AR26 - Vespasian ΡΩΜΗ

Vespasian's Alexandrian coinage from 69 AD is among the most politically charged of the entire series. He was proclaimed emperor in Alexandria on July 1st of that year — before Rome itself had confirmed the fact — making Egyptian mint output from this moment not routine provincial coinage but something closer to a declaration. The city's prefect, Tiberius Julius Alexander, was the first major official to swear the legions' allegiance to Vespasian, and the mint responded almost immediately.

Billon tetradrachms of this regnal year are dated to Year 2 of Vespasian by the Alexandrian calendar, which began in late summer 69.