The Roman Empire
Domitian


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Coin Details

  

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

Owner's Description

The early 16th century writings of Machiavelli describe Marcus Cocceius Nerva as first in a succession of “five good Roman Emperors,” even though his reign was short (only 15 months) and hampered by the fact he was chosen not by the army or the Roman people, but rather by the Senate. In fact, the Senate announced their decision the very same day Emperor Domitian was killed in a palace conspiracy involving Praetorian guards. Not only that, it was the very first time that the Senate had actually elected a Roman Emperor. The choice was logical given Nerva’s record. He had faithfully served Nero, playing a vital role in foiling an assassination plot. Nerva also held important responsibilities under the rule of both Vespasian and Domitian, including two terms as consul. As an experienced Roman administrator, Nerva had a clear vision of what he needed to accomplish in order to improve the situation in Rome and his public image. Nerva released and pardoned many political prisoners prosecuted under his predecessor. He also ensured that the wealth and properties confiscated by Domitian were returned to their rightful families. Nerva granted an extremely generous donativa to the Roman military, and also awarded a civil counterpart, called a congiarium. Various tax reformed were enacted, aimed at alleviating the burden for Rome’s poor, who were also granted land allotments worth many tens of millions of sesterces. To balance the decreased revenues, Nerva decreased spending, for example on state-sponsored religious events and other public galas. He forbade any money be spent on statues in his honor. Nerva was frugal on spending for civil projects; those supported were practical efforts, such as repair and expansion of Rome’s road system, aqueducts, and food storage facilities. The new Emperor also found additional sources of imperial income, notably by auctioning off Domitian’s vast estate. Notwithstanding these reasonable efforts, Nerva’s popularity was not guaranteed, especially among the military. The latter viewed it dangerous to have such a sickly, old, and overly benign Emperor in Rome, and they had a reasonable point. Not helping matters, Nerva had yet to identify a successor. One major point of contention was that the military, in particular the Praetorian guards, clamored for revenge of Domitian’s murder; Nerva refused, it was against his policy of absolution. Matters came to a head in late 97 AD when the Praetorians sieged the royal palace, essentially holding Nerva hostage, demanding the prosecution of his predecessor’s killers. Nerva had no choice but to submit to their demands. Furthermore, in a humiliating - but necessary - gesture to maintain the military’s loyalty, Nerva delivered a speech bestowing thanks and praise to his abductors. This denarius was struck shortly thereafter, among the last of Nerva' issues during his lifetime. Like much of Nerva’s coinage, the bust here is striking with its long, hooked nose and severe scowl, reminiscent of an old crone. No one recorded the engraver’s intent; in any case, the rendering is decidedly unflattering. The verso presents a more balanced motif – literally: Aequitas, the Roman embodiment of fairness (and a host of related concepts such as justice, equality, conformity, and symmetry) holding a cornucopia in one hand and a scale in the other. Considering Nerva’s reign, the imagery is appropriate. In spite of his balanced policies, Nerva's support was questionable, and he desperately needed to name an heir - a universally esteemed one - after the incident at the palace. To this end, Nerva announced Marcus Ulpius Traianus as his Caesar. The timing was fortunate, since Nerva died of natural causes only a few months later, at which time Trajan formally ascended the throne and deified his predecessor. The selection of Trajan proved wise: he become second in the list of good Emperors, perhaps even the greatest of all. Nerva’s choice of successor based on merit - rather than bloodline - was paid forward several more times, thus ensuring the rule of several more good Emperors. Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Nerva, 96-98 AD, AR Denarius (3.23 g), Struck 98 AD, Rome mint, NGC Grade: AU, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 4/5, Obverse: Laureate head right, IMP NERVA CAES AVG GERM P M (I?)TR P II, Reverse: Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae, IMP II COS IIII P P, Reference: RIC 44.

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