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Sale 108
Lot 208
Hadrian. AE Sestertius (28.70 g.), AD 117-138. Struck in Rome 134-138 CE. HADRIAN AVGCOSIIIPP, Bust of Hadrian right, laureate, cuirassed and draped. Reverse: Hadrian togate, stands r., extends r. hand to raise a kneeling draped woman, l., two children stand l., in front of her, one carries a palm branch, the second does not, a third child, also carries a palm branch and stands behind her to l; IVDAEA in exergue, S C to left and right of scene. Hendin ___; Cohen ___; BMC ___. For a reverse die link see Los Sestercios Imperio Romano, Vol. II, Juan R. Cayon, 459A, page 137. Glossy chocolate brown with slight iridescense., smoothing in the fields, Probably unique and highly important. Choice Very Fine. Estimate Value $30,000 - UP
From the S. Moussaieff Collection, This lot has been officially exported from Israel through the Israel Antiquities Authority.
This reverse type appears to be a totally new and previously umpublished type with Judaea represented in a kneeling position and extending her hand to the emperor Hadrian who receives her. The earliest representation of this scene is taken from a medallion published in 1740 from a museum in Venice, Museo pis ano olim Corrario animadversions Furthermore, Jonathan Grimaldi of Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG in London, found an important note in a "Bollettino dei Musei Comunali di Roma" of 1993 where the author (Antonio Giuliano) wrote that the above piece could be in Vienna instead of Venice.
Additional comment by David Hendin, American Numismatic Society and author of a Guide to Biblical Coins:
This is an extremely rare coin type of Hadrian that cross-references Hadrian's RESTITVTORI (celebrating Hadrian as "the restorer of…") coins, but is also related to Hadrian's ADVENTVI (celebrating "the arrival of…" Hadrian) coin series.
Unlike any of the other Hadrian coins referring to Judaea, this coin depicts a kneeling personification of Judaea. Hadrian's coins referencing ADVENTVI AVE IVDAEAE or simply IVDAEA, all depict the personification of Judaea greeting the emperor from a standing position, flanked by children and somethimes an altar. This coin shows three children and no altar. All of the other sestertii in Hadrian's RESTITVTORI have similar scenes in which each province kneels before the emperor. Thus, by iconography we can link the coin to the RESTITVTORI series as well as to the ADVENTI series, the only other Hadrian coin series that mentions Judaea.
Thus, this coin conveys an official message that when Hadrian visited Judaea in 130 AD, he found Jerusalem still in ruins from its destruction by Titus in 70 AD. Hadrian renamed Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina and thus became "the restorer of Judaea." Even though the reverse legend does not describe this completely, the images make the message perfectly clear. Hadrian's visit and renaming of the Holy City set into motion the subsequent Bar Kokhba War (132-135 AD), which Rome won, but at no small cost to Hadrian and his armies.
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| Realized $63,000 |
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