Vespasian, 69 – 79. Sestertius 71, Æ 24.77 g. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG P M TR P Laureate bust r., wearing aegis. Rev. TITVS ET [D] CAESAR VESPASIANV S C Titus and Domitian seated r. and l. C –. BMC –. RIC 56 (these dies and this coin cited). CBN –.
Exceedingly rare, only very few specimen known. Tiber tone and very fine

This extremely rare sestertius was struck in AD 71 to underline the stability of the Flavian dynasty. The portrait of Vespasian appears on the obverse with his full imperial titulature while his adult sons, Titus and Domitian, are depicted seated on the reverse, giving the impression of dynastic solidarity. This same impression had also been given in the triumph celebrated by Titus in the same year for the successful completion of the war against the Jewish rebels of Judaea. Vespasian and his two sons all had a share in the triumph since Vespasian had been responsible for the early successes in the conflict and Titus had brought it to a victorious end. Although he had not been involved in the fighting, Domitian had been included in the triumphal procession mounted on a white horse. The image of a stable dynasty with grown heirs capable of rule once their father was gone was extremely important in AD 71. The reign of Vespasian was still very new and the bloody memory of the Year of the Four Emperors (AD 69) still very fresh. Fears that civil war might again return remained tangible, but by presenting the Flavians as a solid family Vespasian tried to allay these fears. However, in private the dynasty was not nearly as stable as Vespasian would like us to believe from this coin type. Although Domitian was regularly presented as a younger successor to Vespasian and often depicted as an equal heir with Titus, in reality his titles were largely honorific and only Titus was given a share in Vespasian’s government. Somewhat understandably, this disparity in power between the brothers led to a deep jealousy in Domitian. This was exacerbated further after Vespasian died and Titus succeeded. Although he promised Domitian a share in the administration, Titus never granted him any true authority. Thus, when Titus fell ill at a post while travelling to the Sabine country in AD 81, Domitian is said to have abandoned him to die. The solid exterior of the Flavian dynasty was full of deep fissures and cracks on the inside.