Vespasian, 69-79. Dupondius (Orichalcum, 29 mm, 14.12 g, 6 h), Rome, 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III Radiate head of Vespasian to right. Rev. IVDAEA CAPTA / S C Palm tree with two bunches of dates; to right, Judaea, draped and veiled, seated right on cuirass in attitude of mourning, resting her head on her left hand; at her feet to right, shield; to left, vexillum and two shields. BMC -. Bromberg II 616 (same reverse die) . CBN -. Cohen -. Hendin 6582. RIC 271 (this coin cited). Samel -. Shoshana -. Extremely rare, by far the finest of just four known examples, and with beautiful riverine surfaces. Very minor traces of corrosion, otherwise, extremely fine.



The Judaea Capta dupondii rank among the great rarities of Flavian coinage. The first example came to light only in 1974, when it appeared in Leu 10, 29 May 1974, 98, and subsequently entered the collection of Abraham Bromberg (Bromberg II 616). Since then, only three further specimens have surfaced, including the present coin, which is by far the best preserved of the four. As all four examples were struck from the same reverse die, it seems likely that only a single reverse die was used for the denomination. Why the dupondii of this series were produced in such small numbers remains a mystery.

No less interesting is the simplification of the reverse composition. Whereas the sestertii show either a captive or the victorious emperor to the left of the palm tree, that figure is omitted here. At the same time, the palm tree is shifted from the center to the left, allowing the mourning Judaea to occupy more of the field and placing her at the very center of the composition. The result is a striking change in emphasis: on the dupondius, the mourning Judaea herself becomes the principal focus of the image.