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Sestertius - Domitian S C
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 85 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Three standing figures depicted in an adlocutio or congiarium scene: a togate figure at left, likely Domitian or a prefect, clasps hands with or presents something to a central standing figure, while a third figure stands to the right, possibly a lictor or attendant. A modius or small altar appears between the central figures at ground level. The composition is rendered in relatively flat relief with the legend S C (Senatus Consultum) prominently placed in the lower exergue, flanking the central group, affirming senatorial authorization of the bronze coinage. |
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| Mintage | ND (85) |
| Additional information |
Domitian's 85 AD sestertii were produced at a moment when the emperor was actively restructuring the Roman coinage system, having raised the silver fineness of the denarius the previous year — a reform that lasted only until fiscal pressures from the Danubian wars forced a retreat. The orichalcum alloy of the sestertius was itself a Augustan-era innovation, maintained for prestige rather than economy, and Domitian understood its monumental value in a large-flan format suited to elaborate portraiture and political messaging.
RIC II.1 359 belongs to the fourth emission of Domitian's reign, assigned to the Rome mint under the revised RIC second edition scholarship of Carradice and Buttrey.