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Sestertius - Domitian ANNONA AVGVSTI S C, Annona and Ceres
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 85 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Sestertius = 1/4 Denarius |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Annona stands to the right, holding a cornucopiae in her left arm, facing the seated figure of Ceres at left, who holds corn-ears and a torch as attributes of fertility and plenty. In the lower field, a modius (grain measure) is set upon an altar, with a ship's prow visible behind, referencing Rome's maritime grain supply. The composition is a classic Flavian allegorical scene celebrating the imperial grain dole and abundance. The exergual area and field carry the senatorial authorization mark S C (Senatus Consultum), flanking the reverse type as was standard on bronze imperial coinage. |
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| Mintage | ND (85) |
| Additional information |
Domitian's ANNONA AVGVSTI bronzes from 85 AD reflect his administration's genuine preoccupation with grain supply security — not merely as propaganda, but as practical policy. The annona system under the Flavians had grown into a substantial bureaucratic apparatus following the disruptions of the civil wars of 69 AD and the eruption of Vesuvius in 79, which destroyed productive agricultural land in Campania and strained Rome's supply chains for years afterward.
RIC II.1 #350 falls within Domitian's early principate issues, before the increasingly autocratic tone of his later coinage.