Judaea Capta!

Ambition sighed: she found it vain to trust
The faithless column and the crumbling bust;
Huge moles, whose shadow stretched from shore to shore,
Their ruins perished, and their place no more!
Convinced, she now contracts her vast design,
And all her triumphs shrink into a coin.
A narrow orb each crowded conquest keeps,
Beneath her palm here sad Judea weeps. -
Alexander Pope, To Mr. Addison, Occasioned by his Dialogues on Medals II. 19-26

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen ... Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground - Isaiah III.25-26.




Vespasian
Æ Sestertius, 26.69g
Rome mint, 71 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: IVDAEA CAPTA; S C in exergue; Palm tree; to l. Captive stg. r.; to r., Judaea std. r. on cuirass; both figures surrounded by arms
RIC 159 (C3). BMC 532. BNC 490, pl. XLIV (same dies).
Acquired from Witter Coins, eBay, October 2019. Ex Triton V, 15-16 January 2002, lot 1913 (From the Robert Schonwalter Collection). Ex Worner List 1, January 1951, no. 394. Formerly in NGC holder #4683650-005, with grade 'F', strike 5/5, surface 3/5.

In 70 AD Jerusalem was besieged and sacked and the Temple razed by the Roman forces commanded by Titus Caesar. The following year a massive joint Triumph was held in Rome for Vespasian and Titus to celebrate their successful conclusion of the Jewish Rebellion. Coins were also issued to commemorate their victory. These so called 'Judaea Capta' coins first appeared in late 70 just after the fall of Jerusalem in August, both in the precious metals and then sparingly in bronze. It wasn't until 71, the year of the triumph, that the bronze coinage came into its own with a whole host of 'Judaea Capta' types. Probably the most famous of these depicts the ubiquitous date palm with a standing bound captive to the right and a seated Judaea to the left, both surrounded by arms. The second bronze issue of 71 saw these produced in massive quantities (Colin Kraay knew of 23 reverse dies paired with this obverse). Although the overall allegorical meaning of the reverse is readily apparent, what each individual device specifically symbolises is open to debate. We are on firm ground to assume the date palm represents the land of Judaea as H. Mattingly proposed in BMCRE II (although J. M. Cody speculated the palm possibly represents the Roman victory). The motif of the standing captive is copied from earlier Republican coin issues. His dress indicates he is a barbarian from outside the boundaries of Roman civilisation, reminiscent of the Gaulish and Spanish captives on those Republican types. In the spirit of the 'Vercingetorix' denarius, H. St. J. Hart proposed the captive is actually either Simon Bar Giora or John of Gischala(!), the two primary Jewish commanders. The seated female figure is the personification of Judaea, the daughter of Zion. This figure is frequently seen on the various designs of the series, often paired with the palm tree. Her attitude of mourning and dejection leaves little doubt she is lamenting the defeat of her people.

Modern observers view this as a forlorn scene of defeat, however, to the Roman coin designers the images are meant to convey victory over a worthy foe. The Jewish War was an important event for the fledgling Flavian dynasty - in essence it gave them the legitimacy to rule. The ensuing propaganda onslaught after the 'Gotterdammerung' fall of Jerusalem is awe inspiring. The slight of hand the Flavian regime devised which transformed defeated rebel provincials into a foreign menace is truly amazing. The coins were a major part of the regime's propaganda commemorating Vespasian's defeat of the Jews and saving the empire. Their efforts paid off, for even today this 'Judaea Capta' type is one of the most iconic and recognised reverses in the whole of Roman coinage.


I cannot begin to convey how thrilling it is to have finally acquired one of these iconic Flavian types! The 'Judaea Capta' bronzes are very popular with forgers, and even if genuine are often seen tooled and/or smoothed. I was lucky to get one in decent condition with neither of those problems. It came in an NGC holder which I couldn't wait to free it from. To hold such a coin in hand is truly an amazing experience.



Last week I posted a poll with my ten favourite coins, it seems I did it a week too soon! This coin would easily make that list and likely be very near the top, perhaps #2.

Please post your Capta types, especially those from earlier or later eras. Also, any 'white whale' or 'grail' coins would be welcomed.

 

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Amazing coin, congrats on a great addition.

 

That is a super coin in hand (in-pic), @David Atherton ! Really nice.

 

Absolutely fabulous coin! Great eye appeal - congratulations!
The following Vespasian's and Titus relate to the victory.

 

Oh, wow, that's absolutely beautiful, David! Congrats on acquiring such a fantastic example of this iconic type.

 

Congrats David! What a superb coin!

 

That's a very nice coin David; as you say, not messed with. Congrats!

Phil Davis

 

Awesome coin

 

Wow David what a fantastic coin!
The reverse is so iconic.

Here is my modest Trajan Dacia capta.



Trajan 98-117
IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V PP,
laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder

SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S-C across fields,
Dacia seated left on a pile of arms, trophy to left,
oval and angular shields around her.

AE Sestertius
Struck 104-107
22,15g/ 32mm
Ric 564

 

Congratulations on your acquisition @David Atherton ! That's stunning.

 

Wow!! Congrats !!

 

Congratulations on the great addition. I fail to understand the NGC surface downgrade to 3/5. The reverse here is really nice for these. Not being "messed with" is one thing but a coin that does not tempt someone to "mess" is at least a 4/5. On the other hand, I would not have given a 5/5 for strike due to the weak obverse right side so all we show here is why I was not asked to work there. The coin is obviously one to keep for life and a person your age could well see the end of the slabbing fad so you will suffer no loss having removed it.

I own no coin to show but did run across another Judaea Capta sestertius when researching another recent CT thread. It was also NGC graded 5/5 - 3/5 and is definitely a coin I would prefer having been seen by NGC to assure the originality of the Ostrogothic incision. (There are 21st century Ostrogoths upgrading worn coins with these numbers.) This is a fine example of when being "messed with" is OK!
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4665773

 

Great new sestertius and a fine addition to your Flavian collection. Congrats!

 

That is a very coin @David Atherton. It looks better in hand than on the pictures (in my opinion). Quite the big one too? What is the diameter?

Here's my little addition to this thread:

 

I had song, salvation, and the sounding trumpets,
when I came forth from Egypt

But the cries of the children, and the groans of
the wounded, when I went forth from Jerusalem.

Congratulations on a beautiful capture filled with history . . .

You might enjoy Judæa Capta by the Victorian author Charlotte Elizabeth - it is a short compelling read of the taking of Jerusalem.

-d

 

That’s a beautiful and historic coin @David Atherton ! Congrats!

 

34mm. A very hefty piece in hand!

 

Her pious 19th century evangelical zeal is quite apparent, but fairly engaging. Thanks for the link!

 

Perhaps they may have took into consideration the minor marks on the coin's edge in a couple of spots. If not, I honestly don't know where that grade came from.