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Denarius - Domitian COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 88 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | A herald (haruspex or ceremonial figure) depicted advancing to the left in full stride, wearing a crested helmet and a long draped garment. The figure carries a large round shield on the left arm and holds a herald's wand (caduceus or staff) upright in the right hand, alluding to Domitian's role as organiser of the Secular Games of AD 88. The legend is divided across the field to either side of the central figure. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The legend COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC places this denarius squarely within Domitian's Ludi Saeculares of 88 AD — the great centennial games he staged to reset Rome's secular calendar and assert dynastic legitimacy. The games ran for three days and nights of continuous sacrifice and theatrical performance, deliberately echoing Augustus's celebration of 17 BC. Domitian's decision to hold them early, roughly a decade ahead of the traditional cycle, was itself a political act: he was rewriting the Augustan clock with himself at its center.
The RIC II.1 revision by Carradice and Buttrey substantially reorganized Domitian's coinage, and #598 sits in a dense cluster of issues all tied to this single event.