Julia Maesa. Augusta, AD 218-224/5. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.13 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Elagabalus, AD 220-222. Draped bust right / Felicitas standing left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar to left and holding long caduceus; star to left. RIC IV 272 (Elagabalus); Thirion 422; RSC 45b. Lightly toned. EF. Deep old cabinet tone over residual luster.
The reverse alludes to the “Happiness of the Age.” The star in the left field may refer to an appearance of a short-period comet, later known as Halley’s Comet, which appeared in the skies in AD 217, about the time Elegabalus seized power. As with other cometary depictions on Roman coins, one point of the star appears longer than the others.
