Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus.
Aureus circa 196-211, AV 7.26 g. IVLIA – AVGVSTA Draped bust r. Rev. MATRI – CASTRO – RVM Julia Domna, sacrificing out of patera in r. hand over altar and holding a box of incense in l. hand; in l. field, two standards. C –. BMC S. Severus 56. RIC S. Severus 567. Calicó 2631 (this obverse die). Extremely rare, only very specimens known. A magnificent portrait and an interesting reverse type. Extremely fine In AD 187, Septimius Severus is said to have sought out and married Julia Domna in response to an oracle that foretold his future rise to imperial power. At the time, he was a commander in the Roman army and she was the daughter of one of the hereditary priests of Elagabal, the sun god of Emesa. She had a warm relationship with her husband, giving birth to their two sons, L. Septimius Bassianus (popularly known as Caracalla) and P. Septimius Geta, and regularly following Severus on his various military campaigns. She was with him even during the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors (AD 193), which ended with Severus assuming power in Rome as the new Emperor. Julia Domna received the title of Augusta at the same time that Severus became Augustus and in AD 195 she was honored as mater castrorum ("Mother of the Camps") in recognition of her frequent presence with Severus in the field. This extremely rare aureus features a beautiful obverse portrait of Julia Domna in her role as Augusta and a reverse type celebrating her status as the Mother of the Camps. She stands offering a sacrifice over an altar erected before two legionary signa. To soldiers, the standards of their maniples and legions were sacred objects associated with the imperial cult and as such regularly received worship in special chapels erected in the military camps. Thus, the reverse type of the present coin serves to advertise Domna as having a deep respect for the traditions and customs of the legions, something that no doubt contributed to her appellation as mater castrorum. Unfortunately, the job of any mother is a tough one and Julia Domna's was especially tough. While she was respected as the Mother of the Camps, her influence over her sons only went so far. Caracalla and Geta had grown to hate each other through the disparity of power allotted to them by their father. While Severus lived, she was able to hold the family together, but after his death in AD 211, everything fell apart. Before the end of that year, she found herself cradling a bloody Geta in her arms, murdered by his own brother. She went on to serve in the imperial chancery under Caracalla, but after he was assassinated in AD 217 she took her own life in despair.

Graded MS Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5, NGC certification number 6030744-007.