VICTORIA NAVALIS S C - Victory holding a wreath, standing on the prow of a vessel, sometimes terminating in a serpent; on second brass coins of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.
These coins commemorate either the great naval loss by tempest sustained by the Jews who had fled from Joppa to their ships when the town was attacked by Cestius, or the naval |victory| gained by the vessels of Vespasian over the barks of the Jews on the lake of Gennesareth.
There is a very rare second brass coin of Titus, bearing the legens IVDAEA NAVALIS S C, and having for type a |palm| tree; arms to left and Judea seated on the ground to right; and on some of the large brass coins of Vespasian and Titus with the legend IVDEA CAPTA, the eperors are represented resting their right foot on the prow of a vessel.
In a account of the triumph of Vespasian and Titus it is recorded that one |part| of the procession there "followed a great number of ships." This naval |vistory| was considered of such importance that it was commemorated at a later period. Coins of Marcus Aurelius exist struck at Gadara with the legend NATMA GADAREWN and the type a tireme, from which it may be assumed thet a naumachia was celebrated under this emperor of the lake of Gennesareth.