New Nerva Sestertius - Vehiculatione Italiae Remissa

Hello everybody! After sending back my old Nerva Sestertius (which sadly had been condemned as a forgery by Sear) and deciding to stick with my Dupondius for the time being, I nevertheless stumbled over this worn piece of brass and decided to buy it despite it´s heavy wear.

It not only satisfies my need to own a Nerva Sestertius, but also I can never resist that yellow brass tone. In combination with a large flan as well as a rare and interesting reverse this was practically a must-have-for me .



Most of Nerva’s bronze coins bear general types such as the personifications of Aequitas, Fortuna or Libertas, but a small group issued in 97 records some particular, very interesting and historically important events. Beside PLEBEI VRBANAE FRVMENTO CONSTITVTO (RIC 89) or TVTELA ITALIAE (RIC 92) and a few others, the type shown here ,struck on the exemption of Italy from the „munus vehicularium“, or the obligation to furnish horses, mules, and conveyances, for persons travelling upon public business, is among the rarest and most sought after in Nerva’s bronze coinage.

There were only 15 specimens of this type accounted for in a sample of 297 Sestertii from hoards and finds, indicating that the type is quite scarce.
It was issued in two emissions in January and again in September 97 (RIC 93 and RIC 104), corresponding to Nerva´s third and fourth emissions.




[IMP NERVA C]AES AVG - P M [TR P COS III PP] – Laureate head of Nerva right
VEHICVL[ATIONE ITALIAE REMISSA S C]- Two mules grazing, one right, one left; in the background a high-wheeled cart, with pole and harness, tipped up and pointing slightly to left
Sestertius, Rome 97
22,18 gr, 35 mm
BMC 119; Cohen 143; RIC 93, Banti 44, Sear 3055, CBN 108, Vagi 1217
Ex Numismatik Lanz, from an Austrian collection, ex David Kallai Kunsthandel, Vienna, around 1920

Augustus founded the imperial courier service as an eventual replacement for the traditional system of tabellarii, or private messengers, to convey government information and military commands across the Roman Empire. This system provided for thousands of stations (mansiones) to be placed along the imperial highways (viae). These stops supplied fresh transport as well as food and accommodation for imperial travelers. However, Augustus did not provide for its full maintenance in the Imperial budget. Instead the costs were paid for out of the munus vehicularium, a levy placed upon the local population. As the empire expanded and more imperial traffic used the vehiculatio through Italy to reach the capital, the munus vehicularium became ever more burdensome on the small Italian landowners.

Apparently Domitian was especially abusive in this regard. Following the assassination of Domitian, Nerva attempted to correct his excesses and relieve some of the burdens imposed on the people of Italy by assuring that the cost of the government’s communication network was assumed by the government itself (all the other provinces were still charged, however). This system, the cursus publicus, then under Trajan and Hadrian became one of the largest governmental institutions of antiquity. Though this event is celebrated on this coin, no contemporary writers mention the act.

The reverse scene on the commemorative Sestertius´reverse is placid. Two mules are there quietly feeding (only one still visible on my coin), liberated from their yokes which appear in the back ground (on better preserved specimens); the symbol af peace and liberty.
The decision to depict a rather idyllic scene, with the horses grazing and the vehicle out of commission, as opposed to showing a mule-cart on the move, is a perfect reflection of the inscription, which itself refers to the remission of the burden.

After all I decided that I just HAD TO HAVE this coin and was more than happy to get it for for the equivalent of 50 USD.

Please post anything by Nerva or showing mules

 

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Thanks for the excellent write-up Julius. sounds like the roman equivelent of the US Pony Express.
Your coin has a far more interesting reverse then my SC. (paid 15 euro)

 

Gained an interest recently in these Nerva issues that relieve tax burdens after Domitian's harsh edicts. This is an interesting article(linked) on the famous issue that relieved the burden of the Jewish tax- Fiscus Judaicus. I am thinking there is more to this issue of the OP than meets the eye. Will get back to you on this with what I find. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org...oman-emperor-nervas-reform-of-the-jewish-tax/

 

Glad you found a pleasing coin! Nerva is still one I don't have.

 

Cool Sestertius @Julius Germanicus ! And very nice write-up, thanks...

NERVA:


Roman Republic AR Denarius A Licinius Nerva 47 BCE 3.58g Rome Fides One-armed horseman gllpng drggng naked warrior hair Cr 454-1 Syd 954


Roman Empire Nerva AE Dupondius 96-98 CE LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileus TIF


MULES:


RR Prv Macedon Province 168-166 BC Tamios Quaestor Athena Cow - Eeyore (Pooh's Mule)


RI Julia Flavia Titi Diva 90-91 CE d-Titus concubine-uncleDomitian AE Sestert 33mm 20.4g - Carpentum mules SPQR - SC rare


RR fourée mule anon Q Fabius Labeo denarius 18mm 2.9g after 124 BC Roma X Jupiter Quadriga tbolt scepter Craw 159 obv Craw 273-1 rev

 

That's great! That's one of Nerva's most interesting -- and elusive -- issues. I'm still looking for a decent example I can afford.

 

I don't know if there is anything much prettier than a nice chunk of golden-colored bronze. I have a couple of well circulated orichalcum pieces myself and I find them beautiful. Even better that yours has an interesting reverse with a great story.
I'd call that a well scored Nerva, JG!!

 

The issue of this coin happened as Nerva was easing the persecution of Christians and Jews- the year 97ce. What it might be discovered is that the symbol of the burdened mule was also being used in Roman and Jewish dialog as a derogatory view of the early Christians whose religion was regarded by many of these folks as a hybrid "animal" of the noble Roman/Greek religion(horse) and the "lesser" Jewish religion(donkey). These coins in excellent condition show the unburdened animals freely grazing and it might be noticed that one of the upturned poles of the harness bears a resemblance to a crucifix.
Maybe this is a stretch but could this be a quiet political nod from the emperor to the Christians he was making friends with which wouldn't have been popular to many of his comrades in the senate? Not sure of the history of the crucifix as associated with the new Christian faith, it may not have come into play for another hundred years or so. Interesting times this coin was minted anyway. maybe @Deacon Ray has some info about this? If there is any credibility to this idea it would mean that this is the very first historical use of the crucifix in regards to Christianity.

 

Thank you for posting this amazing coin, Mike! Your idea on the symbolism is certainly plausible. I need to do more research on Emperor Nerva but early Christianity was definitely a hybrid religion in many respects. The Cross symbol was coming into use around the time of Nerva's reign. Great thoughts!

 

Found an affordable one of these. I was very pleased to discover it comes with a beautiful sweet chocolate brown maroon highlighted patina. I post both my own recent photo in the sun and the sellers photo. What a difference. A much prettier coin in hand then the seller photo!

 

I have revived this thread as I have just acquired an example of this interesting sestertius. See above for Julius Germanicus's excellent explanation of the type.




Nerva (96-98). Æ Sestertius (33mm, 25.33g, 6h). Rome, AD 97.


IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P: Head of Nerva, laureate, right


VEHICVLATIONE ITALIAE REMISSA S C: Two mules grazing, one right, one left; behind high-wheeled cart, with pole and harness, tipped up and pointing slightly to left.


RIC II 93.


Brown patina, die-break


Good Fine

 

I would find this cross argument more likely if it were not for the tooling seen on coins that show it clearly.

 

Also, to put this dubious Christian influence in perspective, the Christian population of the Roman Empire around 100 AD was likely no more than 7 or 8 thousand out of 60 million. It wasn't until 300 AD before it reached nearly 10% of the population.

Needless to say, contemporary Christian influence on Roman society during Nerva's reign was practically non existent.

 

I don't want to start an argument but I find that the estimate of a population of only seven or eight thousand Christians circa 100 AD to be quite low. If one goes back to 64 AD Nero could only make a claim that Christians had set the Great Fire seem plausible if there had been enough of them in the city to make themselves known as potential or actual arsonists. Yes, only a handful of arsonists would be required to set numerous fires but if there had not been a fairly large number of Christians within Rome the average Roman would have scratched his head wondering just what a Christian was. Nero does not seem to have had trouble pinning the fire on them so it seems to me that they must have been numerous enough to get noticed by those million inhabitants. Do you recall what the source of you population estimate was? Thanks.

 

From R. Stark's The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries:


Christian Growth Projected at 40 Percent per Decade (Based on an estimated population of 60 million)

40AD.....1,000 Christians.....0.0017% of population
50 ......1,400.....................0.0023%
100 .....7,530....................0.0126%
150 .....40,496...................0.07%
200 .....217,796..................0.36%
250 .....1,171,356................1.9%
300 .....6,299,832...............10.5%
350 .....33,882,008..............56.5%

And as far as the persecution of the Christians under Nero, see Brent D. Shaw's 'The Myth of the Neronian Persecution' in Journal of Roman Studies. He demonstrates quite persuasively that the idea of Christianity in Neronian Rome had not yet developed into a legal or religious concept and references to them for the time period are anachronistic.

 

Excellent, the reverse looks like something almost unreal and poetic



Q

 

Thanks for those citations. I have some difficulty with the extremely low numbers for the very early period. I agree that the blaming of the fire on Christians may have been played up and distorted by early Christians for its propaganda value but consider Pliny's letters to Trajan about the Christians in the out of the way Province of Bithynia, not exactly a dense population of inhabitants. There must have been enough of them there to have attracted the hostile attention of the populace of the region and the bewilderment of the governor. Thanks again for those references and perhaps other posters might want to opine on this matter.