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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;IdesOfMarch01, post: 2257879, member: 39084&quot;]One of the three remaining coins needed for my Twelve Caesars was a small bronze (as or dupondius) of Vitellius.&nbsp; These are quite rare in EF condition, and I&#039;ve been seeking one for about four years.&nbsp; The Gasvoda collection offered a fantastic <i>as</i> that I knew might be my best chance for the type of coin I wanted.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vitellius succeeded the short reign of Otho, who himself had been installed in power by the will of the Praetorians (as had Claudius) following Galba&#039;s murder.&nbsp; Otho&#039;s reign would be short (only three months) and he produced no imperial bronzes; evidently the supply of AEs from Nero&#039;s and Galba&#039;s reign had been sufficient, at least initially.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vitellius had also been proclaimed emperor at about the same time as Otho, so a military conflict was inevitable.&nbsp; Vitellius commanded the armies of two legions on the Rhine, the commanders of those legions having abandoned Galba and pledged their support to Vitellius.&nbsp; Shortly thereafter, the governors of Spain, Gaul, and Britain threw their support behind Vitellius as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>Marching on Rome to claim his title, Vitellius encountered Otho&#039;s armies at Bedriacum (now Calvatone, between Verona and Cremona).&nbsp; Otho&#039;s armies were soundly defeated in April of 69 AD, and Vitellius continued on to Rome and was recognized as emperor by the Senate.&nbsp; Short-sightedly, however, Vitellius replaced the Praetorian Guard with his troops from Germany and made no attempt to win over the defeated armies of Otho nor troops from other parts of the Empire.&nbsp; This turned out to be a fatal mistake.&nbsp; Vespasian was hailed as emperor in September of 69, setting up another inevitable battle as Vespasian invaded Italy.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>At a second battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius&#039; troops were defeated and Vitellius wisely decided to abdicate (influenced by Vespasian&#039;s brother).&nbsp; Waiting in Rome for Vespasian, Vitellius was instead captured by Vespasian&#039;s troops and assassinated in December 69.&nbsp; According to one history, Vitellius&#039; Praetorian Guard refused to allow him to carry out his agreement with Vespasian, leaving him little if any fate other than assassination.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vitellius produced eight months of coinage, the bronzes of which can be quite artistic in their portraiture of Vitellius.&nbsp; My recent acquisition is among the best I&#039;ve seen anywhere:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]447903[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>VITELLIUS&nbsp; 69 A.D.</p><p>AE As (11.57 g.)&nbsp; Rome Apr. - Dec. 69 A.D.&nbsp; RIC 171</p><p>A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG PM TR P Laureate head right.&nbsp; Rev. CONCORDIA AVGVSTI Concordia seated l., holding cornucopiae and patera over lighted altar; in exergue S C&nbsp;&nbsp; From the Gasvoda collection</p><p><br /></p><p>The picture does not do the coin justice.&nbsp; The relief of the portrait is just stunning -- here&#039;s a weak attempt to illustrate it:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]447905[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The coin&#039;s reverse is almost as high relief as the obverse.&nbsp; All in all, a very satisfying addition to the collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>The hunt continues for my two remaining coins -- a portrait sestertius of Tiberius, and a small bronze of Augustus.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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