A bronze Sestertius of Vespasian, Judaea Capta coinage

A bronze Sestertius of Vespasian, Judaea Capta coinage
Obv.: Portrait of Vespasian facing right; inscription detailing the Emperors titles, around. Rev.: Victory inscribing a shield attached to a palm tree; Judaea seated r. at foot of palm tree as a mourning captive; in exergue, the letters SC (Senatus Consulto). 70/9 C.E. 24.82 grams, 34¼ mm, axis 6. Cf. Sear, Roman Coins vol.I, p. 443, no. 2344. After the Romans quelled the Jewish Revolt in 70 CE, the respective Emperors chose to advertise the victory widely and in no uncertain terms. In addition to victory parades, in which both prisoners of war and the sacred vessels of the Temple were displayed victory steles were constructed and coins were struck throughout the empire. The coins, most bearing the inscription ‘Judaea Capta’ (Judaea is captured) were struck for over a decade in many different mints even as far afield as Germany and Spain. On most coins there is a female figure seated depicting Judaea, bent over in a position of mourning, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by a soldier or trophy. Bronze coins were also struck in Caesarea inscribed in Greek so that the local populace could read them.