| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 466 Price realized: 4,400 GBP (Approx. 5,574 USD / 5,132 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Didius Julianus Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 193. IMP CAES M DID SEVER IVLIAN AVG, laureate head to right / RECTOR ORBIS, emperor standing facing, head to left, holding globe and scroll; S-C across fields. RIC IV 16; C. 17; Banti 6; BMCRE 28. 21.59g, 29mm, 11h. Good Very Fine; very well preserved for the type. Ex Heritage World Coin Auctions, NYINC Signature Sale 3071, 6 January 2019, lot 32145 (hammer: USD 6,000); Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG, Auction 66, 22 November 1984, lot 679; Ex John Work Garrett Collection Part I, Bank Leu - Numismatic Fine Arts, 16 May 1984, lot 642. The previous Emperor Pertinax having been murdered after just three months in the imperial palace, Didius Julianus was raised to the purple in a shameful episode, where the sources record, the empire was 'auctioned' to the highest bidder by the Praetorian Guard. In fear of what troubles Julianus and the Praetorians could create if challenged, the senate were forced to submit to his rule and ratify his elevation to the throne, whilst at the same time bestowing honorific titles on his wife and daughter, Manlia Scantilla and Didia Clara. Cassius Dio relates that "The next day we [the Senators] went up to pay our respects to him, moulding our faces, so to speak, and posturing, so that our grief should not be detected. The populace, however, went about openly with sullen looks, spoke its mind as much as it pleased, and was getting ready to do anything it could. Finally, when he came to the senate-house and was about to sacrifice to Janus before the entrance, all fell to shouting, as if by preconcerted arrangement, calling him stealer of the empire and parricide" (LXXIV, 13, 2-3). However, Julianus' time in the palace was to be limited by the challenges of three provincial governors, all of whom laid claim to the imperial throne. Pescennius Niger in Syria, Clodius Albinus in Britain and Septimius Severus in Upper Pannonia all had themselves acclaimed emperor, Cassius Dio relating that it was the populace of the city that had first called for Niger to come to their aid. As the closest to Italy, Severus had the advantage and marched toward Rome, the spectre of his approaching army being enough to further weaken Julianus' grip on power so that the Senate were able to condemn him to death and appoint Severus in his place. Seen in the knowledge of Julianus' demise, the reverse type of the present piece featuring Fortuna is then somewhat ironic. The goddess of fortune and personification of luck in Roman religion, her depiction on the coinage would involved the goddess' blessing for the both emperor and empire; however she was as equally dedicated to ensuring life's capriciousness, as it must quickly have become apparent to Julianus. Estimate: 4000 GBP |  |
Match 1:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 465 Price realized: 1,000 GBP (Approx. 1,267 USD / 1,166 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Didius Julianus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 193. IMP CAES M DID IVLIAN AVG, laureate head to right / RECTOR ORBIS, emperor standing facing, head to left, holding globe and roll. RIC IV 3; BMCRE 7-8; RSC 15. 3.03g, 18mm, 6h. Good Very Fine. Estimate: 750 GBP |  |
Match 2:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 119 | Auction date: 24 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 1441 Price realized: 1,400 GBP (Approx. 1,741 USD / 1,629 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Didius Julianus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 193. IMP CAES M DID IVLIAN AVG, laureate head to right / RECTOR ORBIS, emperor standing facing, head to left, holding globe and roll. RIC IV 3; BMCRE 7-8; RSC 15. 3.17g, 19mm, 12h. Good Very Fine. Ex Salton Collection (Part IV), Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 377, 20 October 2022, lot 5903. Estimate: 1000 GBP |  |
Match 3:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 118 | Auction date: 8 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 1337 Price realized: 650 GBP (Approx. 822 USD / 757 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Didius Julianus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 193. IMP CAES M DID IVLIAN AVG, laureate head to right / CONCORD MILIT, Concordia standing facing, head to left, holding aquila and vexillum. RIC IV 1; BMCRE 2; RSC 2. 2.58g, 18mm, 1h. Very Fine. Acquired from Numismatik Lanz, 2018. Estimate: 500 GBP |  |
Match 4:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 116 | Auction date: 18 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 855 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: Severus Alexander Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 223. IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / [PROVI]DENTIA DEO[RVM], Providentia standing to left leaning on column, holding wand over globe and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC IV 597; C.515; BMCRE 141. 20.27g, 30mm, 11h. Near Very Fine. Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 104, 15 December 2022, lot 1089; Purchased from Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, September 2009. Estimate: 40 GBP |  |
Match 5:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 119 | Auction date: 24 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 1488 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: Severus Alexander Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 223. IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / [PROVI]DENTIA DEO[RVM], Providentia standing to left leaning on column, holding wand over globe and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC IV 597; C.515; BMCRE 141. 20.27g, 30mm, 11h. Near Very Fine. Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 104, 15 December 2022, lot 1089; Purchased from Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, September 2009. Estimate: 25 GBP |  |
