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Sestertius - Vespasian IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 80-81 |
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| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
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| Obverse description | The deified emperor Vespasian is depicted seated right in divine majesty upon an ornate curule chair mounted on a processional car (tensа), drawn by four elephants in procession, each elephant bearing a rider. Vespasian holds a sceptre in his left hand, his figure rendered in the formal imperial style befitting a consecratio type. The scene commemorates the posthumous divine honours accorded to Vespasian, as indicated by the obverse legend. The composition fills the field with dynamic movement, the elephants and riders rendered in careful detail consistent with Flavian artistic conventions. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays the large, bold letters S C (Senatus Consulto — by decree of the Senate) prominently centered in the field, rendered in high relief in the characteristic Flavian style. A circular legend surrounds the senatorial mark, running along the inner border of a beaded outer rim. The bold rendering of the S C monogram was the standard authorisation mark for bronze coinage issued under senatorial authority, and here it dominates the entire reverse field, with the encircling imperial titulature of Titus completing the design. |
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| Additional information |
This sestertius belongs to Titus's brief reign — he died in September 81 AD after just over two years as emperor, making his bronze issues comparatively scarce against the prolific output of his father Vespasian's eleven-year rule. The COS VIII dating places it firmly in 80-81 AD, a period overshadowed by the eruption of Vesuvius in August 79 and the destruction of the Colosseum's inaugural fire in 80, both of which Titus managed with enough public generosity to secure an unusually favorable posthumous reputation.