★ An extremely rare 'Judaea Capta' aureus of Vespasian ★

Vespasian, 69-79. Aureus (Gold, 17 mm, 7.36 g, 1 h), Antiochia, 72-73. IMP VESPAS AVG P M TRI P P P [COS IIII] Laureate head of Vespasian to left. Rev. PAX A[VGVSTI] Vespasian, nude, standing front, head to left, holding spear in his left hand and raising female seated right, wearing three-pointed crown. BMC 504. Calicó 664 ( same dies ). Cohen -. RIC 1550. RPC II 1924. Extremely rare. A somewhat worn but still attractive example of this important Judaea Capta rarity. Very fine.

The reverse of this extremely rare coin shows Vespasian, heroically nude, raising a female figure wearing a three-pointed crown, surrounded by the legend PAX AVGVSTI. Whether the female on the reverse is a personification of the Roman Empire, the city-goddess of Antiochia or the city-goddess of Jerusalem is a matter of debate, but the issue is certainly part of the extensive Judaea Capta victory series and celebrates the restoration of peace following the Flavian victories in the First Jewish War in 66-74.