Denarius - Vespasian AVG

Vespasian struck heavily in 70 AD to pay the legions that had just finished sacking Jerusalem — the destruction of the Second Temple funded, in part, the very coins circulating in its aftermath. The IVDAEA CAPTA series dominates this year's output, and many issues were struck at a temporary eastern mint, possibly Antioch, before production consolidated back to Rome.

RIC II.1 1541 is among the earliest datable issues of his reign, placing it within months of the civil war that ended with Vitellius dead in the street.