Vespasian

A career military officer of equestrian origins, Vespasian emerged from the chaos of the Year of the Four Emperors to found the Flavian dynasty. He restored fiscal stability after Nero's excesses and the civil war, and began construction of the Colosseum using spoils from the sack of Jerusalem.

Vespasian proved that a man of modest origins could hold the empire together and found a dynasty. His fiscal prudence and building programme, including the Colosseum, transformed Rome physically and demonstrated that stable governance could follow civil war.

Key Events

66 AD Appointed by Nero to suppress the Jewish Revolt

69 AD Proclaimed emperor by the eastern legions; defeated Vitellius

70 AD Son Titus captured and destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple

71 AD Triumph celebrated in Rome for the Judaean victory

73 AD Began construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum)

79 AD Died of natural causes, reportedly saying 'Dear me, I think I am becoming a god'

Coinage

Vespasian's coinage is abundant and extensively documents his Judaean victory and restoration of the state after civil war. The IVDAEA CAPTA series is one of the most famous and collected Roman coin types, issued across multiple denominations.

Denominations

Aureus Denarius Sestertius Dupondius As

Notable Types

IVDAEA CAPTA sestertius and denarius
Colosseum types
Modius types symbolizing restored grain supply

Common Reverses

IVDAEA CAPTA PAX AVGVST PON MAX TR P COS ANNONA AVG FORTVNAE REDVCI COS ITER TR POT

Active Mints

Rome Lyon (Lugdunum) Tarraco Ephesus Antioch

Key Events

Coinage

Related Resources

Further Reading