Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 8164321, member: 82616&quot;]Acquiring a coin of Vespasian the Younger, Domitian&#039;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&#039;m absolutely thrilled!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1425291[/ATTACH]<b>Vespasian the Younger [Domitian]</b></p><p>Æ Hemiassarion, 3.15g</p><p>Smyrna, Ionia mint, 94-95 AD</p><p>Obv: ΟΥƐϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΟϹ ΝΕΩΤΕΡΟϹ; Head of Vespasian the Younger, bare, r.</p><p>Rev: ΖΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ; Nike advancing r., holding wreath and palm</p><p>RPC 1028 (17 spec.).</p><p>Ex Leu Numismatik, Web Auction 18, 19-21 December 2021, lot 1953.</p><p><br /></p><p>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 &#039;atheism&#039;. 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.</p><p><br /></p><p>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&#039;s &#039;treachery&#039;, perhaps explaining the issue&#039;s rarity today.</p><p><br /></p><p>Please feel free to share your &#039;adopted heir&#039; coins or whatever you feel is relevant.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you for looking![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in