Nerva augustus, 97 – 98 Sestertius 97, Æ 28.36 g. IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P Laureate head r. Rev. VEHICVLATIONE ITALIAE REMISSA Two mules grazing in opposite directions; behind, shafts and harness. In exergue, S C. C 143. BMC 119. Kent-Hirmer pl. 74, 255. RIC 93. CBN 108.
Very rare and in exceptional condition for this difficult and fascinating issue, among the
finest specimens known. A magnificent portrait of fine style and a lovely dark green
patina. An unobtrusive area of weakness on reverse, otherwise good extremely fine
Ex Tkalec 28th October 1994, 200 and NAC 10, 1997, 619 sales.
Like the preceding coin, this sharply struck and beautifully preserved sestertius belongs to a larger series of aes coinage struck by Nerva to advertise his efforts to improve the lives of the average Roman citizen at a time when his ability to maintain the support of the army was collapsing. In this way he hoped to counterbalance his military problems by gaining popularity in other sectors of Roman society. The reverse type and its surrounding legend refer to Nerva's abolition of the vehiculatio. This system, which had been established by Augustus, consisted of a series of mansiones (inns) located at intervals of a day's travel along the road and fresh horses and pack animals, all of which were paid for by the people of nearby settlements. At first, the vehiculatio was a reasonable means of conducting imperial business, but the system was soon abused by individuals lacking the proper credentials to use the system and became a burden for those required to support it-the imperial bureucracy would only provide reimbursement for the use of the vehiculatio by those who could be shown to be on legitimate imperial business. Nerva removed this financial burden by abolishing the vehiculatio system and instead established the new custom of paying for official travel directly from the imperial treasury. Although abuses of the vehiculatio took place already in the Julio-Claudian period and merely continued under the Flavians, by solving the problem, Nerva obliquely cast the vehiculatio as one of many abuses that had proliferated under Domitian, an emperor who had been feared and hated by the Senate, and gave himself the contrasting appearance of a "Good Emperor." Unfortunately, this characterization of the elderly Nerva was not enough to sway the opinion of the army, which had appreciated Domitian as a commander, and he was forced to adopt Trajan as his successor in order to avoid the risk of renewed civil war.
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