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Caesar Vespasianus Augustus
"Pecunia non olet – Money Does Not Stink" In Italian, public urinals are called vespasiano, and in French, vespasien. This derives from the fact that Emperor Vespasian reinstated the urine tax. In Roman public latrines, urine flowed into large amphora-shaped tanks. It was then sold as a valuable raw material for tanning leather and dyeing textiles. The emperor rightly believed that the state should profit from these transactions.
When Titus reproached him for taxing even urine, the emperor held money collected from the first installment of the tax to his nose and asked, “Does it smell offensive to you?” When Titus replied in the negative, Vespasian remarked, “Yet it comes from urine” (Suetonius).
Spes on the reverse of the coin was the personification of hope.
Denomination: As, Æ
Obverse: Laureate head of Vespasian to right, IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII
Reverse: Spes advancing left, holding flower in her right hand and raising skirt with her left, S C
Mint: Rome, 76 A.D.
Weight: 10,50 g
Diameter: 27,5mm
Provenance: Marciniak
Riferimento : 09.7 RIC II 894
Collezione : IMPERIUM ROMANUM 02 - Flaviens