ROMAN EMPIRE, Domitian, Denarius

Silver denarius, 18mm, 3.3g, Rome shortly before 13 September 96 A.D.

IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XV laureate head right
IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P, Maia wearing winged hat, advancing left holdingcaduceus and dove; RIC 196, RSC 295

A most interesting coin, with a reverse that belongs to what would have become a major reform. Besides this type, Domitian introduced the "Minerva Victrix", the "altar" reverse and the "Domitian in military dress" reverse which is known from an unique coin. So far Maia was simply noted as "unknown woman", but recently, Prof. T.V. Buttrey properly identified her as Maia, the mother of Hermes, in his article that will appear this year in the Journal of Roman Archeology. From the few recorded specimens (less than ten, all struck with the same reverse die) this is most likely the finest.