| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 143 | Auction date: 7 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 505 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: The Dioscuri Collection. The Roman Empire. Diva Domitilla, wife of Vespasian. Denarius 82-83, AR 19 mm, 3.58 g. DIVA DOMITILLA AVGVSTA Draped bust r., hair in long plait at back. Rev. FORTVNA – AVGVST Fortuna standing l., holding rudder and cornucopiae. C 3. BMC Titus 137. RIC Domitian 157. CBN Titus 102. Very rare. A very attractive portrait and with a delightful iridescent tone, extremely fine Ex Rauch sale 73, 2004, 594; NAC 64, 2012, 1143 and NAC 84, 2015, 950 sales. Coinage in the name of Domitilla has long been a source of confusion, for the denarii and aurei bear portraits with the designation DIVA, and the sestertii, which are dated to the sole reign of Titus, have no portrait and no indication that the lady they honour was deified. The obvious conclusion is that they are separate coinages that presumably honour different women. Fortunately two candidates are known, Vespasian's wife Flavia Domitilla and their daughter, who bore the same name. Both women died before Vespasian became emperor in 69, an appropriate circumstance for the memorial in nature of these coinages. Titus sestertii for his mother, the elder Domitilla, are inscribed MEMORIAE DOMITILLAE SPQR and show a carpentum drawn by mules. Metrological study by Carradice has shown that the aurei and denarii of the deified Domitilla were struck by Domitian sometime after his monetary reform of 82. This conclusion is reinforced by their portraits, which incorporate the features of Domitian (as can clearly be observed on the coin offered here). Despite having died before her family came to rule the empire, the younger Domitilla had at least one daughter who, rather inconveniently, bore the same name as her mother and grandmother, and who is thus called Domitilla III. This young woman eventually married Flavius Clemens, a grandson of Vespasian's brother Flavius Sabinus. The royal couple had several children of their own, though coins were struck for only one of them, the unfortunate Vespasian Junior, who eventually was murdered by Domitian Estimate: 7500 CHF |  |
