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Dupondius - Domitian COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC S C
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 88 |
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| Value | 1 Dupondius = 1/8 Denarius |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VIII CENS PER P P (Translation: Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate Octava, Censor Perpetuus, Pater Patriae. Supreme commander (Imperator), Caesar, Domitian, emperor (Augustus), conqueror of the Germans, high priest, holder of tribunician power for the eighth time, censor for life, father of the nation.) |
| Reverse description | A herald (praeco), depicted standing to the left and holding a round shield and a caduceus-like wand, stands before a column inscribed with the legend LVD SAEC FEC, commemorating Domitian's celebration of the Ludi Saeculares (Secular Games) of 88 AD. To the right of the composition stands a tripod incense burner (thymiaterion), referencing the sacrificial rites associated with the games. The scene is rendered in the flat, hieratic style typical of Flavian reverse types. The large senatorial authorisation mark S C appears in the field, flanking the composition, with the consular legend COS XIIII above. |
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| Additional information |
Issued in 88 AD to commemorate the Ludi Saeculares — the Secular Games — which Domitian staged that year despite the customary 110-year cycle not being due. He simply moved the date to suit himself, claiming a recalculated interval that conveniently fell within his reign. The games themselves were among the most elaborate of the imperial period, running for three days and nights with sacrifices, theatrical performances, and chariot races.
The COS XIIII dating anchors this piece precisely to 88 AD, Domitian's fourteenth consulship. After his assassination in 96 AD, damnatio memoriae was declared — but bronze coinage was rarely recalled, and many pieces survived untouched in provincial circulation.