Roman Empire - Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV Aureus (7,07 g. 19 mm.). Rome mint. Struck AD 78-79.

CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG head of Vespasianus laureate right.

ANNONA AVG Annona seated left holding bundle of ears of corn in both hands.

Cal 590; Sear 2247; RIC 131

Good very fine condition. Beautiful colour.

The reverse of this detailed aureus depicts the emperor's power to care for his people through the provision of grain, personified in the form of the goddess Annona. A type utilised by both Titus, his father Vespasian and his brother Domitian, it formed part of the propaganda campaign deployed by the nascent Flavian dynasty to restore confidence in the government of the Empire, specifically in relation to the continued grain supply required to feed the people of Rome. Indeed, early in his reign and before he had ever set foot in the city as emperor, Vespasian was required to quell protests and unrest in Alexandria brought about by the imposition of new taxation policies that had disrupted the regular grain shipments from Egypt.
However as emperor, Titus' reign was marred by catastrophic events beginning just two months after his accession the effects of which were far outside the scope of the Virtues which he claimed within his power. On the 24th August AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted over the Bay of Naples burying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in stone, lava and ash and killing thousands. A year later and whilst Titus was coordinating the relief effort and on his second visit to the southern coast of Italy, a fire broke out in Rome which burned for three days and nights which destroyed many important public buildings and areas of housing; in the poor living conditions of those whose houses had burned, disease broke out and brought further suffering and death to Rome. Titus himself died in 81, having only been emperor for a little over two years.