Denarius - Vespasian COS ITER FORT RED, Fortuna

Struck in 70 AD, the year Vespasian consolidated power following the catastrophic civil wars of 69 — the Year of the Four Emperors — this denarius belongs to his second consulship issue. The legend COS ITER FORT RED, "Fortuna Redux," refers to the safe return of the emperor, a theme Vespasian pressed hard in his early coinage to legitimize a reign won by force rather than dynasty. The mint was almost certainly operating under considerable pressure that year, with Jerusalem still under siege and the Flavian administration urgently needing a coherent propaganda program in metal.