The Roman Empire
Domitian


Obverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC VF Strike: 5/5 Surface: 2/5
Grade Comment: smoothing
Owner: Kohaku
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Roman Empire
Slot Name: Domitian
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Unlike NGC’s Competitive Sets, those posted as Custom Sets are defined and subject to refinement by their owners’ inclinations. For this particular collection spanning the Roman Empire’s history, mind-boggling possibilities exist. Beyond the obvious candidates featuring various Emperors and Empresses are coins representing Rome’s usurpers, enemies and allies. The latter alone comprise a voluminous trove, reflecting Rome’s hegemony over the ancient Mediterranean. This ancient bronze, struck by King Rhescuporis I of Bosphorus, is a noteworthy example. Based on his impressively long name, Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis I Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes served as a pious friend to Caesar and Rome. Equally impressive was Rhescuporis’ ancestry, an amalgamation of Hellenistic, Persian, and Roman royal bloodlines. Rhescuporis inherited both his crown and Roman cognomens from his forebears. His great grandfather, Asander Philocaesar Philoromaios, was the first to be crowned as client King of Bosphorus by Octavian, later known as Augustus. Under uncertain circumstances, Rhescuporis’ father, Tiberius Julius Cotys I, was deposed by Emperor Nero in 63 AD. It is possible that Nero, who declared Bosphorus a Roman province, desired to directly control the realm’s growing power and regional influence. Since it connected the northern coastal Black Sea to the smaller Sea of Azov, Bosphorus formed an important trading nexus between the Hellenistic world and the Pontic-Caspian steppe. Although strategically located, Bosphorus was retuned to client state status by Nero’s successor, Emperor Galba, who may have been influenced by the lobbying of Rhescuporis’ mother, Queen Eunice. In any case, Rhescuporis now sat upon Bosphorus’ throne. Evidence for the regime reversion can be found on ancient coinage, including this rare ancient bronze. Instead of a typical royal bust, the coin's obverse depicts the full figure of Rhescuporis, wearing a paludementum (triumphal military cloak) that billows behind him. Even more striking, the King raises a menacing hand before a cringing figure that is simultaneously being trampled underfoot. Another pitiable figure cringes behind the King. A tropion, a monument commemorating military victory, completes the arresting scene. Reinforcing the theme, the coin’s reverse depicts Nike, holding a wreath in one hand and palm in the other. To the Greeks, Nike deified victory; the Romans referred to Her as Victoria. Collectively, the numismatic design suggests commemoration of a military victory by Rhescuporis. If so, the specific details remains uncertain, at least to the coin’s current owner. It is tempting to interpret the design as a defiant celebration of regained autonomy. For its time, such an explicitly violent numismatic depiction was relatively uncommon. Few examples exist for contemporaneous Roman coins bearing similarly violent imagery. As an early example, a horseman charges into an enemy on the verso of a Roman sestertius struck in 72 AD, during Titus’ reign as Caesar. Of course, violence was ubiquitous throughout Rome’s history, and gained popularity over time as a numismatic motif. Over the next several centuries, Rome’s coins increasingly featured Rome’s Emperors and soldiers trampling, spearing, dragging and otherwise maltreating their foes. Notable examples elsewhere in this NGC customs set include the fallen horseman motif on Constantinian dynasts’ coins, and the theme of Valentinian Emperors dragging a captive behind them. The violent imagery of Rhescuporis punishing his prisoners engraved upon this coin seemingly foreshadowed, if not inspired, such later Roman numismatic designs. Beyond basic details discussed herein such as ascension and succession, little else is known about Rhescuporis. From his numismatic portrayal on this coin, one imagines that he ruled with a strong hand. In any case, he upheld Bosphorus as a powerful and prosperous client kingdom until he passed the throne to his son Sauromates I around 90 AD. Based on coinage, Rhescuporis’ descendents ruled until late 4th century AD, gaining Bosphorus the distinction of the longest surviving Roman client kingdom. Alas, it is not within scope of this NGC Custom Set to represent all of Bosphorus’ Kings, not to mention the myriad rulers of Rome’s other interesting client kingdoms. Instead, this collection relies on worthy exemplification, providing serendipitous opportunities for historical contemplation. Coin Details: Kings of Bosphorus, Rhescuporis I, 86-91 AD, AE (23 mm, 8,72 g), NGC Grade: VF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, Obverse: Rhescuporis standing right, with foot on bound prisoner, a second prisoner behind and trophy before, TIBEPIOC IOYΛIOC BACIΛEYC PHCKOYΠOPIΔIC, Reverse: Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm branch, M-H denomination mark across fields, Reference: Mac Donald 360.

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