IONIA, Smyrna. Vespasian Junior. Caesar, AD ?-95/6. Æ Hemiassarion (16.5mm, 3.11 g, 12h). Struck circa AD 94/5. Near VF.

Electronic Auction 568
Lot: 308.
Closing Date: Aug 14 2024 10:00 ET

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Estimate: $ 300

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IONIA, Smyrna. Vespasian Junior. Caesar, AD ?-95/6. Æ Hemiassarion (16.5mm, 3.11 g, 12h). Struck circa AD 94/5. Bare head right / Nike advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond. Klose Type XLII, Serie A, Gruppe a, 4 (V2/R3); RPC I 1028; BMC 319. Dark green patina with light earthen highlights, off center reverse. Near VF.

Vespasian the Younger, son of Domitian's niece Flavia Domitilla III and cousin Flavius Clemens, was briefly heir to the throne along with his brother Domitian the Younger until their parents fell victim to Domitian's reign of terror. Having no surviving offspring himself, Domitian adopted the two youth in AD 94 and singled their natural father Clemens out for high honor by awarding him the consulship in AD 95. Before the year was out, however, Domitian had turned on his relations, charging Clemens and Domitilla with "atheism." Clemens was executed and his wife exiled. The later church historian Eusebius claims Clemens as an early Christian martyr; for some reason, modern historians have cast doubt on this, viewing it as more likely the couple were converts to Judaism. However, this seems strange on the face of it; Judaism has never actively proselytized people outside the faith, particularly Roman aristocrats, whereas Christianity made a special effort to do just that. Also, "atheism" smacks strongly of the later anti-Christian persecutians of Decius, Valerian, and Diocletian, which charged Christians with disbelieving in any gods. The fates of the younger Vespasian and his brother are unknown. Smyrna was the only city to strike coins in honor of the ephemeral heir; these small bronzes remain very rare today.

Closing Date and Time: 14 August 2024 at 11:42:20 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.