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Kallista Auction 1 3 Oct 2024
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ROMAN EMPIRE. Domitian (Caesar).
Gold Aureus, AD 77-78. Rome.
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS, laureate head right. Rev: she-wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; COS V above; boat in exergue.
Extremely Fine; highly attractive reddish tone.
Coins from the Flavian dynasty featured Romulus and Remus as a key element in their strategy to celebrate and legitimise their rule by connecting themselves to Rome’s legendary origins. During Vespasian’s reign (AD 69-79), two notable examples include the present gold issue and a denarius (RIC II.1 961), both struck for Domitian. These coins depict the twins suckling from the she-wolf, reflecting earlier Republican designs, such as the denarii of Sextus Pompeius Fostlus (Crawford 235/1c). In the same year (77-78) another aureus with a similar theme was struck for Titus, this time featuring the she-wolf and twins alongside the seated figure of Roma (RIC II.1 954). The use of this mythological imagery extended beyond the Flavian dynasty, with Hadrian continuing this tradition by including the twins on some of his issues (e.g. RIC II.3 708).
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 135 (21/11/2022), lot 282 (hammer: CHF 22,000).
Reference: RIC II.1-960 (Vespasian); BMCRE-237 (Vespasian); Calicó-820a.
Die Axis: 6h.
Diameter: 20 mm.
Weight: 7.27 g.
Estimate: 26000 GBP
Gold Aureus, AD 77-78. Rome.
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS, laureate head right. Rev: she-wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; COS V above; boat in exergue.
Extremely Fine; highly attractive reddish tone.
Coins from the Flavian dynasty featured Romulus and Remus as a key element in their strategy to celebrate and legitimise their rule by connecting themselves to Rome’s legendary origins. During Vespasian’s reign (AD 69-79), two notable examples include the present gold issue and a denarius (RIC II.1 961), both struck for Domitian. These coins depict the twins suckling from the she-wolf, reflecting earlier Republican designs, such as the denarii of Sextus Pompeius Fostlus (Crawford 235/1c). In the same year (77-78) another aureus with a similar theme was struck for Titus, this time featuring the she-wolf and twins alongside the seated figure of Roma (RIC II.1 954). The use of this mythological imagery extended beyond the Flavian dynasty, with Hadrian continuing this tradition by including the twins on some of his issues (e.g. RIC II.3 708).
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 135 (21/11/2022), lot 282 (hammer: CHF 22,000).
Reference: RIC II.1-960 (Vespasian); BMCRE-237 (Vespasian); Calicó-820a.
Die Axis: 6h.
Diameter: 20 mm.
Weight: 7.27 g.
Estimate: 26000 GBP