TYPE Roman Empire, Julia Domna (193-217 AD), wife of Sept. Severus (193-211 AD), silver denarius
DESCRIPTION .
Obv: Draped bust of Julia to right; Latin legend: IVLIA AVGVSTA
Rev: Isis standing right, foot on prow, nursing infant Horus, legend SAECVLI FELICITAS
REFERENCE: SR 1849
GRADING: VF+, slightly rough
ORDER INFO: R1349, $50
A joyful and sanguine reverse (somewhat in contrast with the fratricidal and sanguineous reign of Julia's son Caracalla), declaring an "era of prosperity and happiness", symbolically underscored by the family values implicit in this maternal scene. Interesting in that the Egyptian deity Isis seldom appears on Roman Imperial coinage, and the present context is actually unique to this issue. An entirely different portrait (of a much younger woman) than another example of the same issue (R1348), this presumably from an Eastern mint.