Description
Titus Caesar Vespasianus, as Caesar under Vespasian 69-79 AD, Gold Aureus (7.10g, 20mm), Rome mint 75 AD. Obverse: Bare head of Titus facing to the right, legend surrounds, “T CΛESAR IMP VESPΛSIΛN”. Reverse: Pax enthroned to the left, draped and holding holding olive branch in right hand and sceptre resting in left arm, legend surrounds, “PAX AVGVST”. Sear-2420; RIC-782 Vesp; Cohen-134; Calicó-749. A modest yet attractive Aureus of Titus during his time as Caesar and co-emperor to Vespasian, struck in faithful and bold Flavian style, near Very Fine / good Fine, a slightly scarcer Emperor.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Titus Caesar Imperator Vespasianus”, naming Titus’ full regnal name during his time as Caesar as well as his title of Imperator (supreme commander). The Reverse Latin legend reads “Pax, augusta”, which has an English translation of “Peace, the Venerable or Majestic” – although literally translating to “peace”, here the Latin word “Pax” refers to the deity and personification of the concept of peace, and she is described with the singular feminine nominative declension of the adjective ‘augustus’, which is derived from the Latin word ‘augeo’, not to be confused with the word and title ‘Augustus’ which was bestowed upon Octavian and all of his successive Emperors. This reverse legend could be mis-translated as “Peace of the Augustus”, referring to Vespasian and the peace that his reign brought, but this would read “pācis Augustus”, with the noun “pax” in the singular genitive case.