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Aureus - Domitian IMP XIIII COS XIII CENS P P P, Minerva
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 87 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war and Domitian's divine patron, depicted standing right atop a rostral column adorned with a ship's prow, holding an upright spear in her right hand and a round shield in her left. A small owl, sacred attribute of Minerva, stands to the right at the base of the column. The composition reflects Domitian's particular veneration of Minerva, a recurring and distinctive type on his aurei and denarii. The reverse legend encircles the design along the beaded border, recording the emperor's imperial acclamations, consulships, and censorship. |
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| Additional information |
Domitian's censorship titles on this issue reflect his assumption of the post of censor perpetuus in 85 AD — a move that alarmed the Senate precisely because it gave him permanent control over membership of that body. The IMP XIIII acclamation dates this piece to 87, a year in which Domitian was aggressively managing his own titulature as part of a broader autocratic program that Suetonius and Pliny the Younger would later condemn in nearly identical terms.
The CENS P P P formula appears across a relatively tight chronological band in the RIC sequence, making precise die-study dating more reliable here than for many imperial gold issues.