"Here I am Father, Here I am."

In the immediate aftermath of the fall of Jerusalem Titus Caesar and his troops celebrated their great victory. Games were held, coins were struck, and booty distributed.The legions were so enthusiastic that they proclaimed Titus as Imperator, despite his protests. He gave a speech in response which seemed tactless to more cynical observers. At Caesarea Maritima an issue of tetradrachms were stuck featuring Titus prominently on the obverse. Titus and an entourage of 10,000 troops toured the east and were entertained by many of the regions rulers. The Parthian King gave Titus a golden crown and congratulated him on his victory and he wore diadem in Memphis, Egypt while consecrating the Apis bull. Back in Rome, the cumulative effect of all these actions were looked upon suspiciously. The rumour circulated that Titus was seeking the purple. Shocked upon hearing of this and wanting to reassure his father Vespasian, Titus hurried to Rome and met him with the words "Here I am father, here I am." Or so Suetonius tells us. Chronologically the Apis bull episode is misleading at best - Titus was in Memphis in April and Rome in June, hardly time for rumours to fly back and forth between the two cities!

This rare tetradrachm was minted in Judaea during those heady days of celebrations and games in 70/71 AD. The mint is somewhat of a mystery. RPC speculates it is Caesarea Maritima, K. Butcher thinks it is 'south' of Antioch, C. Kraay claims it for Tyre, and R. McAlee says Judaea. Whatever the mint, the style is not of Antioch or Alexandria and is more in keeping with the Judaea Capta aurei contemporaneously struck at Caesarea Maritima. Could this coin be numismatic evidence of that brief moment early in Vespasian's reign when his eldest son Titus was thought of as more than just a successor by his troops?


Titus as Caesar
AR Tetradrachm
Caesarea Maritima mint, 70-71 AD
RPC 1967 (3 spec.)
Obv: AYTOKP TITOΣ KAIΣ OYEΣΠ; Head of Titus, laureate, r., with aegis
Rev: ETOYΣ Γ IEPOY; Eagle standing, l., with wreath in beak on palm branch; club in l. field

 

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David, thanks for showing us this interesting coin, and for the great writeup.

 

This would also be another coin I would gladly accept into my new collecting of ancients. Thanks for sharing.

 

Wonderful Tet and historical synopsis, 'v-70' !!!!

Recently, I purchased a tandem of a bronze 1st revolt coin and a bronze 'tater' of Titus with a 'Judah Capta' type reverse---a budget example of both, but I love the history they both tell...I have to reshoot them, but they are so dark I doubt I will do any better than the sellers photos...

One is a 'prutah' and the Titus bronze an Ae-21 type, presumably minted from Caesarea Maritima also, or so I'm told:

 

Love it.

 

Awesome coins Mikey! Your Titus was struck by Agrippa II at Caesarea Paneas.

 

Could this be from a "military" mint?

 

Sweet addition, David!

 

I think Caesarea Maritima was essentially functioning as a military mint during this time period.

 

Thanks. I'm still on shaky ground about military mints...I'm still a little green with ancients. Maybe I should start a thread...

 

very nice V70...and a good little write up.

man, i don't have a coin of titus.

on the list.

 

Much obliged for the info---I greatly appreciate it 'vespasian-70'

 

Well, I get kinda tired of showing-off my coins ... and then I wake-up and say "what the fa?!!"

=> so here are my two Titus examples ... yeeehaaa!!! ...







Oh Titus ... c'mon man!! (leave your pets alone!!)

 

Steve made me post this V-70

Here's Dad!!!!

 

I think it's a great idea to "pile on" the Titus'!

 

Nice denarius Mat!

You know, after rereading the pertinent passages of Suetonius and Josephus to construct the above narrative, I've come to a new understanding of what the "Concordia" types could possibly mean.

Here is one of my favourites. The legend error makes it a unique specimen.


Titus as Caesar
AR Denarius
Ephesus mint, 71 AD
RIC V1440A, BMC V467 var., RSC 39 var., RPC 843 var.
Obv: IMPERATOR T CAESAR AVGVSTI E (sic); Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: CONCORDIA AVG; Ceres std. l., on ornate high-backed chair, with corn ears and poppy and cornucopiae; in exergue, EPHE

 

Sweet coin and write up . Now for a newbie question , what language is that on the coin , it sounds Greek ? Or maybe some Roman version of Egyptian .

 

It's indeed Greek, in deference to the Hellenised populations of the eastern areas of the empire.

 

Thanks , didn't seem like the regular writing on most Roman coins .