RIC 536 Domitian

Æ Dupondius, 10.13g
Rome mint, 87 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIII CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, radiate, bearded, r., with aegis
Rev: FORTVNAE AVGVSTI; S C in field; Fortuna stg. l., with rudder and cornucopiae
RIC 536 (R). BMC 397. BNC 427.
Acquired from CGB.fr, August 2021.

This common Fortuna type was repeatedly struck throughout Domitian's reign on his middle bronze. She also fleetingly showed up on the denarius in 82. Mattingly calls this Fortuna 'the special Fortuna that watches over the imperial office'. Suetonius writes that near the end of Domitian's reign on 1 January 96 'The Fortuna of Praeneste, which throughout the whole time he was emperor had habitually given him a happy and virtually the same answer to him whenever he entrusted the new year to her care, finally gave a most gloomy answer - and not without the mention of blood.' The COS XIII variant with aegis portrait is quite rare.