"Well, draw me!" -Vespasian "I will once you're done looking like you're making a bowel movement." - artist commissioned to sculpt the new Emperor/ Post up Vespasian... all of 'em

[Ryro]

The Emperor from the sticks (far as anyone from Rome were concerned *w piece of straw hanging out of mouth), Falacrine.

(You know toothbrushes were invented in Falacrine because otherwise we'd call them teethbrushes!)

The hilarious anecdote in the header is indeed attribute to an interaction that Vespasian had with a hired artist. Which tells me two things...

A- Vespasian did indeed have that straight up Sopranos tough guy Italiano look that we see on near EVERY coin, save the early confused time when they didn't know who was going to run the place!

(need I say more?)

And 2 1\2, that Vespasian laughed it off and didn't have the artist murdered shows us that the man was a truly down to earth leader who knew how to lead people (he'd taken control as commander in charge of taking over Judea, after the last guy in charge was killed) ... and that he also knew how to have fun!

Of course this being the same emperor whom may have muttered the three notorious words, "Pecunia non olet" (Money doesn't stink) to his oldest son, after the young man had complained that his father's urine tax stinks!

And talk about a grizzled, surly looking bad ass:

VESPASIAN

Denarius. Minted AD 69-70 . ASIA MINOR. Anv.: IMP. CAES. VESPAS. AVG. Laureate head to the right. Rev .: AVG within laurel. 3.42 grs. Dark patina. Nice piece. EBC / Vespasianus. Nice coin with dark patina and extremely fine. C-36b; RIC-311; BMC-497. Purchased from Soler y Llach, Coleccion Scipio, Oct 2021

 

 

He and his boys:

The time it was dark and a horny Vespy went diving in the dirty pool😋

Vespasian

(AD 69-79), AR Denarius

(19mm, 2.95g), struck AD

73. IMP CAES VESP AVG

CENS , laureate headfacing

right / PONTIF MAXIM ,

Nemesis advancing right,

pointing a caduceus at a

snake below.

 

 

The man knew how to use propaganda (no longer my coin):

 

 

And that full pack of Nathan's hotdogs of a neck:

Vespasian 
PHRYGIA, Laodicea ad Lycum. AD 69-79.Ioulios Andronikos, magistrate. (?)
(Bronze, 9.19g 24mm)
Laureate head right
Rev. Zeus Laodikeios standing left, holding eagle.
RPC 1269; Lindgren III 601. Purchased from Demos Auctions March 2021

So please, let's see all you're Vespasian coins, hear all your favorite Vespasian anecdotes, or anything related to the "Jeff Foxworthy" of emperors!

Edited June 25, 2022 by Ryro

[John Conduitt]

My only Vespasian has little else but his Sopranoesque outline.

Vespasian Denarius, 74Rome. Silver, 18mm, 3.01g. Laureate head Right; IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG. Emperor seated right on curule chair, feet on a low footstool, holding branch and sceptre; PON MAX TRP COS V (RIC II, 702). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016.

I always think Titus was a chip off the old block.

Titus as Caesar Denarius, 75

Rome. Silver, 18x20mm, 3.07g. Head of Titus, as Caesar, laureate, right; T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN. Pax, naked to waist, seated left, holding olive branch extended in right hand, left hand in lap; PONTIF TR P COS IIII (RIC II, Vespasian 783). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016.

Edited June 24, 2022 by John Conduitt

[kirispupis]

I must admit I'm a bit surprised at you @Ryro. Given how Vespasian died, you missed poking a lot of fun. 🙂 

Every time I think of Vespasian, I remember one of my favorite songs. 

Here's my coin:

[thenickelguy]

Very funny post. That "Mens Room" scene had me wondering just how to use a spoon rather than the comfort of our modern Charmin Bears toilet paper.

I'd look just like him if I had to use a spoon!

[CPK]

Good old Vespasian. I've got quite a few of his coins. They're common and inexpensive, so it's easy to pick them up! Here is one I just bought:

 

My favorite denarius portrait:

 

Looking a little upset on this one! 

 

And here's a provincial:

 

 

 

[Ryro]

12 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

I must admit I'm a bit surprised at you @Ryro. Given how Vespasian died, you missed poking a lot of fun. 🙂 

Every time I think of Vespasian, I remember one of my favorite songs. 

Here's my coin:

I leave these stories for others to tell. Though, if you twist my arm😉...

As Vespy became aware that he was shedding his mortal coil, he was reported to have said, "Vae puto deus fio!" ("Damnit, I'm becoming a God!").

Even in death the, man from the plains, had a sense of humor. Wish that we all did. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Ryro

[Octavius]

11 minutes ago, thenickelguy said:

Very funny post. That "Mens Room" scene had me wondering just how to use a spoon rather than the comfort of our modern Charmin Bears toilet paper.

I'd look just like him if I had to use a spoon!

 Ouch!!! Not a spoon. Its a sponge on a stick that the Romans used for their posterior hygiene. I Hope it was a soft sponge. (don't use a spoon !)

Edited June 25, 2022 by Octavius

[thenickelguy]

I am literally laughing out loud as I type

[Alegandron]

VESPASIAN

RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 R

[Octavius]

 Vespasian holds a place of honor in my Library.  If i had to choose one emperor to sit down with and have a beer, I would be him. I think I would have the best chance of walking out alive with him since he truly had a good sense of humor.

here is his place of honor in my home...

 

here are several coins of him where he has that "constipated" look....

 

[Alegandron]

You know, I realized that I only have 3 total coins of Vespasianus.  Him and Trajanus are the only two Emperors that I really like.  The rest are just... I dunno, who cares...  

So, here is the last one that I will put out there (my Dupoinus of his in the the Dupondius thread...

 

RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Denarius Jupiter Sacrificing IOVI CONSERVAT

[Severus Alexander]

1 hour ago, Alegandron said:

VESPASIAN

RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 R

^^Victory forgot to put her sponge on the stick...

@Ryro, your awesome Ephesus inspired me to get this coin! (Which is a die match to @Orfew's great example!)

Definitely looks badass on those early Ephesian issues from 69.   No constipation in evidence at all.  👍

On the earliest Alexandria issues, however, they apparently had a foggy notion of what he looked like:

Looks very TIRED.  Probably was... (Just got ^this one in Roma, not in my hands yet. Thanks to @David Atherton for bringing these to my attention.)

 

[Steve]

ahaha ... great Vespasian-thread, Ryro (you rock, my new coin-friend)

 

Ummm, I only had one lone Vespasian coin, but man, I always liked it ... it had a great Vespasian bust

... oh, with a very cool Eagle wearing some sweet Converse All-Stars!! (sweet sneakers!)

 

 

Cheers, coin-friends

Edited June 25, 2022 by Steve

[Roman Collector]

My most photogenic Vespasian:

Vespasian, AD 69-79.
Roman AR denarius, 3.18 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 73.
Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII CEN, laureate head, right.
Rev: SALVS AVG, Salus seated left, holding patera, left hand at side.
Refs: RIC 58; RIC 2.1 522; BMCRE 87-89; Cohen/RSC 432; CBN 76; RCV 2307.

[Alegandron]

49 minutes ago, Severus Alexander said:

Victory forgot to put her sponge on the stick...

 

Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.......

[Severus Alexander]

11 minutes ago, Alegandron said:

Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.......

Not quite that bad, Obi Wan... see, she's gonna use the sponge part in her right hand, I don't see the stick part:

[Numisnewbie]

Vespasian is by far my favorite emperor - and the urine tax was genius!

 

This is the one Vespasian I have:

And this is the one I gave to my grandson:

And this is the one I'm still kicking myself for not bidding on when it was available:

 

[Curtisimo]

Great coins and post @Ryro!

Cappadocia, Caesarea-Eusebia, 
Vespasian (AD 69-79)
AR Hemidrachm, Caesarea mint, struck AD 77/78
Dia.: 16 mm, 12h
Wt.: 1.6 g
Obv.: AYTOKP KAICAP OYЄCΠACIANOC CЄBA, Laureate head right
Rev.: Nike advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond
Ref.: RPC II 1659; Metcalf 17

 

[Alegandron]

25 minutes ago, Severus Alexander said:

Not quite that bad, Obi Wan... see, she's gonna use the sponge part in her right hand, I don't see the stick part:

LOL... yeah.

 Wonder how many times those wings get soiled in the process...

[Al Kowsky]

I sold this Tet. of Vespasian at a Heritage auction 10 years ago for $345.00. It would sell for a lot more on today's market 😏.

McAlee 334, Prieur 112.

[Al Kowsky]

8 hours ago, Octavius said:

 Vespasian holds a place of honor in my Library.  If i had to choose one emperor to sit down with and have a beer, I would be him. I think I would have the best chance of walking out alive with him since he truly had a good sense of humor.

here is his place of honor in my home...

 

here are several coins of him where he has that "constipated" look....

 

Wonderful group of portraits 🤩!

[AncientOne]

Here's a couple of my recent provincials. 

Phrygia, Amorion. Vespasian AE23. AD 69-79.

Obv: OYEΣΠAΣIANON KAIΣAΡ, laureate head right, AM monogram beneath neck. Rev: EΠI Λ ANTΩNIOY ΛONΓEINOY, eagle standing left on spear. Magistrate L. Antonius Longinus. RPC II 1423   Troas, Assus. Vespasian Æ18. Obv: ΟΥƐϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ / laureate head of Vespasian, r. Rev: ΑϹϹΙΩΝ / helmeted head of Athena, r.

Edited June 25, 2022 by AncientOne

[dougsmit]

There are two kinds of people on coins.  First are the ones where we like the most attractive portrait; second are the ones where we value the worst.  Vespasian and Nerva lead this second group.   Eastern mints seemed particularly good at making Vespasian look bad.

 

[ambr0zie]

I love Vespasian coins. Common (well, most of them) so you don't need to sell a kidney but interesting and diverse. For these reasons, he is well represented in my collection

From the 12 Caesars, he is the first chronologically where getting a denarius is not an expensive task.

Here are some of my examples, this one (along with 2 similar denarii) were from my first ever purchase

Vespasianus (69-79) Denarius
AD 70
IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Head of Vespasian, laureate, right
COS ITER TR POT
Type: Pax, draped. seated left, holding branch in extended right hand and winged caduceus in left
RIC 29

Vespasian AR Hemidrachm of Caesarea, Cappadocia. AD 69-79.
ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΟΥƐϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒΑ Laureate head right.
Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm.
RPC II, 1659.
1.65 g, 17 mm

Vespasian AD 69-79. Rome
18 mm, 2,68 g
Date: AD 74
IMP CAESAR VESP AVG
Head of Vespasian, laureate, right
Legend: COS V
Two laurel branches, upright
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 681

Vespasian (69-79) AR Denarius, Rome, 77-78
IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG - Laureate head right
Rev: Pair of oxen under yoke left, In exergue, COS VIII.
C 133. BMC 206. RIC 943. CBN 184
Old RIC 107 (C)
2,67 g, 18 mm

Vespasian AD 69-79. Rome
As Æ
23 mm, 11,02 g
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 287
Date: AD 71
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III, Head of Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: AEQVITAS AVGVSTI S C, Aequitas, draped. standing left, holding scales in right hand and long vertical rod in left

 

... a Divus issue, where Vespasian looks like he just let out a big one

 

Divus Vespasian after AD 79. Rome
Denarius AR
19 mm, 2,71 g
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 357;OLD RIC II Titus 63; RSC Titus 497
Date Range: AD 80 - AD 81
Obv:  DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Head of Divus Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: Capricorns, left and right, back to back, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe, below

... and my latest addition

Vespasian AD 69-79. AR Denarius 3,38gr. Rome
July- December AD 71. IMP CAES VESP AVG P M, head of Vespasian, laureate, right / AVGVR TRI POT, Simpulum, sprinkler, jug and lituus
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 4, old RIC II Vespasian 30, RSC 43, BMC 50

 

[DonnaML]

A great thread, @Ryro. But you're going to have to start putting content warnings before your thread titles, or my delicate sensibilities are going to cause me to faint one of these days!

I have only three coins of Vespasian, but I'm very fond of all of them, for the portraits and in general.

Vespasian AR Denarius 74 AD;  Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG / Rev. Vespasian seated right in curule chair, holding branch and scepter, PON MAX TR P COS V. RIC II-1 702 (2007 ed.), old RIC II 177 (1926 ed.), RSC II 364, BMCRE 136. 19.1 mm., 3.432 g. (Purchased from Forum Ancient Coins, Dec. 2017. Ex. Gitbud & Naumann Auction 36 [4 Oct 2015], Lot 616).

Vespasian AV Aureus, 75 AD (Cos VI), Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR - VESPASIANVS AVG [counter-clockwise from 5:00] / Rev. Victory holding palm branch in left hand and wreath in outstretched right hand, standing left on cista mystica flanked by two coiled serpents with heads pointing upwards*, PON MAX - TR P COS VI [clockwise from 8:00]. Two small edge dents/cuts on obverse at 3:00 and 6:00 (possibly from old jewelry mount). 19 mm., 7.22 g. RIC II-1 Vespasian 775 (2007 ed.), old RIC II Vespasian 82 (1926 ed.), BMCRE 168, Cohen 370, Sear RCV I 2254 (ill. p. 431). Purchased from Arete Coins, Seattle, WA, Dec. 2021; ex. Triskeles Auctions Sale 21, Lot 392, 29 Sep. 2017; ex. Ars Classica XVIII (“COLLECTION TRÈS IMPORTANTE MONNAIES ROMAINES FORMÊE PAR UN DIPLOMATE ÉTRANGER DEPUIS LONGTEMPS DÉCÉDÉ”[Collection of Vicomte de Sartiges]), Lot 144 [ill. Pl. 6], 10 Oct. 1938, l'Hôtel Schweizerhof, Lucerne, Switzerland (Experts Dr. Jacob Hirsch & M. Lucien Naville); ex. Collection of Louis, Vicomte de Sartiges (1859-1924), published in Sartiges, Vicomte de, “Collection du vicomte de Sartiges. Séries grecque et romaine, en 1910, ainsi que les acquisitions depuis cette date”
(Paris, D.A. Longuet; Plates I-XLIII published 1910; undated supplement contains five additional plates), Pl. XXVI, No. 105 [this coin, acquired before 1910]. **

 1938 catalog illustration, Lot 144:

Illustration from 1910 published de Sartiges Collection, Pl. XXVI, No. 105:

*See Sear RCV I at p. 431: “The reverse type is inspired by the triumviral cistophoric coinage of Provincial Asia” (citing Sear RCV I 1512-1513, issued by Mark Antony). See also similar reverse on silver quinarius issued by Octavian, RIC I 276, Sear RCV I 1568.

 **See Provenance Glossary, p. 14, Numismatica Ars Classica Auction 91 Catalogue, 23 May 2016,  Zurich, Switzerland:

  

 

Divus Vespasian AR Denarius, 80 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS / Rev. Foreparts of two capricorns springing in opposite directions, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe below. RSC II Vespasian 497 (ill.), RIC II-1 Titus 357 (2007), old RIC II Titus 63 (1926), Sear RCV I Titus 2569 (ill.), BMCRE Titus 129. 17 mm., 2.84 g., 6 h.

Edited June 26, 2022 by DonnaML