A British Victory For Titus

Specialists love minutiae. My latest arrival is a good example of such a minor detail being a cause for celebration. It also does not hurt the piece is a neat historical type. It took me ages to find an example with the rare variant!




Titus
AR Denarius, 3.15g
Rome Mint, 80 AD
RIC 104(R), BMC 40, RSC 306
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Captives, two, back to back, seated either side of trophy (man on l., woman on r.)
Ex Lanz, eBay, October 2017.

Rare variant of the two captives type with the male and female captives swapping places. The reverse commemorates an Agricolan British victory, perhaps the occasion when his legions reached the river Tay garnering Titus his 15th imperial acclamation. Some scholars in the past have attributed the reverse as a 'Judaea Capta' type, this is incorrect. The two captives echoes a Gallic victory type struck for Julius Caesar. The shields, like those on Caesar's denarii, are Celtic not Judaean in form. Additionally, H. Mattingly in BMCRE II correctly proposed the reverse alluded to a British victory.

Even though the coin has some wear it still has good eye appeal.

Here is my more common variant of the type with the normal placement of the captives.

Titus
AR Denarius, 3.46g
Rome mint, 80 AD
RIC 102 (C), BMC 37, RSC 306
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Captives, two, back to back, seated either side of trophy (woman on l., man on r.)
Ex Berk 143, 18 May 2005, lot 176.

Feel free to post any minutiae or captive types of interest!

 

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Very cool David!

 

Congrats! It seems like you’ve been on quite a run this year with scoring some hard-to-find Flavians.

Here’s my example of the Julius Caesar issue you referred to.

 

It does seem you're on a 'hot streak' snagging those sweet variants. Congrats on capturing another very cool historical type!!

 

Congratulations David. Nice coin for sure.

 

Congratulations on your awesome acquisition, David, and a salute to your astuteness! I see what you mean about the difference between the shape of the shields of the Britons and the Judaeans. Here's my Judaea Capta.

 

Nice find, David!

 

When Septimius Severus used the types at the Emesa mint, the captives wore Parthian hats but the left captive still is the one with hand supporting his head. Note the shields are different shapes. These are considered late issues for Emesa and are dated TRP III.


I do have one where the left captive seems to be bare headed but that may be an accident rather than significant. In each case, the captive either has hands bound behind back or holds head in hand.


Emesa also zoomed in for a closer look at the captive with hands tied.


My only specimen from the Rome mint was issued six years later (TRP VIIII) shows both capped and with head in hand. I do not know if these come other ways.

 

I should have known! A very little research shows Septimius at Rome comes in several variations. They also come in Provincials like this one from Nicopolis.

 

I guess we will agree to disagree about what the reverse commemorates!

BTW, nice example.

 

My favorite'captive' coin is this often posted bronze of Licinius II.

AE Follis of Licinius II;
Antioch, 2.36 grams. 19 mm: circa 317-320 AD
Laureate, robed bust with mappa, globe and scepter
DN VAL LICIN LICININIVS NOBC
Jupiter standing with victory and scepter, captive at his feet
IOVI CONS ERVATORI CAESS
SMANT Z to right
RIC 29

 

Nicely spotted David. I really enjoy getting into the minuscule differences that separate some issues. I find it fascinating to try and track them down. Congrats on a great acquisition.

 

That is a great coin David. I bid, just not enough! Congrats!

And now, for a completely different shield.....

Titus
AD 69-79. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.27 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 79.
O: Laureate head right, T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS
R:Bound captive kneeling right before trophy, TR POT VIII COS VII. RIC II 1076; RSC 334.

 

I have one of those but not so nice as @Nemo Note that mine is COS VI and Nemo's is COS VII.



Titus AR Denarius
Judea Capta Issue
(18 mm 3.12 g,)
Obv: IMP T CEASAR VESPASIANUS AUG Laureate head right
Rev: TR POT VIII Captive knelling right at foot of trophy
RIC 1, RSC 334a, Sear RCV (2000) 2505.
Purchased from MA Shops INGEMAR WALLIN UTVECKLING AB
April 20, 2017

 

Now, that is a reverse one can reasonably argue could be a 'Judaea Capta' type. Although I believe it to be a British victory type as well.

Very nice!

NB: I'm sorry that we bid against each other!

 

Although you and Nemo show the same reverse type, the two coins demonstrate it was struck for Titus both before (Nemo's coin) and after (your coin) Vespasian's death. It took some time for the mint to develop new designs for Titus as Augustus.

Your coin was probably struck within the first week of Titus' reign! I got my example from Ernie Miner (who remembers him?) way back in 2005. It is probably one of the first near mint coins I acquired.

 

@David Atherton — David, do you think my coin posted above is a Briton Capta ? Thanks! —DR

 

Yes, it's the same type as my OP coin.

 

Awesome! Thank you, Sir!