A couple of days ago I shared a Titus as Caesar VICTORIA NAVALIS As struck under Vespasian. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-most-peculiar-naval-victory.343940/ Recently this corresponding Vespasian As arrived in my PO Box. Vespasian Æ As, 11.55g Rome mint, 71 AD RIC 336 (C). BMC 616. Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: VICTORIA NAVALIS; S C in field; Victory stg. r. on prow, with wreath and palm Acquired from J. Diller Münzenhandlung, July 2019. The reverse supposedly commemorates the 'naval' victory won during the Jewish War on Lake Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee). This body of water is well inland, so Vespasian's troops had to quickly construct large barges and rafts in order to defeat the Galileans. I jokingly stated in the previous thread that Victory should instead be standing on a raft. The ship's prow that she is standing on is a powerful symbol of Roman Naval supremacy. Any Roman gazing on this coin would understand its meaning. The coin shows Victory standing on the prow of a Roman Naval vessel, similar to this model. Roman Naval ships were quite imposing vessels on the sea. Needless to say, Victory standing on a raft wouldn't have had the same symbolic power. Flavian propaganda required the naval battle on Lake Gennesaret to be an epic struggle befitting the new emperor and his heir, hence its exaggerated importance on the coinage. In the joint Triumph held for Vespasian and Titus in 71 celebrating their Jewish War victory Josephus tells us enemy ships were paraded. Just like on the coin, these too were likely exaggerated. No Galiliean fishing boats were required.
Thanks Andrew. It is indeed a very interesting type. A 'new man' such as Vespasian needed all the gravitas he could get, exaggerated or not!
