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Valerius Gratus
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JUDAEA, Procurators. Valerius Gratus. 15-26 CE. Æ Prutah 15mm, Jerusalem mint. Dated RY 4 of Tiberius (17 CE).
O: TIBEPIOC (Tiberius) above vine leaf and tendril on branch.
R: KAICAP (Caesar) above kantharos (drinking vessel) with scroll handles, L–Δ (date) across lower field.
Meshorer 325; Hendin 1337; RPC I 4962.
Gratus is best known for being the governor who removed High Priest Annas ben Seth, appointing Ishmael ben Phabi I, Eleazar ben Ananias and Josephus Caiphas. According to the Talmud, money was paid to obtain the position of High priest, leading to the frequent change in this appointment.
Caiphas officiated during Jesus’ earthly ministry and the early part of the apostles’ ministry. He presided as high priest over Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, in company with his father-in-law Annas. [Mt 26:3, 57; Lu 3:2; Joh 11:49, 51; 18:13, 14, 24, 28] He and Annas called Peter and John before them and commanded them to stop preaching. [Ac 4:6, 18] Caiaphas was the high priest who authorized Saul to receive letters to the synagogue at Damascus for the arrest of Christians.—Ac 9:1, 2, 14
Interestingly, this coin might be the last issued by Gratus. Kenneth Lonnqvist suggests that Pontius Pilate may have replaced Gratus as early as 17/18 CE rather than 26. His arguement is based on both the metallurgy of the later coins as well as the palm branch iconography which "as far as Roman provincial coinage of Judaea is concerned-mostly or always connected with the arrival of a new Roman governor."
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![Valerius Gratus
JUDAEA, Procurators. Valerius Gratus. 15-26 CE. Æ Prutah 15mm, Jerusalem mint. Dated RY 4 of Tiberius (17 CE).
O: TIBEPIOC (Tiberius) above vine leaf and tendril on branch.
R: KAICAP (Caesar) above kantharos (drinking vessel) with scroll handles, L–Δ (date) across lower field.
Meshorer 325; Hendin 1337; RPC I 4962.
Gratus is best known for being the governor who removed High Priest Annas ben Seth, appointing Ishmael ben Phabi I, Eleazar ben Ananias and Josephus Caiphas. According to the Talmud, money was paid to obtain the position of High priest, leading to the frequent change in this appointment.
Caiphas officiated during Jesus’ earthly ministry and the early part of the apostles’ ministry. He presided as high priest over Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, in company with his father-in-law Annas. [Mt 26:3, 57; Lu 3:2; Joh 11:49, 51; 18:13, 14, 24, 28] He and Annas called Peter and John before them and commanded them to stop preaching. [Ac 4:6, 18] Caiaphas was the high priest who authorized Saul to receive letters to the synagogue at Damascus for the arrest of Christians.—Ac 9:1, 2, 14
Interestingly, this coin might be the last issued by Gratus. Kenneth Lonnqvist suggests that Pontius Pilate may have replaced Gratus as early as 17/18 CE rather than 26. His arguement is based on both the metallurgy of the later coins as well as the palm branch iconography which "as far as Roman provincial coinage of Judaea is concerned-mostly or always connected with the arrival of a new Roman governor."](albums/userpics/24416/GratusLargeAmphoraI.jpg "Valerius Gratus
JUDAEA, Procurators. Valerius Gratus. 15-26 CE. Æ Prutah 15mm, Jerusalem mint. Dated RY 4 of Tiberius (17 CE).
O: TIBEPIOC (Tiberius) above vine leaf and tendril on branch.
R: KAICAP (Caesar) above kantharos (drinking vessel) with scroll handles, L–Δ (date) across lower field.
Meshorer 325; Hendin 1337; RPC I 4962.
Gratus is best known for being the governor who removed High Priest Annas ben Seth, appointing Ishmael ben Phabi I, Eleazar ben Ananias and Josephus Caiphas. According to the Talmud, money was paid to obtain the position of High priest, leading to the frequent change in this appointment.
Caiphas officiated during Jesus’ earthly ministry and the early part of the apostles’ ministry. He presided as high priest over Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, in company with his father-in-law Annas. [Mt 26:3, 57; Lu 3:2; Joh 11:49, 51; 18:13, 14, 24, 28] He and Annas called Peter and John before them and commanded them to stop preaching. [Ac 4:6, 18] Caiaphas was the high priest who authorized Saul to receive letters to the synagogue at Damascus for the arrest of Christians.—Ac 9:1, 2, 14
Interestingly, this coin might be the last issued by Gratus. Kenneth Lonnqvist suggests that Pontius Pilate may have replaced Gratus as early as 17/18 CE rather than 26. His arguement is based on both the metallurgy of the later coins as well as the palm branch iconography which \"as far as Roman provincial coinage of Judaea is concerned-mostly or always connected with the arrival of a new Roman governor.\"")
