Judea Capta Medal Commemorating the Destruction of Jerusalem

These are sketches of two Roman medals that commemorate the capture of Jerusalem. The coin on the left depicts Nike, goddess of victory writing on a shield attached to a palm tree trophy with her foot on her helmet VICTORIA AVGVSTI. She is naked down to the waist. On the right is a Jewess who is lamenting on the ground. View actual coin

The coin to the right is a "Judea Capta" bronze Sestertius. It was struck in 71 AD just after the destruction of Jerusalem, commemorating its capture. "IVDAEA CAPTA" means Judea Captured. It depicts a female Jew in an attitude of mourning, seated under a palm tree. Vespasian is standing to the left as a Roman soldier in military dress with spear in one hand and paraxonium in the other, with his foot on his helmet. Josephus describes the Roman ceremonies at length (see - Jewish Wars VII, 139-152). View actual coin

"And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other"

- Deut 28:63-64

"But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee"

- Deut 28:15

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

- Matthew 24:1-4

"And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

- Luke 19:39-44