Roman Imperial
Vespasian (69-79), Denarius 73, Rome mint
Obverse: laureate head right
IMP CAES VESP AVG CEN
Reverse: emperor seated right, holding sceptre and branch
PONTIF MAXIM
Diameter 18 mm, weight 2.50 g
Vespasianus (Flavius), Roman emperor from AD 70-79, was born in the country of the Sabines AD 9, his father being Flavius Sabinus, a man of low extraction, and his mother Vespasia Polla, the daughter of a Praefectus Castorum. During the reign of Claudius he was employed in a military capacity in Germany and in the Isle of Wight, andunder Nero he was made proconsul of Africa and when the Jewish war broke out in AD 66 he was sent by Nero to the east. He continued the Jewish war during the struggles between Galba, Otho and Vitellius, and towards the end of AD 69, on the death of Otho, he was proclaimed emperor at Alexandria, in Judea, and soon after (AD 70), on the death of Vitellius, at Rome. In AD 71 his son Titus, who had left to prosecute the Jewish war, returned to Rome, taking with him the spoils from the temple at Jerusalem, and celebrated with his father a triumph. The temple of Janus was closed, and Vespasian rebuilt the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, which had been burnt during the troubles under Vitellius. The temple is represented on coins. In AD 72, owing to information received by Vespasian the Antiochus Kin of Commagene and his son Epiphanes were in treaty with the Parthian King, Commangene was occupied by Paetus, governor of Syria, and made a Roman province. The murder of Sabinus and his faithful wife Epponina leaves a stain upon the memory of Vespasian. He died AD 79 at the age of 69, having reigned nearly 10 years. His wife Domitilla and her daughter Domitilla died before he came to the throne, but his two sons, Titus and Domitian succeeded him in turn.
Vespasian was counsul 9 times, imperator 20 times, and received the Tribunitia Potestas ten times.
