RIC 0010 Titus denarius

IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
Laureate head of Titus right

TR P VIII IMP XIII COS VII
Statue of radiate male figure with spear and parazonium on rostral column

Rome, After July 1, 79 CE
2.89g

RIC 10 (R)

Ex-Incitatus

A fairly rare type from the beginning of Titus reign which omits the PP ending. The coin copies a type issued by Vespasian, which itself copies an earlier type for Augustus. Mattingly argues the reverse is the colossus built by Nero which stood in the Domus Aurea. Vespasian renamed the statue Sol by adding a radiate crown and moved it outside of the Flavian amphitheater. The story goes, (according to one of the more popular theories) that the Flavian amphitheater got it's name, the Colesseum because of its proximity to the Colossus.