Vitellius / L. Vitellius Denarius

Vitellius (69 AD). AR Denarius, 18 mm, 2.51 g. Rome mint. Struck late April to December 20, 69.
O: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, laureate head right.
R: L VITELLIVS COS III CENSOR, L. Vitellius seated left on curule chair, holding branch and eagle-tipped sceptre.
RIC I, 97 (R); Cohen 55 (40 Francs).

Rare, especially with L. Vitellius not just extending his right hand on the reverse, but also holding a branch with it. Cohen describes this variant from the Paris collection, but in fact Paris' two aurei and two denarii of the type, Paris pl. XXIII, 61-64, all omit the branch. RIC-96 cites an aureus with branch in Glasgow, and this denarius is from that same reverse die.

Lucius Vitellius the elder, the father of the emperor of the same name, had an impressive career under Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. He achieved the highest honors attainable by a private man at Rome under the Empire: consul for the third time and censor. He held these offices during the reign of Claudius, being a close friend of the emperor and the most influential Roman senator.

Vitellius died unexpectedly from a paralytic stroke in 51 and received a statue on the speaker's platform on the Roman Forum, with the inscription 'Of unwavering loyalty to the emperor'.

The year 36 saw an incident which deserves mentioning. In Judaea, a Samaritan, claiming to be Moses reincarnate, gathered an armed following. The prefect of Judaea, Pontius Pilate, intervened immediately, dispersed the crowd, and had the ringleaders executed. The Samaritans considered his violence excessive and appealed to the Syrian governor. Vitellius heard their complaints, sent Pilate back to Italy and appointed Marcellus. Pilate's co-ruler in Judaea, the high priest Joseph Caiaphas, was replaced by his brother-in-law Jonathan.