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Denarius - Vitellius, Aulus Vitellius Germanicus, and Vitellia LIBERI IMP GERMAN
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 69 |
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| Reference(s) | RIC I#79 |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Confronting draped busts of Vitellius's son and daughter, facing one another across the field — the son to the left and the daughter to the right. Both busts are rendered on a small scale with simple drapery, reflecting a dynastic statement typical of short-reign imperial coinage. The reverse legend arcs above and below the paired busts, identifying them as children of the Imperator Germanicus. The composition is compact and symmetrical within the flan. |
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| Reverse lettering | LIBERI IMP GERMAN (Translation: Liberi Imperatoris Germanici — Children of the Emperor Germanicus.) |
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| Additional information |
Vitellius held power for barely eight months in 69 AD — the Year of the Four Emperors — before being dragged through Rome and executed in December. This denarius, which names his children on the reverse, was almost certainly struck at Rome early in his reign as a calculated bid for dynastic legitimacy. The gesture was premature. His son Petronianus died before him, and the line ended with Vitellius himself in the gutter of the Gemonian Stairs.