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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 2645361, member: 82616&quot;]I&#039;m very excited about my latest acquisition. It&#039;s an early Syrian tetradrachm of Vespasian struck in the summer of 69 AD.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]584298[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Vespasian</b></p><p>AR Tetradrachm, 14.65g</p><p>Antioch mint, 69 AD</p><p>RPC 1953 (6 spec.)</p><p>Obv: AYTOKPA OYEΠACIANOC KAICAP CЄBACTOC; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: ЄTOYC NЄOY IЄPOY A; Eagle with wreath in beak standing, l. on club; in l. field, palm branch</p><p>Ex Pegasi BB151, 21 February 2017, lot 227.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Syrian legions declared Vespasian emperor sometime in mid July. Soon afterwards, according to Tacitus in his Histories - &#039;At Antioch gold and silver currencies were struck.&#039; The Judean provenance of many of these Syrian tetradrachms indicates they were used to pay the legionaries fighting the Jewish War. The style of this coin suggests Antioch as the mint. According to K. Butcher and M. Ponting these tetradrachms were struck at 70% silver fineness. It is interesting to note this tetradrachm was struck nearly 6 months before the senate in Rome recognised Vespasian as emperor and the first imperial coins in his name were struck by the mint in Rome.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian must have been a familiar figure to the Antiochene die engravers during the first few months of his reign because they did an outstanding job capturing a stylish veristic likeness of the old soldier.</p><p><br /></p><p>My latest book purchase compliments my new coin very nicely.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]584302[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Steve Mason&#039;s <i>A History of The Jewish War </i>is a fantastic critical analysis of the Jewish War and the events surrounding it. After reading it you will come away with the realisation that politics has not changed very much in the intervening 2000 years. Highly recommended if only for the chapter on Masada.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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