Æ35 - Vespasian ΕΠΙ Μ ΜΑΙΚΙΟΥ ΡΟΥΦΟΥ ΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΟΥ, ΒΙΘΥΝΙΑ

The Koinon of Bithynia — the provincial assembly representing the cities of Bithynia and Pontus collectively — struck coins in the name of the proconsul as a matter of political courtesy, embedding the governor's name as a dating mechanism rather than an act of personal honor. M. Maecius Rufus served as proconsul of Bithynia-Pontus under Vespasian, and this issue falls within that narrow administrative window. Bithynia had been a senatorial province since 74 BC, assigned to Rome by bequest of its last king, Nicomedes IV.

The proconsular bronze coinage of this province remains poorly documented in terms of precise die linkage and relative rarity within the series.