Ancient Rome - 79-81 CE Titus AV Aureus NGC Choice XF

Titus. As Caesar, AD 69-79. AV Aureus (7.24 g). Rome mint. Produced under Vespasian, AD 73. Obverse: T CΛES IMP VESP CEN, laureate head right. Reveres: PAX ΛVG, Pax, goddess of peace, draped, standing left, extending winged caduceus in right hand over follis (purse) lying on tripod to left, holding olive branch in left hand, resting left arm on column. RIC II.1 551 (Vespasian); Calicó 744; BMCRE 110 (Vespasian). Choice XF. Strike 5/5 Surface 5/5.

This interesting syncretic type reveals the relationship between successful commerce and the peace, happiness, and security of the Roman Empire. About this type, struck for both Vespasian and Titus as Caesar, Mattingly (BMCRE p. xxxvi) writes: "...Pax carries not only her own olive–branch, but also the caduceus of Felicitas and the follis (purse) of Mercury, the god who gives commercial success, and leans on the column of Securitas."

Bust of Titus, circa 70 CE. Photo: wikipedia.

Titus succeeded his father Vespasian. This made him the first 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 in 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 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.