Julia Soaemias, Denarius, silver, reign 218–222, minted 218–222

Julia Soaemias, Denarius, silver, reign 218–222, minted 218–222, weight 3.00 g, diameter 19 mm. Obverse: Draped bust of Julia Soaemias right, legend IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG. Reverse: Venus Caelestis, diademed, standing left, holding apple and sceptre; star in left field, legend VENVS CAELESTIS. Strike: Well-centered strike with full legends. Toning: Light silver toning over surfaces. References: RIC IV Elagabalus 241; struck under the authority of her son, Elagabalus, at the Rome mint. Julia Soaemias was the mother of Emperor Elagabalus and held the title of Augusta during his reign from 218 to 222. This denarius was issued under Elagabalus’s authority and reflects the prominence of the imperial women in Severan dynasty politics. The reverse depiction of Venus Caelestis aligns with the dynasty’s association of divine patronage and fertility imagery, common in imperial propaganda. Coins of Julia Soaemias were part of a wider production of silver coinage at the Rome mint during this period, serving both as currency and as a medium for promoting the imperial family’s legitimacy.