Well Struck Didia Clara Sestertius

436, Lot: 603. Estimate $1500. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Didia Clara. Augusta, AD 193. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 23.03 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Didius Julianus, April-June AD 193. Draped bust right / Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm frond and cornucopia. RIC IV 20; Banti 1. VF, pleasant green patina with areas of red. Struck on a broad flan.

From a Bay Area collection. Ex Lanz 117 (24 November 2003), lot 841 (hammer €1,800).

Didia Clara was the daughter of Didius Julianus, who disgracefully 'purchased' the imperial throne in the infamous Auction of Empire by the Praetorians following their murder of Pertinax (March 28, 193 AD). The Senate had no choice but to ratify the coup d'etat and at the same time Didia Clara and her mother, Manlia Scantilla, were given the rank of Augusta, a most unusual step at the very outset of a reign. The beautiful Clara, a noted 'belle' of Roman Society during the reign of Commodus, was then given in marriage to Cornelius Repentinus, presumably Julianus' candidate for the eventual succession. However, the shaky regime was doomed to early extinction and little more than two months later Julianus was overthrown by a more powerful rival, the general Septimius Severus. When Severus took possession of the capital he granted an interview to Scantilla and Clara and agreed to their request that the remains of the late emperor should be deposited in his family tomb. However, both were stripped of their imperial rank and Clara lost her inheritance. They retired into private life and nothing further is known of them.