Denarius - Vespasian IMP XIX

Vespasian's nineteenth imperatorial acclamation dates this issue to 77–78 AD, late in a reign defined by fiscal reconstruction after the civil wars of 69. The Jewish tax — the fiscus Judaicus — imposed following the destruction of the Temple in 70 was still being collected, and Vespasian used the revenue explicitly to fund the Colosseum and stabilize a treasury Nero had left effectively empty.

RIC II.1 979 is among the later denarii of the series, struck at Rome with the slightly reduced weight standard Vespasian maintained consistently after his early reforms.