Ancient Rome - 79-81 CE Titus AV Aureus NGC AU (10/10 in Fine Style!)

Titus, as Caesar, 69-79. AV Aureus struck under Vespasian (7.30 g). NGC AU in Fine Style. Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Rome, 76. Obverse: T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS with Laureate head of Titus facing right. Reverse: COS V with Cow standing right. Sources: Calicò I, 734. RIC II.1, 868 (Vespasian). Cohen I, 53. BMC 188. A wonderful portrait of fine style struck in high relief. Glistening flan retaining its original luster.

Bust of Titus, circa AD 70. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Titus succeeded his father Vespasian. This made him the first Roman emperor to take the throne after his biological father. When Vespasian went to Rome to take the throne, Titus was put in charge of the military of the Jewish war in Judaea. In 70 Jerusalem fell to his troops and his treatment of the Jews was very brutal.

Notoriously, he had the Great Temple of Jerusalem destroyed. All that remains is the Wailing Wall. In 70 he was made joint consul with his father; in 71 he was given tribunician powers; and in 73 he shared the censorship with his father. He also became praetorian prefect. In the latter role he did his father's dirty work, eliminating political opponents via questionable means. Doing that made Titus very unpopular.