RIC 0005 Vespasian

AR Denarius, 3.17g
Rome Mint, 69-70 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: TITVS ET DOMITIAN CAES PRIN IV; Titus and Domitian riding r., hands outstretched
RIC 5 (R). BMC p. 7, ||. RSC 539. BNC 28.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

A denarius of Vespasian from his first issue at Rome, dated from December 69 AD to early 70 AD by the new RIC. The reverse depicts Titus and Domitian galloping with their hands outstretched, an obvious dynastic type with the two princes 'as armed warriors on horseback' (BMCRE II p. xxxiii).

It was very important for Vespasian to establish the fact that his son(s) would succeed him. Indeed Suetonius writes 'either his sons would succeed him or nobody would' (Suet. Vesp. 25). The numismatic evidence backs this up. No less than 3 different precious metal dynastic types were minted at Rome in the first months of the new regime: The present type with Titus and Domitian on horseback, another with them seated on curule chairs, and a third with their confronting busts. Arguably, the horseback type is the rarest of the three with the confronting busts by far the most common.