Ancient Coin of the Day: A couple of days early for his birthday, but here's a sestertius of Titus from AD 80-81 showing the Flavian Amphitheatre, also known as the Colosseum. #ACOTD #Titus
Image: RIC 2.1 Titus 184; British Museum (1844,0425.712). Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_…
Image: RIC 2.1 Titus 184; British Museum (1844,0425.712). Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_…
As Titus' reign was so brief, he "achieved little remarkable" (Dio 66.25.1), but one major event that did fall within the course of his reign was the dedication of the Flavian Amphitheatre.
The Reverse of this coin shows much of the detail of the building, including the statues and shields displayed in the arches of the Amphitheatre - as well as giving an impression of the host of Romans gathered within. One can also see the Meta Sudans in the left of the field.
The Obverse shows Titus seated on a magistrate's chair, surrounded by weapons. It is likely that these are an allusion to the victory in the campaign in Judaea, the spoils of which were used to fund the construction of the Amphitheatre. It is also important to remember that...
...captives from this campaign were among the slaves who toiled to construct this edifice to Roman power and identity. The Legend on the Obverse, IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII - 'Emperor Titus Caesar Vespasian Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, with Tribunican Power...
...Father of the Fatherland, Consul 8 times' - leaves little doubt as to the individual to thank for the munificence of the Colosseum, a building which was consciously designed to restore the centre of Rome to its people, replacing aspects of Nero's 'Domus Aurea'.
Domitian also issued coins of a similar design in AD 81-82, though with the Legend adapted to reflect the deification of Titus: 'For the Deified Titus Vespasian Augustus, Son of the Deified Vespasian'.
Image: RIC 2.1 Domitian 131. Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_…
Image: RIC 2.1 Domitian 131. Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_…
Domitian's issue shows the continuing significance of the structure and the entertainment provided therein, which has also informed recent scholarship on the possibility that these coins were minted specifically to serve as a form of largesse, rather than as typical currency.
For more on this, see:
ELKINS, NATHAN T. “The Flavian Colosseum Sestertii: Currency or Largess?” The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-), vol. 166, 2006, pp. 211–221.
jstor.org/stable/42666408
#ACOTD #Titus
ELKINS, NATHAN T. “The Flavian Colosseum Sestertii: Currency or Largess?” The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-), vol. 166, 2006, pp. 211–221.
jstor.org/stable/42666408
#ACOTD #Titus
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