Acquiring a coin of Vespasian the Younger, Domitian's chosen adopted heir, has been a dream of mine for many years. A Flavian Grail coin if ever there was one! Finally, I was able to win a superb example last month at auction. It arrived this week and I'm absolutely thrilled! Vespasian the Younger [Domitian] Æ Hemiassarion, 3.15g Smyrna, Ionia mint, 94-95 AD Obv: ΟΥƐϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΟϹ ΝΕΩΤΕΡΟϹ; Head of Vespasian the Younger, bare, r. Rev: ΖΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ; Nike advancing r., holding wreath and palm RPC 1028 (17 spec.). Ex Leu Numismatik, Web Auction 18, 19-21 December 2021, lot 1953. Toward the end of his reign in 94 or 95 Domitian adopted the sons of his cousin Titus Flavius Clemens with the intent of making them his heirs. He renamed them Vespasian the Younger and Domitian the Younger while making Clemens consul. However, not long afterwards Domitian became suspicious of Clemens and had him executed on the charges of 'atheism'. His wife Domitilla III was exiled as well on the same charges. We do not know the fate of the two boys, presumably they were punished in some way because they disappear from the historical record. Smyrna was the only city in all of the empire to strike coins for the newly adopted heir Vespasian the Younger. No coins are known for Domitian the Younger. Perhaps Vespasian the Younger born in the late 80s was the eldest making him the senior crown prince. The coin portraits indeed show a child of around 7-10 years of age which would be about right. His coins could not have been struck for any length of time before news reached the city of the family's 'treachery', perhaps explaining the issue's rarity today. Please feel free to share your 'adopted heir' coins or whatever you feel is relevant. Thank you for looking!
Wow David that is a superb addition! Congratulations on adding this coin to your treasury of Flavians.
I wanted to add an addendum to the historical background regarding this coin. As mentioned above Flavius Clemens was executed on the charges of 'atheism', this according to a much later account written by Cassius Dio. Dio goes on further to state that other Romans who drifted into Jewish ways were similarly executed. Many scholars have plausibility theorised that Clemens and Domitilla converted to Judaism and were punished by the religiously rigid Domitian. There is also a later Christian tradition that Clemens and his wife converted to Christianity, although there is no evidence to back up such a claim. Is anyone aware of other prominent Romans who were punished on similar charges? I just found this fact so unusual that it's hard to fathom Dio making it up!
It took me a long time to figure this one out - it came in an eBay junk lot and I am feeling really lucky. I think it might be a die-match to the @David Atherton OP, the flan is slightly oversized. It's been over-cleaned, which is unfortunate, but it does reveal the brass it was minted from. Vespasian the Younger Æ 16 Smyrna, Ionia (c. 94-95 A.D.) ΟΥƐ[ϹΠΑϹΙ]ΑΝ[ΟϹ] ΝΕΩΤΕΡΟϹ, bare-headed bust right / [ΖΜ]ΥΡΝ[Α]ΙΩΝ, Nike walking right holding wreath and palm branch over shoulder RPC II, 1028; BMC 319; Klose, XLII, 1; plate 31, V1/R1. (3.02 grams / 16 mm) eBay June 2022
