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Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 26.01 g, 6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right / IVDAEA CAPTA, S C in exergue, palm tree; to left, Vespasian standing right, left foot on helmet, holding spear in right hand, cradling parazonium in left arm; to right, Judaea, veiled and draped, seated right on cuirass, in attitude of mourning. RIC II.1 167; Hendin 6534; Brin 45; BMCRE 543-6; BN 497-8. Superb EF. A very impressive coin.
From the PLZ Collection, purchased from Antiqua. Ex Sternberg XIII (17 November 1983), lot 610.
An especially poignant depiction on the reverse of this Judaea Capta sestertius places this coin at the apex of almost all of these types I've ever seen, and I was fortunate to acquire it from a private seller. (PLZ)
Few Roman coins are as evocative as the famous “Judaea Capta” issues of Vespasian and Titus, making them among the most widely sought-after types in the whole Roman series. No one took better advantage of a single military victory than the Flavian rulers, who were the final winners in the civil wars of AD 68-69.
Late in the reign of Nero, in AD 66, an anti-Roman rebellion erupted in the client kingdom of Judaea. After initial efforts to quell the revolt with local forces failed, the following year Nero sent the veteran general Vespasian to Judaea with a large legionary task force to crush the rebels. He was able to subdue most of Judaea but, in the midst of the campaign, Nero’s regime collapsed and a free-for-all ensued that would soon see Vespasian’s legions declare him emperor. He departed for Rome to claim the throne, leaving his elder son, Titus, to handle the conclusion of this First Jewish War. Titus prosecuted the war with grim efficiency, finally placing Jerusalem under siege until it fell, with the accompanying destruction of the second temple, in the summer of AD 70. Vespasian and Titus would celebrate a triumph back at Rome, the details of which can still be seen on the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum. The final resistance of the Jewish rebels ended with the fall of Masada in April, AD 73.
Perhaps the most recognizable result of the Jewish War is the Roman Colosseum, which was started by Vespasian and opened publicly by Titus in AD 79. This Flavian Amphitheater, later named after the Colossus of Nero which stood before it, was built from spoils seized from the war, among them thousands of enslaved Jews who labored in its construction.
The Judaea Capta coinage commenced in AD 71, capitalizing on the sensational triumph held in Rome to celebrate Titus’ victory. Flavian propaganda understandably wanted to stress this foreign conquest, rather than their defeat of fellow Romans in the recent civil war. The type almost always features a Jewess seated at the base of a palm tree, her face buried in her hands in abject mourning. Standing opposite the tree, on the present example, is a triumphant Vespasian standing in full armor, holding a spear, his foot placed on a helmet. Few images so concisely convey both the swelling pride of the conqueror and the utter desolation of the defeated.
Though Judea Capta coinage was struck in substantial numbers and is widely collected, this exceptional example must surely rank as one of the finest surviving specimens of the entire series. The portrait is superb and the reverse details are exceptionally well defined.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.
CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session One – Lot 1-318 will be held Monday morning, 18 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
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