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Aureus - Vitellius CONSENSVS EXERCITVVM, Mars
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 69 |
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| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Mars, god of war, depicted advancing left in dynamic pose, wearing a crested helmet and a military cloak (paludamentum) but otherwise unclad. He carries a spear in his right hand and holds both an aquila (legionary eagle standard) and a vexillum (military standard) in his left hand, symbolising the military consensus that legitimised Vitellius's claim to power. The reverse type directly references the acclamation of Vitellius by the Rhine legions. The reverse legend CONSENSVS EXERCITVVM is inscribed in the field surrounding the figure. |
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| Additional information |
Vitellius struck this issue in 69 AD — the Year of the Four Emperors — specifically to broadcast military endorsement of his claim. The CONSENSVS EXERCITVVM legend was a deliberate propaganda message directed at the Rhine legions that had proclaimed him emperor in January of that year, before Galba was even dead. It was an unusual move: most claimants waited until the throne was secured before minting in gold.
RIC I 64 is among the scarcer Vitellian aurei, a function of his eight-month reign ending with his murder in December 69.