Artemide Aste s.r.l.
Auction LIII 2-3 May 2020
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Titus (79-81). AE As, 80-81 AD. D/ IMP T CAES VESP AVG PM TR P COS VIII. Laureate head left. R/ VICTORIA AVGVST SC. Victory standing right on prow, holding wreath and palm. RIC 133; C. 368. AE. g. 11.78 mm. 22.00 A spectacular example, with a superb portrait. Glossy artificial green patina over natural brown, otherwise EF.
The reverse type, depicting Victory on the prow of a ship, is a legend variant of the VICTORIA NAVALIS type struck for both Titus and Vespasian in AD 71-72. This is sometimes attributed as a reference to an obscure victory over Judaean rebels on the Sea of Galilee, mentioned briefly by Flavius Josephus in The Jewish War. Although this interpretation is disputed, there remains no other naval victory on record during the Flavian era.
The reverse type, depicting Victory on the prow of a ship, is a legend variant of the VICTORIA NAVALIS type struck for both Titus and Vespasian in AD 71-72. This is sometimes attributed as a reference to an obscure victory over Judaean rebels on the Sea of Galilee, mentioned briefly by Flavius Josephus in The Jewish War. Although this interpretation is disputed, there remains no other naval victory on record during the Flavian era.