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Prutah - Tiberius Valerius Gratus as Prefect
| Issuer | Judea |
|---|---|
| Year | 17-18 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | A vine leaf with a small depending bunch of grapes occupies the central field, rendered in low relief in the typical provincial style of the period. The Greek legend ΙΟΥ ΛΙΑ, an abbreviation for Julia (in honor of Julia Augusta, mother of Tiberius), is inscribed around the central device. The flan is irregular and slightly clipped, characteristic of low-denomination Judaean bronze coinage struck under the Roman prefects. The overall execution is crude, consistent with the utilitarian nature of the issue. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Valerius Gratus served as prefect of Judaea from 15 to 26 CE — longer than any of his predecessors and immediately before Pontius Pilate. This prutah belongs to his third coinage type, issued in the third and fourth years of Tiberius. Gratus was unusually prolific in his minting activity, producing at least five distinct coin types across his tenure, more than any earlier prefect. The Jerusalem mint struck these in bronze precisely because Roman provincial policy reserved silver for official imperial coinage, leaving local administrations to supply small change independently.