RIC 650 Domitian

Æ As, 8.53g
Rome mint, 88-89 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIIII CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI; S C in field; Virtus stg. r., foot on helmet, with spear and parazonium
RIC 650 (C). BMC 417. BNC 454.
Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, January 2022.

The Virtus type was struck repeatedly on Domitian's middle bronzes from 84 onwards. I. Carradice in his 1983 monograph on Domitian's coinage says the following concerning the type - 'Virtus is a military type, symbolic of the courage of Domitian and the mutual devotion between the army and emperor.' Virtus first appears on the coinage in the flurry of Germania Capta types that were struck soon after Domitian's German triumph.

File information
Filename:	D650.jpg
Album name:	David Atherton / 3. The Reign of Domitian - Imperial Coins
Filesize:	343 KiB
Date added:	Jan 20, 2022
Dimensions:	900 x 408 pixels
Displayed:	18 times
URL:	https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=174169
Favorites:	Add to Favorites