Domitian
Æ Sestertius, 23.80g
Rome mint, 85 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, r., with aegis
Rev: S C in field; Domitian stg. l., with spear; to l., German captive, kneeling r., presenting shield
RIC 357 (C). BMC 337. BNC 358.
Acquired from Ampex, eBay, April 2020.
In 85 AD Domitian’s moneyers struck an impressive issue of sestertii, M. Grant hyperbolically called it the most ‘ambitious’ of any one reign or year. The series is the first major aes issue of Domitian’s reign and is dominated by panoramic types commemorating his military victory over the Germanic tribe the Chatti. The details of the war are unclear, but the overall impression is that the conflict was a minor affair blown out of proportion by an emperor eager for military glory. Although this coin with a heroic Domitian standing over a defeated captive lacks a reverse inscription, the image is powerful enough to convey the propaganda message of power and might combined with clemency without one. The type is fairly common and was struck into early 86 with the addition of a broken spear in the exergue.
The iconography of a large all powerful ruler lording over a smaller foe is a familiar one in the ancient world. It can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt’s imperial heyday under Ramesses II ((1279-1213 BC). Here is a relief depicting kneeling captives at Abu Simbel that isn’t all that different than the one shown on the coin.
And the Pharaoh is always shown much larger than the defeated foe.
Domitian’s moneyers knew exactly what they were doing.
Flavian Fanatic 