Watch List notes:

THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Vitellius, 69

Aureus late April-December 69, AV 7.30 g. A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P Laureate head r. Rev. L VITELLIVS COS III CENSOR Lucius Vitellius, togate, seated l. on curule chair, feet on stool, holding eagle-tipped sceptre in l. hand and extending r. C 54 var. (branch in r. hand). BMC 23. RIC 94. CBN 54. Calicó 565b (this coin).
Very rare and among the finest specimens known of this important issue. A bold
portrait struck in high relief on a broad flan, an unobtrusive metal flaw
on obverse, otherwise extremely fine


Ex Triton IV, 2000, 491; NAC 24, 2002, European Nobleman, 44; NAC 41, 2007, 58, and NAC 54, 2010, 358 sales.
Each of Romes emperors (except Otho, whose lineage was not particularly distinguished) had celebrated their ancestors as a means of buoying their own legitimacy. Augustus made the most of his relationship with Julius Caesar, Tiberius did likewise with Augustus and Livia, Caligula and Claudius honored the many nobles from whom they were descended, and Nero initially trumpeted Agrippina and Claudius. Even Galba – the first non-Julio-Claudian emperor – trumpeted his close ties to the deified Livia. On this rare aureus, the newest emperor Vitellius acts likewise: he celebrates his illustrious father, Lucius Vitellius, who, as the reverse inscription indicates, was Censor and held the Consulship three times. Vitellius' father was undoubtedly the most important politician of his age. He was a shameless flatterer who would avert his eyes and prostrate himself in the presence of emperors and empresses; we are told he would even kiss the feet of Claudius' third wife Messallina. He was pragmatic in his dealings with Tiberius: not only did he 'provide his son (the future emperor Vitellius) to Tiberius as one of his male prostitutes during his final years on Capri, but also he was skilful enough to survive the reign of Caligula. Under Claudius – who was perpetually at odds with the senate – Lucius reached the zenith of his career, running the government while Claudius was leading an invasion of Britain. After an illustrious, if not prideful, career, Lucius Vitellius probably died late in the reign of Claudius or early in the reign of Nero, long before the most famous of his four sons became emperor.