A Usurper in Alexandria
Domitius Domitianus was a usurper in Egypt during the
reign of Diocletian. Not much is actually known about
this rebellion, even the date is disputed, though RIC
gives A.D. 295- 296. Other dates include 296- 297 and
297- 298. There has also been speculation that the
rebellion was due in part to the monetary reforms of
Diocletian.
Due to the short rule of this usurper, his coins are rare and expensive; but one can also get coins struck by Domitianus for the members of the tetrarchy. He actually struck coins in the names of all the rulers at the time-- Diocletian, Maximianus, Constantius I and Galerius [RIC VI Alexandria 18- 21] most likely in an attempt to gain favor and demonstrate that he was not actually rebelling...which did not work.
It is easier to find coins of Domitianus online than those he issued in the names of the Tetrarchy, in part due to the fact that coins he issued for other rulers are often not attributed to him. Though RIC rates them as common, they seem a bit rarer.
These GENIO POPVLI ROMANI have an eagle to the left of Genio and the workshop (three in use at the time-- A B and Γ) is in the right field. Besides the eagle, the left field is empty; while the scarce first issue after the defeat of Domitius has a ✶ over eagle in the left field...maybe after Diocletian retook the city, the old dies were used with the addition over the eagle. Sometimes liquid flows from the patera. Though RIC states the eagles has a wreath in its beak, it is often not there, or so lightly engraved that it is not apparent.
Strangely, Domitius is not mentioned in any literary source of the time though he is mentioned is some papyri; but Aurelius Achilleus was written about. Aurelius may have been the corrector, perhaps even commander of the troops for Domitius and possibly even took over leadership after the death of Domitius. If not for the coinage, the name Domitius Domitianus would probably only be little more than a footnote, instead he is still stirring debate and argument (a little) and his name will be remembered-- a usurper who claimed the purple, and for a bit, an Emperor in Alexandria.
Due to the short rule of this usurper, his coins are rare and expensive; but one can also get coins struck by Domitianus for the members of the tetrarchy. He actually struck coins in the names of all the rulers at the time-- Diocletian, Maximianus, Constantius I and Galerius [RIC VI Alexandria 18- 21] most likely in an attempt to gain favor and demonstrate that he was not actually rebelling...which did not work.
It is easier to find coins of Domitianus online than those he issued in the names of the Tetrarchy, in part due to the fact that coins he issued for other rulers are often not attributed to him. Though RIC rates them as common, they seem a bit rarer.
These GENIO POPVLI ROMANI have an eagle to the left of Genio and the workshop (three in use at the time-- A B and Γ) is in the right field. Besides the eagle, the left field is empty; while the scarce first issue after the defeat of Domitius has a ✶ over eagle in the left field...maybe after Diocletian retook the city, the old dies were used with the addition over the eagle. Sometimes liquid flows from the patera. Though RIC states the eagles has a wreath in its beak, it is often not there, or so lightly engraved that it is not apparent.
Strangely, Domitius is not mentioned in any literary source of the time though he is mentioned is some papyri; but Aurelius Achilleus was written about. Aurelius may have been the corrector, perhaps even commander of the troops for Domitius and possibly even took over leadership after the death of Domitius. If not for the coinage, the name Domitius Domitianus would probably only be little more than a footnote, instead he is still stirring debate and argument (a little) and his name will be remembered-- a usurper who claimed the purple, and for a bit, an Emperor in Alexandria.
Diocletian
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Diocletian A.D. 295- 296 26mm 9.2g IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; Γ in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 18a |
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| Diocletian A.D. 295- 296 Ӕ follis 25mm 9.6g IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; Γ in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 18a |
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Maximianus
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Maximianus A.D. 295- 296 25x26mm 10.2g IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; A in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 18b |
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Maximianus |
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| Maximianus A.D. 295- 296 24x26mm 10.2g IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; B in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 18b |
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| Maximianus A.D. 295- 296 26mm 9.4g IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; Γ in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 18b |
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Domitius
Domitianus |
Domitius Domitianus A.D. 295- 296 24mm 10.8g IMP C L DOMITIVS DOMITIANVS AVG; laureate head right. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle to left; A in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 20 |
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Constantius
I
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Constantius I A.D. 295- 296 26mm 11.7gm FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; B in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 21a |
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Galerius
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Galerius A.D. 295-296 24mm 9.5g GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES; laureate head right. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; A in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 21b |
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| Galerius A.D. 295-296 26mm 8.6g GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES; laureate head right. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, eagle at feet to left; B in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 21b |
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modified on 13 Jan 2023