Another couple of Judaea Capta silver Titus. 79-81CE AR denarius. "Judaea Capta" commemorative, depicting triumphal return to Rome following the conquest. Rome mint. Struck after 1 July A.D. 79. His laureate head right; IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M / Slow quadriga left, garlanded and bearing grain ears; TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII P P. RIC II.1 25. RSC 278. And this one with Titus facing left which I believe is uncommon:
Great denarii!! The left facing portrait is of course much rarer than right facing. However, this is not a Judaea Capta type ... it has more to do with Ceres than Judaea. A triumphal type will have Titus in the quadriga.
Ahh, the devil is in the details! I appreciate that information, David Now I have to go find me a true Judaea Capta quadriga denarius Still I like the design, even if Titus didn't go along for the ride
I suppose it is a matter of opinion but I regret what I consider a tendency of some sellers to promote any coin of Titus and Vespasian and 'Judaea Capta'. IMO proper Capta types will either have a captive in a submissive pose or the legend IVDAEA CAPTA (or both). Any figure of Victory, Pax, Mars etc. may have been inspired by the Jewish wars but the coins need more to qualify than a simple appearance of a military subject. I am a bit ambivalent on the matter when it comes to the piglet type. I do wish they had clarified the anti-Jewish intent, if there was any, with a legend. As it is, I do not see this as related to the war but it still is an interesting type.
That is a most interesting type. The piglet certainly is abominable to the jewish population, all the more so when associated with the Roman Titus who destroyed the Jewish temple.
Great coins and post, @atom ! As always, I enjoy reading @David Atherton and @dougsmit ’s comments. I thought I’d post my swine denarius and a reference in Kenneth Bressett’s book although I tend to agree with David’s thoughts on this belonging to a broader agricultural/livestock series of coin images.
You are right, the Vespasian denarii with a sow have no relation at all with the Jews. This sow was a sacred animal in the Roman tradition (well before they went to war against the Jews). She is a sign from the Gods, as can be read in Virgil's Aeneid book VIII : Aeneas in Ostia wonders if he has reached the end of his journey. The gods send him a message : when you find a white giant sow with 30 white piglets, you'll know your wanderings are over and that here is the promised land in which your posterity will live and prosper. And he finds it the next morning under a tree by the river Tiber near the site of Pallantia, the future Rome. There is also a are as of Antoninus Pius showing this sow under the tree by the river : not my coin of course !!!
Thanks for the information. I'm not into coins of antiquity, but I like to see and read about the ones that have been posted on Coin Talk. Again, thank you.
Here is my Judea Capta quadriga denarius issued under Titus: Roman Provincial Antioch mint (struck 72-73 AD). AR Denarius Obv.: T CAES IMP VESP PON TR POT; Titus, laureate, r., bust draped. Rev.: No legend. Titus, in triumphal quadriga, r.; holding branch & sceptre. Attrib.: Hendin 1493. Cohen 395. RIC II 1563 (Vesp). RPC II 1935. BMCRE 521. (Purchased in CNG Auction 194, Lot # 233.) Notes: The reverse commemorates the Judea Capta Triumphal Parade which was held in June of 71 A.D. Titus is shown driving the quadriga.
It was mentioned that pigs are 'detestable' to the Jewish people. I had the idea that they were not allowed as dietary items but am unclear of their status otherwise. A question for our members aware of the rules: Are non food pig products outlawed as well? I doubt the 1st century people used footballs but a little research turned up that pig leather is very common today but most leather items are just marked 'leather' without a species name. I did see one reference that a person must remove a pig garment before praying in the Muslim faith. This video will be repulsive to some (you are warned) but I recall, when a child, seeing some of the items shown. My father was fond of his alligator and seal shoes. I assume all footballs are synthetic now?
@dougsmit Excellent question! - one which prompted me to research on the web. I found an article which sheds light on ancient times, so I'll copy the following excerpt (I hope that's ok) and link to the entire source. There is probably no animal as disgusting to Jewish sensitivities as the pig. It’s not just because it may not be eaten: there are plenty of other animals that aren’t kosher either, but none of them arouse as much disgust as the pig. Attitudes toward the pig It’s not the only animal on the unkosher list, but it gets the worst treatment of any of them. Some examples: ● Prohibition against raising pigs: “The sages forbade raising pigs anywhere [whether in the Land of Israel or elsewhere] . . . The sages pronounced a curse on one who raises dogs or pigs, because they cause frequent and serious damage.” The Talmud traces this ruling to the civil war between the Hasmonean brothers Hyrcanus and Aristobulus (67 BCE). Aristobulus and his forces had barricaded themselves in. One day the besiegers sent up a pig the Temple Mount, where they were besieged by Hyrcanus’s army. Each day Aristobulus’s men would send down a basketful of coins, and receive in return lambs for the daily Temple offerings. Until one day the besiegers sent up a pig instead: When it was halfway up, it stuck its hooves into the wall, and the entire Land of Israel, 400 parsahs (about 1000 miles) square, trembled. At that time [the sages] declared: Cursed be one who raises pigs . . . ! ● Martyrdom rather than eat pork: The Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus IV, as part of his campaign to outlaw Judaism, sent his soldiers to the Land of Israel with orders to force the Jews to offer pigs as sacrifices to the Hellenistic gods and consume the meat. A Jew 90 years old, named Elazar, defied the order and endured a savage beating—even when he was offered the chance to just pretend to eat it while really he would be given kosher meat. Eventually the Greek soldiers met their match in the town of Modiin, where Matityahu the Hasmonean began the revolt that eventually saw the country freed from Hellenistic rule. ● It is a symbol of hypocrisy: It pretends to be a kosher animal. The Midrash draws a comparison between the Roman empire and the pig. Just as the pig sticks out its hooves when it is resting, as if to say “I am kosher,” so did the Romans put on a show of justice to mask their avarice and corruption.
