Another Vespasian arrived in the mail recently. This RPC Group 1 tetradrachm was struck very early in Vespasian's reign. He is seen here wearing an aegis, similar in appearance and style to those struck for Nero. The first tetradrachms at Antioch depicting Vespasian with an aegis were struck for regnal year one (July - September 69), this year two coin (October 69 - September 70) was likely minted very soon afterward, perhaps Autumn of 69. The style is 'Alexandrian', indicating either the coin was struck at the Alexandria mint and then sent to Syria or, at the very least, the die was engraved there. Interestingly the aegis depicted on the portrait is a cloak (goat skin?) decorated with a snake on the shoulder, much more elaborate than the aegises engraved at Rome. AR Tetradrachm Antioch mint, 69-70 AD RPC 1937 (4 spec.) Obv : AYTOKPAT KAIΣA OYEΣΠAΣIANOY; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r., with aegis Rev : ETOYΣ NEOY IEPOY B; Eagle standing r., on thunderbolt; in r. field, palm branch
Fantastic Tet!!! Hmmm, you guys have got me on a super craving for Tets----I think my focus will be changing a tad come this September or so....I hope we don't become bidding rivals LOL Congrats, I love that coin!!
Nice coin saw I just won a caracalla tet from Zeugma !! See my ugly Antioch Vesp, still good they are both different. Recently bought much new coins..will make a nice article later !!
Great tet David, love it My only flavian coin featuring an aegis is a Domitian middle bronze Domitianus, As minted in Rome, 85 AD IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM COS XI, Laureate bust of Domitian right with Aegis MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta standing left, holding cornucopia and scales. SC in field 11.08 gr Ref : Cohen # 325, RCV # 2807v Q
Curious? => who is David? (vespasian70, or Cyrrhus?) ... if possible, I like to put the proper names to our coin-handles (my name is Steve)
<<<< David. I made this account at CT back in 2007 when I went by "vespasian70" both here and at Forvm. Since then, I was able to change my screen name at Forvm to my real name, here I haven't figured out how to do that.
Nice example of the aegis at Rome! You can certainly see the difference between the two depictions. Thanks for posting your lovely coin.
