EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ Drachm (33mm, 22.50 g, 11h). Dated RY 15 (AD 95/6). Good Fine.

Electronic Auction 561
Lot: 498.
Closing Date: May 1 2024 10:00 ET

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Estimate: $ 200

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EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ Drachm (33mm, 22.50 g, 11h). Dated RY 15 (AD 95/6). Laureate head right / Triumphal arch with three bays between columns, two windows above; roof surmounted by statuary group of Domitian driving horses between trophies; L IE (date) across field. Köln 415-6; Dattari (Savio) 544; K&G 24.238; RPC II 2728; Emmett 257.15. Brown patina, roughness, some pitting and delamination flaws. Good Fine. Very rare.

Purchased from Malter Galleries.

While often assumed to depict a local Egyptian monument, Fred Kleiner (“An arch of Domitian in Rome on coins of Alexandria,” NC 1989, pp. 69-81) has convincingly argued that the arch was erected elsewhere, almost certainly in the capital, to commemorate Domitian’s victories in Germany. Indeed, Suetonius (Dom. 13.2) records that the emperor erected so many arci – Latin for arches – in Rome that a Greek punster wrote on one of them ἀρκεῖ (enough).

It is also interesting to note that the production of Aes denominations finally started to increase at the Alexandrian mint during the reign of Domitian, and at the expense of the billon production.

Closing Date and Time: 1 May 2024 at 12:45:40 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.