Titus reigned just over two years — one of the shortest reigns of any established emperor — yet his tenure was marked by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, a devastating fire in Rome, and a plague, all in rapid succession. The senate voted him extraordinary relief measures, and the coinage of 80–81 reflects a deliberate program of civic generosity, with issues tied directly to the reconstruction of Rome and the dedication of the Colosseum in 80 AD. The ROMA S C dupondius fits squarely within that propaganda effort.
Titus reigned just over two years — one of the shortest reigns of any established emperor — yet his tenure was marked by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, a devastating fire in Rome, and a plague, all in rapid succession. The senate voted him extraordinary relief measures, and the coinage of 80–81 reflects a deliberate program of civic generosity, with issues tied directly to the reconstruction of Rome and the dedication of the Colosseum in 80 AD. The ROMA S C dupondius fits squarely within that propaganda effort.