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Sestertius - Vespasian S C, Jupiter
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 77-78 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate head of Vespasian facing left, rendered in the naturalistic portrait style typical of Flavian imperial coinage. The emperor's mature features are depicted with characteristic realism, including a prominent brow and strong jawline. The circular legend surrounds the effigy, running from lower left to upper right along the coin's periphery. The portrait displays the confident, no-frills aesthetic associated with Vespasian's deliberate rejection of Neronian extravagance in imperial imagery. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Vespasian's later sestertii, struck in the final years before his death in 79 AD, belong to a reign defined by fiscal reconstruction after the chaos of 69 AD's four emperors. The aerarium was effectively bankrupt when Vespasian took power; his aggressive tax reforms — including the notorious urine tax on public latrines — funded both the rebuilding of Rome and a sustained recommencement of large bronze coinage that had faltered under Nero's debasements.
RIC II.1 996 is a product of the Rome mint operating under restored administrative discipline. The SC notation reflects senatorial authorization, a convention Vespasian maintained scrupulously as part of his broader effort to project constitutional normalcy.