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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 3208382, member: 82616&quot;]I was quite excited when this hefty coin recently arrived in my PO box and fell in love with it at first sight.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]832380[/ATTACH]<b>Titus</b></p><p>Æ Sestertius, 23.01g</p><p>Rome mint, 80-81 AD</p><p>RIC 168 (C2). BMC 168.</p><p>Obv: IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.</p><p>Rev: S C in field; Spes stg. l., with flower</p><p>Ex Felicitas-Perpetua, eBay, September 2018.</p><p><br /></p><p>Spes is a common reverse type under Vespasian, connected to future dynastic hope and harmony. It continued to be struck by Titus and can be viewed as his hope for the future with his chosen heir Domitian. As Mattingly put it: &#039;...the recurring types of Spes suggests that Titus gave Domitian full due as heir to the throne.&#039; Suetonious would have us believe this public fraternal affection was a sham and Domitian did everything he could to plot against Titus. Dio goes so far as to say Domitian hastened Titus death by having him packed in ice! All of this can be dismissed as nothing more than post Domitianic gossip intended to blacken Domitian&#039;s name. The Flavian historian Brian Jones speculates the brother&#039;s relationship was one of &#039;mutual indifference and ignorance&#039; due to their age and personality differences. Regardless, as the numismatic evidence shows, Titus looked upon Domitian as his legitimate heir until his natural death in mid September 81.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse is quite worn, but no matter, the portrait makes up for any of the reverse&#039;s deficiencies. A sestertius is a magical thing to hold in hand, regardless of wear!</p><p><br /></p><p>Post any coins you feel are relevant.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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