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Titus Presents: Domitian Rides Again!


David Atherton

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Yesterday, one of my long sought after grail coins finally arrived! What a great week!

 

V418a.jpg.59cd20d4d7d2613a23e6e6cf13b8bddc.jpg

Titus as Caesar [Vespasian]

Æ Sestertius, 23.05g
Rome mint, 72 AD
Obv: T CAES VESPASIAN IMP PON TR POT COS II; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev:
CAESAR DOMITIAN COS DES II; S C in field; Domitian riding l., with sceptre
RIC 418 (R). BMC 628. BNC 615.
Acquired from Andrew Cichos, August 2022.

An early sestertius struck for Titus Caesar featuring a reverse of Domitian Caesar on horseback. The type was commonly struck for Domitian under Vespasian in silver and on the middle bronzes, rarely for the sestertii. It likely commemorates Domitian's role in Vespasian and Titus' joint Jewish War Triumph - 'while taking part in the Judaean triumph, he rode on a white horse' (Suetonius, Domitian, ii), this was the normal practice for a young prince on such occasions. One couldn't ask for better dynastic propaganda than to have Titus pay homage to his younger brother on his very own coinage! This type has always intrigued me because of the contemporary gossip surrounding the brother's negative attitude towards one another. Was this a deliberate attempt to counter those rumours? A double die match with the Paris specimen.

 

Here's an example of the same type on a denarius struck for Domitian Caesar the following year.

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Domitian as Caesar [Vespasian]

AR Denarius, 3.46g
Rome mint, 73 AD
Obv: CAES AVG F DOMIT COS II; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: No legend; Domitian on horse l.; r. hand raised, sceptre in l.
RIC 541 (R2). BMC 129 var. RSC 664. BNC 105 var.
Ex Gemini X, 13 January 2013, Harry N. Sneh Collection, lot 701. = Helios, ebay, 29 November 2010 (A. Lynn Collection).

 

And another on an as.

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Domitian as Caesar [Vespasian]

Æ As, 9.87g
Rome mint, 73-74 AD
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS II; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S C in field; Domitian riding l., r. hand raised, holding sceptre
RIC 672 (R). BMC 689. BNC 704.
Acquired from Kölner, April 2021.

 

Please post your coins demonstrating family loyalty.

Thanks for looking!

 

Edited by David Atherton
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Beautiful equestrian Flavians, David

              A coin featuring a rider on horseback always captures my imagination.

                           This is my one and only Roman equestrian coin.

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For years, I believed the urban legend about horse statues.

 

 

Edited by LONGINUS
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Congrats David! That is a sweet sestertius.

 

Here's a few paying homage to family. 

nicaea.jpg.ce8de8f388aa6f138bfc5f205906abd6.jpg

Bithynia, Nicaea. Valerian (253-260). AE26
Obv: ΠΟV ΛΙΚ ΟVΑΛΕΡΙΑΝΟC CEB / Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, raising hand and holding eagle-tipped sceptre over shoulder.
Rev: NIKAIEΩN / Gallienus and Valerian I facing each other in military dress, clasping hands and each holding a spear; Valerian II, togate, standing left, holding patera.

 

 

hieropolis.jpg.f6462f13024c7e901eea649d37bc5284.jpg

Cilicia, Hieropolis-Kastabala. Caracalla AE25. Julia Domna reverse
Obverse Legend : AVT K M AV ANTwNEINOC
Obverse Description : Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Reverse Legend : IOVΛIA ΔOMNA CEB
Reverse Description : Domna standing facing, head left, extending arm over lit alter.

 

 

philippiClaudius2_0.jpg.ba52bf8cbe2d4ee43ae4ad7654286c24.jpg

Macedonia, Philippi. Claudius AE28, 41-54. Tetrassarion.
Obv: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P / Bare head of Claudius to left.
Rev: COL AVG IVL PHILIP / Statues of Divus Julius and Augustus standing left on base inscribed DIVVS/AVG.
28.2 mm, 10.5 g

 

Antioch.jpg.7f48a810689cb41edbaeb614f7a36d93.jpg

Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch. Antoninus Pius with Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar AD 138-161.
Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ(Ϲ) ΤΙ(Τ) ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ(Ι) ΑΝΤⲰΝƐΙΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ ƐΥϹ(Ɛ); laureate head of Antoninus Pius, r.
Rev: ΥΡΗΛΙΟϹ ΚΑΙ(Ϲ) ϹƐΒ ƐΥϹƐ ΥΙΟϹ ΥΠ(Α) ΑΠΟ(Δ), S C (below, numeral letter Α, Ɛ or Η); bare-headed bust of Marcus Aurelius (youthful) wearing cuirass and paludamentum, l.

 

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