69CE Silver Roman Coin of VESPASIAN Judea Capta w/ PALM Start Price USD 279.99 Current Price USD 279.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, November 20, 2008 End Time Thursday, November 27, 2008 Location Forest Hills, New York See more about '69CE Silver Roman Coin of VESPASIAN Judea Capta w/ PALM' Description Certified Authentic Ancient Roman Coin of Emperor VESPASIAN Reigned 69-79 CE    ( click on image to enlarge i4949 ) Vespasian  JUDAEA CAPTA Silver Denarius 17mm (3.1 grams) Rome mint: 69-70 A.D. Reference: Hendin 760; BMC 43 Obverse: Laureate head of Vespasian right; around IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG.     Reverse: Mourning Jewess seated right below palm tree, her hands are bound behind her; in exergue, IVDAEA. VESPASIAN A.D. 69-79 a.d. 69-71: Sole reign (with Titus and Domitian, as Caesars) a.d. 71-79: Sole reign (with Titus as Imperator Domitian, as Caesar)   Husband of Domitilla the Elder Father of Titus, Domitian, and Domitilla the Younger Father-in-law of Domitia Grandfather of Julia Titi Great-grandfather of Vespasian Junior Titus Flavius Vespasianus, A.D. 9-79. With Vespasian we find a clean break from the Julio-Claudians and their revolutionary successors, for he was a simple man of modest family background. Indeed, the ancient histo­rians speak principally of his humble lifestyle, his affability, and his sharp sense of humor as opposed to vices and moral bankruptcy, which is princi­pally what we learn of the Julio-Claudians. Vespasian was born at Reate, in Sabine country not far from Rome, with his father having been the first man in the family to amass a small for­tune. This he did as a tax collector in Asia, and later as a banker in the Helvetian territory (mod. Switzerland). His mother's family was of eques­trian rank, and Vespasian's maternal uncle entered the senate and held a praetorship. Vespasian's brother, Flavius Sabinus, led a distinguished career, while the future emperor held somewhat undistinguished and predictable posts. He was military tribune in Thrace in 27, then quaestor on Crete and aedile in 38. Finally, he became praetor under Caligula in 40. However, it was not until his family came to enjoy the patronage of Claudius' freedman, Narcissus, that his career took off. In 43 he gained command of Legio II Augusta in Claudius' invasion of Britain. In that campaign he was closely associated with the emperor and is said to have fought some 30 battles and taken 20 cities as he reduced most of the south­ern part of Britain and took the Isle of Wight. For all of this, Vespasian was awarded triumphal ornaments and two priesthoods, and later was renowned enough to hold the consulship in 51. Thereafter he falls into relative obscurity, for he and his brother owed their prominence to Narcissus, and consequently came under the suspicion of Agrippina Junior, the wife of Claudius. Thus, it is not until later in the reign of Nero that we hear much of Vespasian again. In about 63 he was proconsul of Africa, but did not abuse his position for financial gain, and consequently was spared bankruptcy only by a loan from his brother. In 66 he was part of Nero's entourage, travelling with him on his tour of Greece. However, Vespasian offended Nero by falling asleep at one of his singing performances, and as a result was expelled from the emperor's entourage. Since it was the habit of Nero to appoint governors and generals in the provinces who were of no extraordinary merit, he gave Vespasian com­mand of three legions in 66, with which he was to direct the war in Judaea that is commonly known as the First Revolt or the Jewish War. In February of 67, Vespasian was appointed governor of Judaea. The future emperor conducted a difficult campaign, but by mid-68, when Nero was over­thrown and replaced as emperor by Galba, he had pacified most of Judaea. During the next year, from mid-68 to mid-69, Vespasian continued to direct the war in Judaea as the West became embroiled in civil war. Three successive emperors — Nero, Galba and Otho — fell in only 10 months. By mid-69 an unsavory character named Vitellius was in command, and Vespasian realized now was the time to act. So, on July 1, presumably upon learning of Otho's defeat and suicide, his revolt began. Vespasian was hailed emperor by the legions in Alexan­dria under command of the prefect Tiberius Julius Alexander. Two days later, on July 3, Vespasian was hailed by his own legions in Judaea, and by mid-July (shortly before Vitellius entered Rome), he was also acclaimed by the legions in Syria, which were under the command of the governor, Gaius Licinius Mucianus. Though the senate did not officially recognize his principate until December 21, 69, Vespasian always considered July 1, when the soldiers hailed him emperor, to be his date of accession. This was a serious annoyance to the senate, but helped maintain his popularity with the soldiers. Not only did Vespasian have excellent qualifications for the post, but he also had two sons as heirs, and a brother who was city prefect in Rome. Furthermore, there were many omens favorable to his accession, including one in which a dog brought a severed hand to his breakfast table, and another more ancient superstition that held that at about this time the rul­ers of the world would come from Judaea. Vespasian based his revolt in Antioch and instructed Mucianus to lead 20,000 of his soldiers on a slow march to Italy. While in Antioch, Vespasian struck the first coins of his as-yet-unofficial reign. It was hoped that by the time Mucianus approached Rome, Vitellius would have been overthrown, or at the very least, would have lost popularity. Vespasian left his eldest son, Titus, in charge of the Judaean campaign (for Jerusalem had not yet been taken) so that he himself could move to Alexandria and take control of the grain supply, which was vital to Rome. Meanwhile, legions in Spain and the Balkans supported Vespasian's claim. In the process, however, he did gain an unwanted ally in Marcus Antonius Primus, a commander who managed to gain control of several legions in Pannonia and Moesia. To give some legitimacy to what was lit­tle more than a personal adventure, Primus decided to act in the name of Vespasian. However, in his lust for glory, Primus created an opportunity for a Sarmatian invasion of Moesia, and sparked a nationalist rebellion in Gaul and Germany led by the Batavian prince Julius Civilis. By October, Primus had invaded Italy with five legions and had out-maneuvered the Vitellian forces that had been left to defend northern Italy. After defeating the Vitellians decisively at the Second Battle of Bed-riacum on October 24 and 25 of 69, Primus allowed his soldiers to plunder nearby Cremona for four successive days. Thereafter, Primus marched south to Rome, with the legions of Mucianus (who was delayed in Moesia repelling the Sarmatian invasion) not far behind. Though Vitellius was still popular in the capital, his odds of survival diminished daily. They took a critical turn on December 17, when Primus met the Vitellian army at Narnia, some 40 miles outside Rome. Before a battle erupted, Primus convinced the Vitellians to defect, which left him a clear path to Rome. When news of the defection reached Rome, anarchy broke out in the streets and Vitellius approached the city prefect Flavius Sabinus (the brother of Vespasian) with an offer to abdicate. Though acceptable to both men, the praetorian guards and the mob in Rome were incensed by the plan, and events in Rome moved violently and rapidly. Not only were Sabinus and many of his supporters besieged on the Capitoline Hill and killed, but Vitellius himself was brutally murdered shortly thereafter, on the 20th of December. Either on that day or the fol­lowing, Primus and his Danubian legions entered Rome in the name of Ves­pasian. The plundering and massacre that ensued was halted only when the Syrian legions of Mucianus arrived the next day and ousted Primus. While all these events were unfolding, Vespasian remained in Alex­andria. Indeed, he stayed there for another six months or so awaiting the end of the Judaean war (then being directed by Titus), but it dragged on. Unable to wait any longer, Vespasian departed Egypt in the summer of 70 via ship to Italy. During this period, Mucianus continued to hold Rome for the emperor and reduced the size of the praetorian guard, which had been greatly enlarged by Vitellius. The new emperor landed at the Italian port of Brundisium and made his way to Rome by land. While en route, the Judaean war ended (in Sep­tember, though Masada held out until 73). Vespasian arrived in Rome in October of 70, some 15 months after he had been hailed by his soldiers, and more than nine months after the senate had formally recognized his regime. But even after Vespasian had secured power in Rome, he still had to contend with the nationalist revolt led by Julius Civilis in Gaul and Ger­many. The rebellion had been raging for about a year, and had cost Rome every legionary outpost north of Mainz. Vespasian appointed Quintus Petillius Cerialis as the new governor of Lower Germany, the province in which Civilis' revolt was based. Sharing command of an army with Annius Gallus and Vespasian's 18-year-old son, Domitian, Cerialis set out to crush Civilis. The operation was over quickly, and Gaul and the two Germanies were restored to Rome late in 70. Everything was largely under control now, and the healing process could begin. Suetonius tells us that Vespasian estimated he would need 400,000,000 aurei to get the Empire back on solid footing. With such sig­nificant fiscal demands, he soon acquired a reputation for greed and stingi­ness — qualities that may have been inborn to his personality, but that were exacerbated by the financial crisis of the Empire. He raised money in every possible way, even charging entrance fees to public restrooms. Vespasian shamelessly and openly sold pardons to convicted crimi­nals, and took bribes from politicians and from those who desired posts in government. It is said that he purposely solicited bribes from the greediest applicants, knowing they would steal the most money, thus assuring there were would be more money for Vespasian to acquire when he charged them with extortion. Suetonius tells us this was so common a practice with Vespasian that these appointees were nicknamed "sponges" because he "... put them in to soak, only to squeeze them dry later." However, it must be said that through such extreme measures, Vespasian restored the fiscal health of the Empire. Furthermore, he was not stingy in how he spent the money, frequently spreading it among the most unfortunate. Vespasian had a fairly static routine when in Rome. He rose early and worked hard, though he was certain to reserve sufficient time each day for pleasurable activities. He left much of the day-to-day operation of govern­ment to others; at first to Mucianus, but soon thereafter to his son, Titus. He may also be credited with introducing men of talent into important government posts, regardless of their family status. Vespasian also added to the size of the Empire by annexing Comma-gene in 72, and later by annexing northern England and southern Scot­land, and bringing order to Wales. Leading the British expeditions were Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the father-in-law of the historian Tacitus. Another famous governor who served under Vespasian was Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, the father of Trajan, the future emperor. He served with distinction in the East, and dissuaded the Parthians from invading Syria when Vespasian refused to help them repel an invasion of their kingdom by the Alans. Vespasian was responsible for much building in the West, including a new temple of Capitoline Jupiter, the temple of Peace in the Forum, and the Colosseum in Rome (the Amphitheatrum Flavium), which he began to build in 71 but which was incomplete at his death. Vespasian died of fever at a family villa in the Sabine country outside Rome on June 24, 79. Just as one might expect of this hardy man, he requested to be propped up on his feet just before he expired, for he believed that an emperor should die standing. Numismatic Note: The coinage of Vespasian begins with two series of coins struck in Judaea while he served as governor there under Nero. After his bid for the throne became official, Vespasian first struck coins at Anti-och and Alexandria as he awaited the downfall of Vitellius in Rome. Throughout his principate Vespasian struck coins not only for himself, but also for his two sons, both of whom held the rank of Caesar. He struck a great many denarii and aurei in the East, principally at Antioch and Ephesus. The style of these pieces is remarkably fine, and they are easy to distinguish from the products of Rome and other western mints. Some of the coins attributed to Antioch, however, are better given to Alexandria, where Vespasian was in residence while awaiting the down­fall of Vitellius. Two key diagnostics on these coins are the "scalloped" truncation of Vespasian's bust and the unusual letter G at the end of AVG, which appears more like a Sigma. Since Vespasian emerged victorious from the civil war which began virtually on the centennial of the Battle of Actium, it comes as no surprise that many of his coin designs are inspired by Augustan prototypes. This had specific context because the civil war brought about the extinction of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and Vespasian wanted to demonstrate some continuity for the dynasty he had established in its place. Also of interest are the denarii (or cistophori) that were countermarked during Vespasian's principate, probably at Ephesus in the 70s. These countermarks — usually applied to coins of older vintage — take the form of a sunken rectangle containing the raised letters IMP. VES (or similar), often in ligature. Certificate of Authenticity guarantees this item authentic for a LIFETIME. Bid today and own a piece of history. Contact me directly at  (646) 246 - 6040 if you have any questions/requests. You may also e-mail me at Dmitry217@gmail.com. __________________________________________________________________________________   ______________________________________________________________________________________________ *** Shipping Rules * Shipping is available in the Continental United States for a flat rate of $7.  * Combined shipping is available. *Shipping Internationally is available for $10.  *For international buyers purchasing coins over $200, a $25 fee for signature confirmation is required for secure USPS Global Express international shipping. *** Place a Bid!