RIC 419 Domitian

Æ As, 12.13g
Rome mint, 85 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis
Rev: S C in field; Crossed pairs of shields, spears, and trumpets over vexillum
RIC 419 (R2). BMC -. BNC -.
Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, April 2022. Ex Stacks, April 2006.

In 85 AD Domitian's senatorial bronze mint began striking a series of Germania Capta types with various reverse designs to commemorate his recent victory over the Germanic Chatti. On the middle bronze there appears a type with crossed decorated shields and spears (captured Germanic arms) and trumpets(?) overlaid on a vexillum. Curiously, the 'trumpets' appear to look more like carynxes but are described in most of the literature concerning the type as simply (Roman?) trumpets. It would make sense if the trumpets in question were captured Germanic booty along with the spears and shields, perhaps the above coin bears that out. A rare 86 AD third issue variant of this reverse type missing from both the BM and Paris collections.