrote in his 1983 monograph and was ignorant of the fact that he later agreed as well.
Wonderful and enviable acquisitions David. I just love these PONT denarii. With you and Curtis both looking for them the competition can be tough. Here are a few of mine. RIC 73 RIC 21 Ex David Atherton and Harry Sneh RIC 34 Ex David Atherton and Harry Sneh RIC 29 RIC 40 RIC 68
