Ancient Stars
Roman Empire - Julia Domna
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
ANCIENT - ROMAN EMPIRE (1st CENT BC - 5th CENT AD) ROMAN EMPIRE Julia Domna, AD 193-217 |
| Item Description: |
AR Denarius The Morris Collection Laodicea |
| Full Grade: |
NGC AU |
| Owner: |
PAL Collection |
Owner Comments:
Provenance: The Morris Collection. Julia Domna was the second wife of Septimius Severus and mother of Caracalla and Geta. An intelligent, talented and beautiful woman, Julia Domna exercised great influence during her husband's reign and practically administered the empire for her sons. Julia was named "Augusta" in 193 AD and "mother of the army camps" in 195 AD. Domna committed suicide in 217 upon hearing of Caracalla's assassination in the course of his campaign against Parthia.
The reverse features Venus holding an apple that alludes to the judgement of Paris: Zeus held a banquet in celebration of a marriage but did not invite Eris, goddess of discord, due to her troublesome nature. After realizing she was uninvited, Eris threw a golden apple into the ceremony with the inscription, "for the fairest". 3 beautiful goddesses of Olympus (Venus/Aphrodite, Juno/Hera, & Minerva/Athena) competed for the prize by stripping naked. Zeus wanted to remain neutral so he told Paris to pick the winner. Paris gave the apple to Venus, in part becasue she promised him the love of the most beautiful girl on Earth, Helen of Troy. Subsequently, Paris stole Helen from Menelaus, the act that ignited the Trojan War.