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Obv-IMP TITVS CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG P M Laureate head right. Rev-TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII PP Elephant walking left RIC 22a |
Titus succeeded Vespasian, his father, when he died. Unlike Vespasian, however, the reign of Titus was short-lived and tragic. He had to deal with the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that obliterated Pompey by coordinating relief efforts in the area as well as related rebuilding projects. From this catastrophe he went to play the same role following a major fire that broke out in Rome only to have an outbreak of plague decimate the population shortly after that. In the face of these disasters all he could do would be to throw city-wide parties in hopes of restoring some morale. All for naught for he was to die shortly afterwards himself of obscure causes (some historical references point to a plot by Domitian but the sources aren't highly reliable).
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