State Medal - Liberation ND

Reverse

A duplicate of a Roman coin struck on the occasion of the conquest of Jerusalem by Vespasian in the year 70 C.E. On the left, Vespasian the victor; on the right a mourning Hebrew woman sitting under a palm tree, the symbol of Judea. The edge of the Roman coin bears the Latin inscription "Judea Capta", Judea captured, below, the letters S.C. standing for "Senatus Consultum", by order of the Senate. Around the rim of the medallion, a chain, the symbol of captivity, and a Hebrew inscription "Judea in Exile 3830 (70 C.E.).

Lettering:
IVDAEA CAPTA
S C
גלתה יהודה • תת"ל

Translation:
Judea Captured
S.C.
Judea in Exile 3830 (70 C.E.)

Engravers: Gerd Rothschild, Zeev Lipman

Edge

Plain

Comment

The consequences of the great Judean Revolt against Rome which began in 66 CE. had a dire effect upon Jewish history. All the valor and the fierce fanaticism of the defenders could not withstand the onslaughts of the Roman legions stationed locally and later reinforced by two additional legions drawn from the Danube legion and the auxiliary forces recruited from the nearby provinces. The Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. and Titus celebrated his victory.
The Romans struck a special series of coins to commemorate the occasion known as the "Judea Capta" series, so named for the inscription on the coins "Judea in Captivity". The palm tree on the coins generally stands for Judea. At the side of the tree, a Jewish captive (a man or a woman), prizes of war, an image of the victorious Emperor, or other representatives.
The "Liberation" medal was first issued by Israel in 1958 in connection with its Tenth Anniversary. The State Medal depicts the contrast - the destruction of the Temple versus the renewal of Jewish Independence in our time. A Hebrew farmer planting a sapling in place of a Jewish captive hand bound; a jubilant Hebrew mother holding her infant aloft instead of the sorrowful Jewish woman weeping for the destruction of her homeland.

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
ND (1959)	5000	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for State Medal - Liberation ND (1959) item.