Lot 695
A Fine and Complete Tile with the Tenth Legion Stamp, from Ancient Jerusalem. Israel, late 1st - 2nd century AD. The tile, a paver, is fashioned from a gritty pinkish-orange clay and hard-fired. A square of 7" on each side, and about 1-1/2" thick,the tile has impressed on its face a rectangular stamp with the letters, "LEG X FR." This stands for "Legio Decima Fretensis." Modest chip on back at one corner, otherwise the tile face clean and choice. The letters clearly and deeply impressed on this tile, making it a much superior and desirable example. An important artifact for the Judaica or military collector.
Estimated Value $750 - 1,000.
Actually found in Jerusalem, the owner of this and the following lot is the same consignor who offered three similar specimens in our previous antiquities offering. These are the last of his tiles that we were able to get. Don't miss your chance to acquire a piece (literally speaking of course!) of historic, ancient Jerusalem.
Stationed in Palestine and Syria, the Tenth Legion made up the forces that Vespasian employed in northern Israel during his campaign of 66 AD. Later, the legion comprised a good portion of the troops that destroyed Jerusalem under Titus. Three years later they completed the mopping up of the First Revolt when they captured Masada. Afterwards, the Tenth Legion became the official permanent garrison for the province of Judaea. Following the Bar Kochba revolt, the legion was stationed in Jerusalem (which was renamed Aelia Capitolina by Hadrian) itself. In the early 1990's a major Tenth Legion site was discovered during excavations for a parking lot next to the National Auditorium in Jerusalem. At that time a number of like tiles came on to the market, but these have long since been dispersed. See: N. Avigad, Discovering Jerusalem, 1980, p. 206, figs. 2, 3, and 4.
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| Realized $834 |
