Titus Sestertius, RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 258

Monetary Context and Imperial Policy

During the early Flavian period, the sestertius functioned as the primary large brass coin of the imperial monetary system, struck from orichalcum, a copper-zinc alloy. Valued at four asses or one quarter of a silver denarius, the denomination was widely used in major domestic transactions, public disbursements, and regional trade. Because of its generous physical module, typically measuring between 33 and 36 millimeters, the sestertius provided imperial authorities with an expansive surface for communicating critical religious, dynastic, and civic messages to the populace of Rome and the provinces. Upon the death of Vespasian in June of 79 AD and his formal consecration by the Senate, Titus prioritized the visual establishment of his father's divine status. The issue catalogued as RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 258 formed a central element of this ideological campaign. Consecration issues not only satisfied traditional religious obligations regarding the deceased emperor but also reinforced the legitimacy of the living successor. By elevating Vespasian to the pantheon, Titus emphasized his own status as Divi Filius (son of the deified), securing his dynastic position at a time marked by significant domestic trials, including the fire of Rome in 80 AD.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

The entire production of RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 258 is securely assigned to the imperial mint at Rome. Under the Flavian emperors, western base-metal coinage was predominantly centralized in the capital, which possessed the technical apparatus and die-engravers required to produce large-module brass flans in quantity. While some Flavian bronze issues were struck in auxiliary or provincial centers such as Lugdunum in earlier periods, base-metal minting under Titus was firmly concentrated in Rome. The denomination was struck in orichalcum, which gave newly minted specimens a bright, golden-yellow appearance that stood out sharply from ordinary copper asses. The theoretical weight standard for the sestertius under Titus hovered around 24 to 28 grams, though individual pieces exhibit considerable variance due to batch casting and contemporary flan-preparation tolerances. Dies were carefully aligned, typically conforming to a regular vertical or near-vertical die axis (six o'clock or twelve o'clock), reflective of the standardized workshop controls maintained within the Roman mint.

Obverse Iconography: The Consecration Quadriga

The obverse design departs from the customary imperial portrait bust, presenting instead a dynamic figural tableau of deification. Divus Vespasian is shown radiate or draped, seated right upon an ornate ceremonial chair affixed to an elaborate processional car (tensa or plaustrum). In his hand, he holds a long sceptre, the ancient attribute of regal majesty and divine authority. The processional car is drawn by four elephants advancing in a quadriga toward the right. Each elephant is guided by a small rider, or mahout, mounted upon its neck and holding a guide goad. In Roman religious ceremonial, elephant-drawn cars were closely associated with the pompa circensis, the solemn parade preceding the circus games in which images of the gods were brought into the arena. By depicting Vespasian in a tensa drawn by elephants, a motif previously utilized on consecration issues for Augustus under Tiberius, the design firmly integrated Vespasian into the imperial divinized lineage and evoked the highest honors of the state.

Reverse Iconography: The Epigraphic Type

The reverse of RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 258 is characterized by an epigraphic composition rather than an allegorical or pictorial figure. The central field is dominated by the monumental letters S C, signifying Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). This traditional formula affirmed the Senate's constitutionally recognized oversight regarding the striking of base-metal coinage in Rome, maintaining the Augustan fiction of shared senatorial and imperial prerogatives. Surrounding the central S C is the comprehensive peripheral inscription setting forth the titles and offices of Titus. The conscious choice to omit a reverse figure allowed the engravers to render the letters at an impressive scale, reinforcing the authority of the reigning emperor while providing a stark, dignified balance to the complex pictorial procession displayed on the obverse.

Legends and Epigraphic Structure

The legends on both faces of the coin operate in dialogue, establishing the reciprocal relationship between the deified father, the Roman governing bodies, and the ruling son. The obverse legend reads DIVO AVG VESPAS S P Q R, an abbreviation for 'Divo Augusto Vespasiano Senatus Populusque Romanus' (To the Deified Augustus Vespasian, from the Senate and the Roman People). This dedication explicitly credits the community of Rome with the decree of divine honors. The reverse peripheral legend reads IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII. Fully expanded, this reads 'Imperator Titus Caesar Divi Vespasiani Filius Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Pater Patriae, Consul Octavum'. Epigraphically, this inscription dates the coin firmly to Titus's eighth consulship, which commenced on January 1, 80 AD. The inclusion of 'DIVI VESP F' directly links Titus to the consecrated ruler honored on the obverse, asserting divine pedigree alongside his primary constitutional titles as chief priest (P M) and father of the country (P P).

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the revised Flavian volume of the Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC II, Part 1, second edition, 2007), edited by Ian Carradice and T.V. Buttrey, this issue is catalogued under number 258 of Titus's reign. It belongs to the intensive series of bronze issues struck at Rome during the calendar years 80 and 81 AD, bounded by Titus's entry into his eighth consulship and his premature death on September 13, 81 AD. Numismatists differentiate this specific catalogue type from closely related varieties that alter the orientation of the car, the presence of riders, or the precise formulation of the imperial titles. In earlier editions of RIC II (1926), consecration types of Vespasian under Titus were scattered across broader classifications, but modern typology groups them strictly by reverse titulature and consular iterations. RIC 258 specifically denotes the variant with the elephant quadriga proceeding right, riders mounted on the animals, and the full reverse title terminating in COS VIII without later tribunician numerals.

Circulation, Wear, and Archaeological Context

Sestertii of the Flavian period enjoyed long, robust circulation lives throughout the western provinces of the Roman Empire, as well as the Italian peninsula. Because base-metal coins were not subjected to the regular melting down and re-minting that affected precious-metal issues during monetary reforms, large Flavian sestertii frequently remained in daily commercial use for decades. Hoard evidence and site finds from the Rhine and Danube frontiers, Roman Britain, and Gallia demonstrate that sestertii of Titus, including consecration issues for Vespasian, circulated well into the second century AD, often showing heavy wear alongside issues of Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines. The substantial mass and durable alloy of these coins made them resilient tokens of value, while the distinct imagery of the elephant quadriga remained a recognizable testament to the founding of the Flavian dynasty long after Titus's brief reign concluded.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. II: Vespasian to Domitian. pp. 260-264
2. Roman Coins from the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. pp. 110-115
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 258. Type record ric.2_1(2).tit.258
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. II, Part 1: From Vespasian to Domitian (AD 69-96). pp. 214-216, no. 258