Domitian caesar, 69 – 81
Aureus 82-83, AV 19 mm, 7.74 g. IMP CAESAR DOMITIANVS AVG P M Laureate head of Domitian r. Rev. DOMITIA AVGVSTA IMP DOMIT Draped bust of Domitia r. C 58. BMC 210. RIC 210. CBN 58. Calicó 943b (this coin). Biaggi 443 (this coin). Extremely rare. Two superb portraits of high style struck in high relief. Insignificant area of weakness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine

Ex Hess 9 May 1951, Gotha, 88; Leu 22, 1979, 244; Rauch 82, 2008, 298; Künker143, 2008, 533 and NAC 38, 2007, 47 sales. From the Leo de Blasys collection.

This coin is illustrated in The Roman Aurei by X. E. Calicó.

Graded AU Strike 5/5 Surface 3/5, Fine Style, brushed, NCG certification number 6827744-004

Like the aurei depicting Divus Vespasian and Domitilla, this piece was issued by Domitian early in his reign to honour a royal lady of the Flavian dynasty. However, the two issues have a completely different flavour: the one of Vespasian and Domitilla honours the dead, and this one celebrates the living. In this case the portraits are Domitian himself and his wife Domitia, who at the time was alive and held the title of Augusta. That title had also been awarded to two other Flavian women, Domitian's deceased sister Domitilla and his niece Julia Titi, who in the future would succumb, tragically, to a romance with her uncle, only to consequently die of what seems to have been a botched abortion. Uncle and niece were already engaged in their love affair when this coin was struck, though their attachment remained hidden from the public until after Domitian divorced and banished his wife in about 83. Hence, this aureus was hardly a reflection of a blissful marriage, but rather an insincere representation of a royal marriage that was, at the moment of this coin's striking, on the brink of collapse.