Left facing Titus denarius

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Orfew, Apr 24, 2019.

  1. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    While not as rare as left facing Domitian denarii, some left facing portraits of Titus are very scarce indeed. This coin is a case in point. This reverse was struck for Titus as Caesar and as Augustus. This coin depicts him as Augustus.

    I have wanted a Titus with this reverse for some time but was waiting for the right coin. When I saw this one I jumped at the chance to get it.

    There is only 1 in the FAC member's gallery. Guess who that one belongs to. :rolleyes:

    Please post your coins of Titus.



    Titus AR Denarius 79 after July 1
    18 mm 3.16 g
    Obv: Head laureate l; IMP TITUS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
    Rev: Venus stg r leaning on column, with helmut and spear; TR P VIII IMP XIIII COS VII PP
    RIC 35 (R) BMC--
    Purchase from Silbury Coins April 23, 2019


    titus ric 35 Silbury.jpg
     
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  3. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    If Ceaser and Augustus both mean emperor, whats the difference?
     
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  4. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    In this case Caesar meant successor to the current emperor-Vespasian. This coin was struck under the authority of Vespasian as emperor.
     
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  5. AngelDeath

    AngelDeath Well-Known Member

    Great question! I would like to know that as well!

    Could ALL Caesars be called Augustus?
     
  6. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I disagree. Coins of Titus struck under Vespasian will not have AVG following the name.
    rb1345fd3310.jpg

    Mine is the more common right facer as Augustus.
    rb1360b02308lg.JPG

    No. Caesar was a title often seen a junior when used alone but was retained when the higher Augustus was added. Not all coins of Augusti show the Caesar but many do. Some were Caesar but never got promoted to Augustus (Aelius and Crispus for example). More often, however, we see Caesar coins of young rulers who were later made Augustus (Titus, Domitian, Aurelius, Commodus, Caracalla, Geta and more). In the beginning Caesar was a family name but after the Julio Claudians, it became a title meaning of the Imperial family. I'm not sure we should think of Caesar as a junior title. What made it junior was the lack of the word Augustus following it.
     
  7. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    My only left facing Flavian denarius. I'm going to have to do something about that...

    VespOxenleft.jpg

    IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
    Laur. head facing left

    COS VIII
    Pair of oxen under yoke

    Rome 77-78 AD

    3.1g

    RIC 944 (C)

    Scarce with Vespasian facing left!
    7 specimens in Reka Devinia hoard although RIC rates it as common.

    Ex-Pegasi Numismatics
     
  8. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Re-read my post. I never said they did. Coins of Titus under Vespasian were struck for Titus but while Vespasian was Emperor.
     
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  9. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Definitely Jay, you need to add some of these left facing Flavians!
     
    Jay GT4 likes this.
  10. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    i happen to have a left facing Titus in the group..:) vespasian and sons nero coins 001.JPG vespasian and sons nero coins 003.JPG
     
  11. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

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  12. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Most of these Titus lefties are rare (Andrew's coin) but a few are considered common (ominus1's coin). However, a good rule of thumb is to choose a left portrait over a right one.

    Congrats on your new coin Andrew!
     
    Orfew likes this.
  13. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    somewhere...i need to take another i reckon...:)
     
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  14. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Was not "this coin", meaning the left portrait Venus, was struck after Vespasian died? Titus was not Augustus before Vespasian died so coins bearing AVG are under his own 'authority'.
     
  15. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    This reverse type was stuck for Titus as Caesar and as Augustus. This one happens to be AVG.
     
    Orfew likes this.
  16. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Vespasian died on June 23rd of 79 CE. The left facing denarius in the OP was struck after July 1.
     
  17. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    Geta...Titus left facng reverse 004.JPG ...here @Orfew ..i took this pic just for you:)
     
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  18. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Thanks for the photo. I wanted to make sure there were no ravens on the tripod. If there were ravens this would be a rare type. Unfortunately no ravens.
     
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  19. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..oh well...he must've flew off :p
     
    Orfew likes this.
  20. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

    Don't have a left facing Titus, would love to have one someday :) just have a question about the attribution of this denarius, which is the same type as the one posted by @Mat on September 25, 2017 at this thread:
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/12-caesars-titus.303451/


    Denarius, 16 x 17 mm, 3.39 g
    Rome 80 AD
    Ob.: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM laureate head, r.
    Rev.: TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP facing empty throne of a deity (pulvinar) with a triangular back, ornamented with uncertain objects (palmettes or corn-ears?) and a cross at the peak (???); seat draped with a fringed cover

    The attribution RIC II, part 1, 124 says that on the reverse there is a cross at the peak, but I can't see across on mine.:confused: would it also be RIC II, 124?

    upload_2019-4-29_20-57-1.png upload_2019-4-29_20-57-13.png
    I know the pictures are really not good but I do assure you that there is no cross there..
     
  21. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    RIC 124 has many variants. The catalogue lists the main ones as 124a through 124c. Also, there are variants with a lituus within the triangular frame.

    My Titus gallery:

    http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1192

    Scroll down to view the many variants of the type.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2019
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