Vitellius Silver Denarius

Vitellius: The Emperor of Feasts

Aulus Vitellius was proclaimed emperor by the Rhine legions in January 69 AD and marched on Rome to defeat Otho. Ancient sources describe him as enormously fat and devoted to banquets — reportedly spending 900 million sestertii on food in his brief reign. When Vespasian's armies arrived in December, Vitellius was dragged from hiding, paraded through the streets, and killed.

This Coin

Vitellius's denarii show a heavy-jowled, fleshy portrait that seems to confirm the literary descriptions. Despite his terrible reputation, the artistic quality of his coins is excellent — the Rome mint produced sophisticated, finely engraved dies. His coins are scarce but less rare than Otho's, making them a critical but achievable piece of the Twelve Caesars series.