Sale: Nomos 2, Lot: 182. Estimate CHF10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 17 May 2010.  Sold For CHF19500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Domitia. Augusta, AD 82-96. Denarius (Silver, 3.57 g 6), Rome, 82-83. DOMITIA AVGVSTA IMP DOMIT Draped bust of Domitia to right, wearing pearl necklace and with her hair piled up over her forehead and in a long braid falling down the back of her neck. Rev. CONCORDIA AVGVST Peacock walking right. BMC 61. BN 65-68. RIC 151. Rare. A superb piece, beautifully preserved and well struck. Good extremely fine.

Domitia Longina, the youngest daughter of the great Roman general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, was born c. 50-55, and was a remote descendant of Augustus through her mother. Her father was forced to commit suicide in connection with a plot against Nero in 67. The family survived and in 71 she met Domitian and fell in love with him: they married after she divorced her first husband. In 73 they had a son who died in childhood at some point before 81. Domitian and Domitia separated in 83, but they reconciled shortly thereafter and remained together until his assassination in 96. After the murder she went into honorable retirement and lived on well into reign of Hadrian, dying c. 130.