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Vespasian

Reece Period attributed: Period 4

Obverse image of a coin of Vespasian

Member of the The Flavians dynasty.

Coins for this issuer were issued from 69 until 79.

Titus Flavius Vespasianus was born in AD 9 and grew up on his grandmother's estate. He entered politics rather late and at the urging of his mother; he survived the reign of Gaius by flattering the emperor and commanded a legion in Germany for Claudius. He lost Nero's favour by failing to appreciate the emperor's musical recitals but was appointed to deal with the province of Judaea, where civil discontent was turning into open rebellion.

Vespasian got news of the succession struggles in Rome as Galba, Otho, and Vitellius made their bids for power. He sent troops to Italy and himself went to Alexandria to take control of Italy's grain supply. As soon as he had word of Vitellius' demise, Vespasian went to Rome himself and set about restoring the city that had suffered at the hands of the warring would-be emperors.

A popular emperor who was later deified, Vespasian treated all classes well and reformed the Senatorial order. He was remembered as just and fair, a welcome change after Nero and his successors. He died after catching fever on a visit to Campania.

Suetonius reports that Vespasian had a strong and well-proportioned body but always wore a strained expression on his face.

Latest examples recorded with images

We have recorded 1,397 examples.

PAS record number: NARC-AC3CF9

Record: NARC-AC3CF9
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: An incomplete silver denarius of Vespasian…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

PAS record number: NLM-AABD75

Record: NLM-AABD75
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: Silver coin fragment. Denarius of Vespasia…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

PAS record number: PUBLIC-8AB266

Record: PUBLIC-8AB266
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A Roman copper alloy as of Vespasian (AD 6…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

PAS record number: YORYM-857CCE

Record: YORYM-857CCE
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A copper-alloy Roman as of Vespasian (AD 6…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Other resources about Vespasian

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Vespasian.

Information from Wikipedia

  • Preferred label: Vespasian
  • Full names:
    • Title: Lives of the Twelve Caesars
    • Predecessor: Vitellius
    • Successor: Titus
    • Definition: Vespasian (/vɛˈspeɪʒ(i)ən, -ziən/; Latin: Vespasianus [wɛspasiˈaːnʊs]; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolidation of the empire generated political stability and a vast Roman building program. Vespasian was the first emperor from an equestrian family and only rose later in his lifetime into the senatorial rank as the first member of his family to do so. Vespasian's renown came from his military success; he was legate of Legio II Augusta during the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 and subjugated Judaea during the Jewish rebellion of 66. While Vespasian besieged Jerusalem during the Jewish rebellion, emperor Nero committed suicide and plunged Rome into a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors. After Galba and Otho perished in quick succession, Vitellius became emperor in April 69. The Roman legions of Roman Egypt and Judaea reacted by declaring Vespasian, their commander, the emperor on 1 July 69. In his bid for imperial power, Vespasian joined forces with Mucianus, the governor of Syria, and Primus, a general in Pannonia, leaving his son Titus to command the besieging forces at Jerusalem. Primus and Mucianus led the Flavian forces against Vitellius, while Vespasian took control of Egypt. On 20 December 69, Vitellius was defeated, and the following day Vespasian was declared emperor by the Senate. Little information survives about the government during Vespasian's ten-year rule. He reformed the financial system of Rome after the campaign against Judaea ended successfully, and initiated several ambitious construction projects, including the building of the Flavian Amphitheatre, better known today as the Roman Colosseum. Through his general Agricola, Vespasian increased imperial expansion in Britain. Vespasian is often credited with restoring political stability to Rome following the chaotic reigns of his predecessors. After he died in 79, he was succeeded by his eldest son Titus, thus becoming the first Roman emperor to be succeeded by his natural son and establishing the Flavian dynasty.
    • Parents:
    • Birth place: Falacrina, Roman Italy
    • Death place: Aquae Cutiliae
    • Spouse:
      • Other title(s):
        • Roman consul
        • Roman emperor
        • Lives of the Twelve Caesars
      • Came After:
        • Domitian
        • Titus
        • Lucius Ceionius Commodus Verus
        • Decimus Iunius Novius Priscus Rufus
        • Lucius Valerius Catullus Messallinus
      • Came before:
        • Lucius Valerius Catullus Messallinus
        • Gaius Quintius Atticus
        • Lucius Ceionius Commodus (consul 78)
        • Domitian
        • Decimus Iunius Novius Priscus Rufus
        • Gnaeus Caecilius Simplex
      • Subjects on wikipedia:

      Types issued

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