Judea
11/14/2011 link back up to main Chapter 262 Coins
Bible coins
This King Alexander Janneaus coin of 76BC or going back before the beginning of time came on a whim $2 ebay bid simply labled as "Bible Coin". Had no idea what it was but looked intriguing. Perhaps the most laborious investigation to date was necessary to cut through this fog of history. It's like cryptographic code breaking. An interview with local Rabbi Markowitz helped to specifically decipher this one as among the first coins of Israel, I believe. Determined it to be a rare and desirable Hasmonean Kingdom Judean Prutah coin with few quality examples are to be found. This was a few years before the Roman conquest. (A similar one below just sold for $180, although mislabeled).
Janneaus was also the High Priest of the Council of the Jews making it especially important for them in their first independent homeland. The word Judiasm originated with his grandfather who led the Maccabean Revolt. When these Hasmoneans conquered Jerusalem over a rival sect of Jews the tradition of Hannukkah began that continues to today.
Although Janneaus was the High Priest he had also been a brutal murdering warrior during his whole reign. 50,000 Jews were killed in his civil war. This painting depicts the Execution of the Pharisees where the crucifixion of 800 Pharisees Jews was carried out in one day as he lounged eating a feast.
While it seems Jews are in the news perhaps 80% of all nightly news broadcasts, it is surprising that they are only 0.2% of the world's population. As with many ancient coins, it is difficult to pinpoint the ever morphing picture of history, especially in the case for this Middle Eastern (Israel) area.
After Christianity was invented this area became a special hot bed for religious wars that continue to today. Not that prior conflict was lacking everywhere for other reasons, it just gave people another reason to disagree with passion.
This chart illustrates well the total confusion determining who ruled this "Holy Land" throughout history. The Israeli- Palestinian Conflict is merely the most recent in a long line of the never ending battles.
The Hasmonean Dynasty ruled Judea 134BC-37BC.
David Hendin is the leading authority on Judean coins and the Judean Coin Archive is the most authoritative depository.
My coin is most likely similar to this Alexander Janneaus King of Judea 106BC-76BC minted near the end of his reign. Coinage of Janneaus . Jannaeus apparently minted these coins at the end of his reign when his successor Hyrcanus II took over but continued to use the coins. During the last couple decades the attribution for some of these coins have been going back and forth between the two. This link points out some of the issues .
My coin inscription matches up with examples of the Hendin 473 and 473.4 [now referenced as Hendin 1145 ] varieties shown here for comparison. Within the lilies reading the ancient Hebrew inscriptions from right to left top to bottom the first 3 characters on my coin coincide with this conclusion of YHONTN, then High Priest of the Council of Jews.
My coin reverse matches Hendin 473. It appears to define the particular mint. It has the same horizontal line and 2 dots (bowl & offerings above the pomegranate like this coin described in formumancientcoins.com. An upside down anchor from the prior Seleucid Empire holds together the scene surrounded by the royal diadem pearls.
Sacrificial offerings were a part ofJudaism practiced at the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the coin. The Romans destroyed the Temple and ended that tradition in 70 AD. Animal sacrifice included doves (connoting the common man) and First Fruits offerings that included pomegranates.
Ribbons adorn the 2 cornucopia with a pomegranate in the middle. The cornucopia was a hollow animal horn used as a container. One of the most popular religious symbols of the ancient world. The cornucopia is also known as the "horn of plenty". The pomegranate was one of the seven celebrated products of Palestine and among the fruits brought to the temple as offerings of the first-fruits. Two hundred pomegranates decorated each of the two colums in the temple and were an integral part of the sacred vestment of the High Priest, as bells and pomegranates were suspended from his mantle.
from Judean Coin Archive :
Minted By: Alexander Jannaeus
In the name of: Alexander Jannaeus
Reference: Hendin 1145, Hendin -- (prev. Hendin 473, Hendin 478 (YNTN (ינתן) variety))
Obverse description: Within wreath, the Hebrew text “Jonathan the high priest and council of the Jews”
Obverse legend: Yehonatan HaKohen Gadol V'Ḥaver HaYehudim (YHONTN HKHN GDL VḤVR HYHUDYM, יהונתן הכהן גדל וחבר היהודם)
Reverse description: Double cornucopiae, ribbons around, pomegranate between horns.
Year: Undated, between 103-76 BCE.
Average Weight (Hendin, Metrology of Judaean Small Bronze Coins): Hendin 1145 - 1.81 ± 0.02, Hendin 478 -2.15 ± 0.02 grams
Notes: The regular Jannaeus prutah. The examples with Jonathan spelled YNTN (ינתן), are theorized to be from the end of Jannaeus' reign, no longer Hyrcanus II as thought before.
This example is attributed to John Hyrcanus II minted Jerusalem 76-67BC or 63-40BC(reference Hendin 1159) other coin examples sold
This more clearly defined example is from John Hyrcanus I (135BC-104BC). Obv: Double cornucopia. Rev: Five lines of ancient Hebrew script; reading "Yehochanan Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim" (Yehochanan the High Priest, Council of the Jews.
Hasmonean dynasty coin variations
The Biblical "widow mites" were also minted by the wicked Alexander Jannaeus
Bible coins Palestinian rulers
Forum Ancient Coins Hasmoneans revolt of the Maccabees
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