Nerva FISCI IVDAICI CALVMNIA SVBLATA Sestertius

[Nemonater]

I recently added this long sought after sestertius to my collection.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=170425

Was this coin struck to signify an end to the unjust tax against the Jews, an end to the humiliation in connection with collecting the tax or did it celebrate the tax?

[Jay GT4]

Impressive historical type.  Congrats

[Ginolerhino]

I think there is evidence the tax was not abolished and was still collected in the 3rd c. If this "sublatio" is so widely advertised on Roman sestertii, it means that it is supposed to benefit Roman citizens, that it is good news for Romans, not Jews. It was a frequent tradition for Roman emperors, in the first years of their reigns, to pardon some fiscal debts and proclaim that from now on accusation letters would be ignored. This is what Trajan writes to Pliny the Younger, for example, about the accusations he could receive against alledged christians.
For me, I understand this sestertius as : "False accusations of evading the Jew Tax will be ignored from now on."

[Nemonater]

Thanks Jay!

Ginolerhino, your conclusions seem reasonable.

Evidently ostraca from Egypt indicate that Jews there paid the tax through Trajan’s reign and others credit Julian the Apostate with its abolition around 361 or 362, so ending the tax can be ruled out.  I've read several scholarly, but differing, viewpoints on this reverse type and I could be convinced of all of them. I find Vagi's explanation that it celebrated the end of the Jews collecting taxes for their own use, in essence another Judaea Capta type, very interesting.

[David Atherton]

Utterly superb! A great addition.

[Marti Vltori]

Really nice!

[Nemonater]

Thanks David, Marti. I appreciate the kind words!

[Meepzorp]

Hi Nem,

Nice coin!

Meepzorp

[Nemonater]

Thanks Meep!