The Denarius of Julia Domna coin shown below was minted under Septimus Severus of the imperial Roman Empire. It is estimated to have been minted sometime between the dates 196-211 C.E. in Turkey, Laodicea. The coin is made of silver and measures 18 millimeters across and weighs a total of 3.238 grams. Julia Dmona is depicted on the obverse side of the coin with an inscription reading “IVLIA AVGVSTA” which translates to “Julia Augusta”, Augusta being a title she earned as the emperor’s wife. The reverse side depicts the goddess Isis holding the god Horus. The goddess Isis is an Egyptian deity who symbolizes magic, healing, and fertility, all of which were values that Julia Domna aimed to promote. The fact that these two deities are Egyptian likely speaks to the fact that this coin was used as a part of the colonization of Laodicea. It was a common tactic among both the Roman empire and the Athenian empire to co-opt local religious figures of the lands they colonized in order to decree their validity of rule.
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