The Roman Empire
Domitian


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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC MS Strike: 5/5 Surface: 4/5
Owner: Kohaku
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Roman Empire
Slot Name: Domitian
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Julia Maesa (165 – 224/5 AD) grew up in Emesa, capital of Syria province and religious center for the popular sun god, Elagabal; her father served as the high priest. Her Emesan clan, already prominent and wealthy, became much more so when her younger sister, Julia Domna, married Septimus Severus, who became Augustus in 193 AD. The Severan-Emesan dynasty ruled the Roman Empire for the next two dozen years, until the murder of Severus’ son Caracalla. However, the lineage now faced the possibility of oblivion. The only remaining male descendents were those falling under Julia Maesa’s branch of the family tree: her two grandsons, Elagabalus and Severus Alexander. Although Julia Maesa did not have quite the intellect of Julia Domna, she carried on her now-deceased younger sister’s shrewdness, prestige, and, most importantly, wealth. It was now Julia Maesa’s responsibility to regain the throne away from Caracalla’s successor, Macrinus. Making the job problematic, the Senate surprisingly confirmed the equestrian-born Mauretanianx, despite low-birth and a lack of political influence in Rome. Even so, Julia Maesa had a cunning plan: she presented to the troops her daughter, Julia Mamaea, and her elder grandson, Elagabalus, misleadingly naming him Caracalla’s (illegitimate) son. Making the story very persuasive was a promise to return to the days of Caracalla, including re-instatement of a rather large pay raise that Macrinus had rescinded in order to fund barbarian bribes. The scheme succeeded: in 218 AD, a Syrian Legion proclaimed Elagabalus as Augustus, and eliminated Marcinus. Julia Maesa was rewarded with the title Augusta avia Augusti, or Augusta, grandmother of Augustus. Denari, such as this one struck sometime between 218 and 222 AD, were issued in her honor. Her grandmotherly visage adorns the obverse, and on the verso Pudicitia sits on a throne, pulling at her veil and holding a scepter. Pudicitia epitomized the Roman concepts of modesty and sexual virtue, which seems an unusual numismatic selection for grandmother of the Augustus. No one could have been more contrarian to Pudicitia and the Roman values of modesty and sexual virtues than Julia Maesa’s elder grandson. Augustus Elagabalus immersed himself in constant, scandalous religious and sexual escapades (for more juicy details, see the discussion under Elagabalus’ denarius in this Ancients Custom Set); luckily for the Roman people, day-to-day governance was largely deferred to the women in the family. Perhaps the choice of Pudicitia for this coin was propaganda towards improving Elegabalus’ image, or distancing Julia Maesa from her grandsons’ antics. Concerned about her elder grandson’s performance (and longevity) as Augustus, Julia Maesa made sure her younger grandson, Severus Alexander, was next in line. She persuaded Elagabalus to name his cousin as heir, although the Emperor later changed his mind and tried to have Alexander murdered. Instead, the Praetorian Guards killed Elagabalus, and afterwards were content to proclaim Alexander as the next Augustus. Since her next grandson was now wearing the purple, Julia Maesa still held the title of Augusta avia Augusti. In fact, she was more involved in governance under Alexander’s reign than during Elagabalus’. For instance, she led the Consilium Principis, a council that basically made sure the Senate acted in the Emperor’s interests: no small task given her age and gender. Julia Maesa died during the early years of Alexander’s reign: long enough to confirm that her grandson successfully matured into an effective Augustus. She died with the satisfaction of regained glory for her Emesan clan, and personal memories of a life full of triumphs and tragedies. Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Julia Maesa, 218-224/5 AD, AR Denarius (3.25 g), Struck in Rome 218-222 AD, NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Obverse: Draped bust right, IVLIAMAESAAVG, Reverse: Pudicitia seated left, pulling veil and holding scepter, PVDICITIA, Reference: RIC 268 (Elagabalus), BMC 76 (Elagabalus), S 7756, C 36.

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