Vesta, one of the great Roman Divinities, the goddess of the hearth and of fire, and identical with the Greek ESATIA. She was supposed to personify the Earth, and consequently her temple was built round, in which a fire was continually kept burning by the Vestal Virgins [Vestales Virgines]. The type of Vesta as well as that of her temple occurs frequently on Roman coins from the time of Caligula.
VESTA. Vesta veiled, seated to left, holding palladium and patera or sceptre, on coins of Caligula (bronze AE 2), of Claudius (bronze AE 2), of Galba (bronze AE 2), of Vespasian and Titus (bronze AE 2), of |Julia|, daughter of Titus (silver medallion, silver, bronze AE 2), of Trajan (silver), of Hadrian (bronze AE 1), of Sabina (gold, silver, bronze AE 1 and AE 2), of Faustina Senior (gold, silver, contorniate, bronze 2), and on her medallions without legend (bronze medallion), of Julia Domna (gold, silver, contorniate, bronze AE 1 and AE 2), of Cornelia Supera (silver), and of Salonia (billon contorniate)
A brass medallion of Faustina Junior represents Vesta veiled, seated to left, holding a sceptre; before her Faustina Junior standing, presenting to her three small statues, representing the three Graces.
VESTA. Vesta standing to left, holding simpulum and sceptre - sometimes palladium - on coins of Vespasian and Titus (bronze AE 2), of Faustina Senior (silver, contorniate, bronze AE 1), - also Vesta standing near an altar behind which a column, surmounted by a statue of Minerva, behind a temple - a type also on a medallion of Aurelius and Lucius Verus (bronze medallion), of Faustina Junior (bronze AE 1 and 2 contorniate), of Lucilla (silver and AE 1), of Julia Domna (silver), of Aquillia Severa (bronze), of Soaemias (silver), of Maesa (silver), of Cornelia Supera (silver), of Valerian I (bronze AE 1), of Gallienus (billon and bronze AE 1), and of Salonia (gold ; billon contorniate, bronze AE 1).
VESTA. Hexastyle round temple; in the center, Vesta seated, holding a sceptre. Obv: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, laureate head of Nero to right; gold and silver.
VESTA. Tetrastyle round temple; in the centre and on either side a statue; on coins of Vespasian and Titus (gold and silver).