New video and coin. Roman Empire: Otho (15 Jan to 17 Apr, AD 69), AR Denarius, Rome mint, Jan-Feb 69 AD, RCV.2162, RIC.8, BN/R.10, BMC/RE.18, RSC.17 (3.54 g, 17.5 mm) Obverse: IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P. Bare head of Otho right Reverse: SECVRI TAS P R. Securitas, draped, standing left holding wreath and scepter
Fantastic example. Used to have a few denarius of his, but it's just tets. now. Otho (69 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Billon Tetradrachm O: AYTOK MAPK OΘΩNOΣ KAIΣ ΣEB, laureate head right, LA (year 1) lower right. R: EΛEY-ΘEPIA, Eleutheria (Liberty) standing left, wreath in extended right hand, scepter in left hand, leaning with left elbow on column, simpulum (ladle used for tasting and pouring sacrificial libations) left in lower left field. 12.58g 24.4mm Milne 359; RPC I 5354 (5 spec.); Dattari 327; BMC Alexandria p. 25, 208; Curtis 238; Kampmann 18.6; Emmett 184 Ex. Jyrki Muona Collection Published on Wildwinds! Otho (69 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Billon Tetradrachm O: ΑΥΤΟΚ ΜΑΡΚ ΟΘΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ, laureate head right; L A (date) to right. R:ΡΩΜΗ, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Roma right, holding shield and spear. 13.4g 23mm Dattari (Savio) 330; K&G 18.9; RPC I 5362; Emmett 186.1 Published on Wildwinds!
Splendidly done! Nice coin, too. I’ve always found Otho interesting for his extremely short rule. I just had to sell my Twelve Caesars collection. This is the Otho I had in it.
Very nice example @Amit Vyas OTHO Otho, AD 69. Billon AR Tetradrachm, 23mm, 11.9gms; Year 1; Egypt-Alexandria. Obv.:AVTOK MAΓ OΘΩNOΣ KAIΣ ΣEB; Laureate head right, L A in right field Rev: RΩ-MA; Helmeted, cuirassed bust of Roma right. Emmet 186
This one used to be in an NGC VF holder. It had the tag with it when I bought it. Denarius of Otho Obverse IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P “Emperor Marcus Otho caesar augustus tribunician potestate (representative of the Roman people in the government)” Reverse: SECURITAS (Personification of security, confidence) standing left holding wreath and scepter Shown above is a denarius of Otho, minted between January 15 and March 8, 69. The reverse features Securitas standing left, holding a wreath and scepter. Weight—3.37 grams. Sear—2163
The film has a different take than I had. I thought that Otho committed suicide so that he would not have to face the humiliation before those who had beaten him. That was the reason why Mark Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide.
That’s certainly possible, and many Roman leaders did choose suicide to avoid capture or humiliation. What makes Otho unusual is that, according to Tacitus and Plutarch, he still had substantial forces available and could have continued the civil war. Instead, he chose death after a single major defeat, reportedly to spare Rome further bloodshed. Before doing so, he even destroyed compromising letters so that his supporters would not suffer under Vitellius. Personal honour probably played a role, as it did for any Roman aristocrat, but the ancient sources consistently emphasize concern for the state over self-preservation. Since Otho was already dead and left no dynasty behind, those writers had little obvious political reason to portray him more favorably than they did.
