Julia Domna A.D. 193-211
$155
NZNDA member
Julia Domna, AR Denarius A.D. 211-217, struck under Caracalla.
Obverse: Julia Domna draped bust to the right.
Legend: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG.
Reverse: Cybele standing facing head left, legs crossed, leaning on column and holding sceptre with left arm, holding out drum at waist level with right hand, lion at feet to left.
Legend: MATRI DEVM.
Mint: Rome.
Catalogue: RIC IV, Caracalla 382, B.M.C. 14, C.137.
Silver, 3.03g, 19mm.
Grade: Obverse gVF, reverse VF, there is a gauge on the obverse center.
Julia Domna was born at Emese in Syria, she came to Rome as a young woman and was married to Septimius Severus as his second wife in A.D. 173. In A.D. 188 she bore him a son, the future emperor Caracalla, and in the following year another son, Geta, who also became emperor.
She was a woman of brilliant intellect and Severus consulted her an matters of importance and was frequently guided by her counsels. In A.D. 217, after the muder of her son, Caracalla, she considered her position to be hopeless and she committed suicide by the voluntary abstinence fron food.
