Vespasian. AD 69-79. AR denarius, Roma AD 69-70, (3,00 g). Laureate head of Vespasian right / Judea seated right below trophy, mourning. IVDAEA in exergue. Surfaces a bit matte and crystallized. Well centered for type and a well-struck reverse. Steel grey toning.
Info:
This reverse type celebrates the success of Vespasian and Titus quelling the First Jewish Revolt in AD 73. The Jews put up a hard fight against the romans and the city of Jerusalem fell after five months of siege. The future emperor Titus led the attack on the city and managed to enter when a section of the wall collapsed after being undermined or damaged. Titus let the soldiers sack and ravage the city and brought the treasures back to Rome. A scene from the sack of Jerusalem is portrayed and still visible on the triumphal arch of Titus in the Forum Romanum. The fall of Jerusalem is often marked as the end of the Jewish revolt, but the highly fortified city of Masada was not captured until AD 73. The reverse of this celebrated denarius shows a personification of Judea seated and mourning under a trophy of captured armour.
