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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Holyland Rarities||View Options:   | | | |
The Bar Kokhba revolt, led by Simon bar Kokhba, was the last of the major Jewish–Roman wars. The Roman army suffered heavy losses. It took six full legions, auxiliaries, and elements from as many as six more legions three years to crush the revolt. The Romans annihilated much of the Judean population. In 134, the they captured Jerusalem and Simon bar Kokhba was killed in 135. Legio VI Ferrata rebuilt the legionary fortress in Jerusalem and constructed a Roman temple at Golgotha. An altar to Jupiter was erected on the site of the Temple. The Jewish diaspora began as Hadrian barred Jews from Jerusalem and had survivors of the massacre dispersed across the Roman Empire. Many were sold into slavery. The Jewish people remained scattered without a homeland for close to two millennia.JD113058. Bronze AE 27, Mildenberg 42 (O1/R9); Sofaer p. 177 & pl. 227, 7; Hendin 6407(b?); SNG ANS 508; Meshorer TJC 222; BMC Palestine p. 305, 23, aVF, overstruck (perhaps on a coin with a Legion X countermark?), some corrosion/encrustation, weight 12.793 g, maximum diameter 26.7 mm, die axis 135o, year 1, 132 - 133 A.D.; obverse even branched palm tree with two bunches of dates; Paleo-Hebrew inscription across fields: "Simon Prince of Israel"; reverse Paleo-Hebrew inscription: "Year one for the redemption of Israel", vine leaf on tendril; rare; $550.00 (€517.00)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Gerasa, Arabia Petraea
Jerash, Jordan is north of the national capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it's known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman city Gerasa just outside the modern city. Josephus mentions the city as being principally inhabited by Syrians, but also having a small Jewish community. In 106, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included Philadelphia (modern day Amman). Jerash is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture outside of Italy. It is sometimes referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East" due to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation.RP57203. Bronze AE 20, RPC Online VI T9306.4 (same c/m, 7 spec.); Spijkerman 34a.3 (same coin); Rosenberger 41 (same c/m); Sofaer 32; c/m: Howgego 376 (9 spec.), Choice F, well centered, nice sea-green patina, rare fully legible rev. legend; c/m: F, weight 7.065 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 180o, Gerasa (Jerash, Jordon) mint, c. 218 - 222 A.D.; obverse AVT KAICAP ANTWNINOC, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOC MAKEΔWN, diademed head of Alexander the Great right, countermark: strung bow; very nice for the type!; very rare; $500.00 (€470.00)
Persian Empire, Samaria, c. 375 - 332 B.C.
Samaria was the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th - 8th centuries B.C. The Assyrians took the city and the northern kingdom in 722/721 B.C. The city did not recover until the Persian period, the mid 5th century. The tensions between the ruling Sanballat family and Jerusalem under the governorship of Nehemiah are documented in the Bible (Ezra 4:10, Neh 4:7–8). Samaria became Hellenistic in 332 B.C. Thousands of Macedonian soldiers were settled there following a revolt. The Judaean king John Hyrcanus destroyed Samaria in 108 B.C., but it was resettled under Alexander Jannaeus. In 63 B.C., Samaria was annexed to the Roman province of Syria. Herod the Great fortified the city and renamed it Sebaste. The ruins are located in the Samaria mountains almost 10 km to the northwest of Nablus.GS110668. Silver ma'ah-obol, Meshorer-Qedar 188, Sofaer 165, HGC 10 -, Sunrise -, Hendin -, SNG ANS -, VF, centered, toned, light marks, die break upper reverse, weight 0.614 g, maximum diameter 9.7 mm, die axis 180o, Samaria (Sebastia, West Bank) mint, c. 375 - 332 B.C.; obverse head of the satrap right, bearded, wearing Kyrbasia (Persian tiara); reverse head right, bare-headed, bearded; ex Gorny & Mosch auction 289 (10 Oct 2022), lot 422; ex Gert Cleff Collection (Wuppertal); ex Italo Vecchi (London) auction 10 (24-25 Mar 1998), lot 436; rare; $400.00 (€376.00)
Hadrian, 11 August 117 - 10 July 138 A.D., Ascalon, Philistia, Judaea, Extremely Rare Duel Dated Variant
RPC Online III notes of their specimen, "The date does seem to begin with E, even though one would expect ς with year 4 of the second era. Confirmation required. If correctly read, it might show that the Hadrianic era began at a different time of year from the normal city era, or it might just be a mistake, as commonly happened at Gaza." Our coin appears to have the expected date, but with a reversed ς.RP111379. Bronze AE 24, Unpublished variant, RPC Online III 4014A var. (EKC, the only known specimen), VF, attractive highlighting earthen deposits, rev. off center, weight 12.265 g, maximum diameter 23.5 mm, die axis 0o, Askalon (Ashqelon, Israel) mint, 132 - 133 A.D.; obverse CEBAC-TOC (starting counterclockwise on right, ending counterclockwise on left), laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse ACKΛAW upward on left, Tyche-Astarte standing half left on prow, head left, vexillum standard in right hand, aphlaston in left hand, LΔ (year 4 [of Hadrian]) over incense altar inner left; dove standing left over ΣKC ([year] 226 [of Ascalon], Σ reversed) lower right; extremely rare; $400.00 (€376.00)
Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.GS114664. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), F, rough, toned, oval flan, weight 3.590 g, maximum diameter 15.8 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $250.00 (€235.00)
Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.GS114666. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), gF, toned, oval flan, a little rough, weight 3.724 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $200.00 (€188.00)
Judean Kingdom, Herod the Great, 37 - 4 B.C., Barbaric Imitative Issue
Herod's most famous and ambitious project was his magnificent expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 20 - 19 B.C. Although work on out-buildings continued another eighty years, the new Temple was finished in a year and a half. To comply with religious law, Herod employed 1,000 priests as masons and carpenters. The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. Today, only the four retaining walls of the Temple Mount remain standing, including the Western Wall.JD111347. Leaded bronze prutah, Hendin 6219e, VF, barbaric issue, weight 1.553 g, maximum diameter 15.1 mm, die axis 180o, unofficial mint, c. 21 - 12 B.C.; obverse blundered imitation of Greek: HPW BACI (of King Herod), anchor; reverse two cornucopias splayed outward, adorned with ribbons, caduceus between horns (blundered, failing to understand the items depicted); rare; $180.00 (€169.20)
Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D., Caesarea Maritima, Samaria, Syria Palestina
Determining the emperor on this Holy Land issue was no easy task. Ultimately, the crude, schematic, style of the eagle provided the solution. A strikingly similar eagle was found for Severus Alexander under RPC Online VI T8861, represented by two specimens at the time of this writing (Jan 2024). The obv. legends of both coins were worn or off flan, but the portrait on the London specimen highly suggested the last Severan ruler while the second coin (Wildwinds example) sported a different head, resembling the one found on our coin. And yet, we know both pieces listed on RPC Online must be related to one another by virtue of the rev. die they share. Kadman 72, attributed to Caracalla, most likely was also struck from the same die and with a head again very similar to the Wildwinds coin. Finally, a third bronze (SNG ANS 6 793) with a head like ours (and possibly die-identical to the Wildwinds specimen) can be found listed as "specimen #2" under RPC Online VI, T30574---for Elagabalus! But from examining the reverse legend, one can confidently conclude that the title of Metropolis is included, which was first awarded Caesarea Maritima under Severus Alexander. Whew!RP113710. Bronze AE 19, cf. RPC Online VI T8861 (2 spec.); BMC Palestine, p. 27, 118 ff.; Kadman 72 corr. (Caracalla); ANS SNG 6 793 corr. (same) (see notes), aF, rough stable surfaces, tight flan cutting off legends, weight 3.670 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 180o, Caesarea Maritima (Keisaria, Israel) mint, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D.; obverse laureate head right, legend off flan/obscure; reverse S P Q R (P reversed) within wreath supported by standing eagle facing with head left and wings spread, legend off flan/obscure; ex Frank Sternberg AG Zurich; ex Glendining & Co. auction 5 March 1970, lot 467 (part of); extremely rare variety; $160.00 (€150.40)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Neapolis, Samaria, Syria Palestina
Neapolis, Samaria, the biblical Shechemis, is now Nablus, Israel. It is the site of Joseph's Tomb and Jacob's well. Jesus spoke here to a Samaritan woman. Neapolis is home to about half the remaining worldwide Samaritan population of 600.RP98112. Bronze AE 24, SNG ANS 1007 (same dies); cf. Rosenberger II 53; BMC Palestine p. 61, 103; Sofaer 109 - 110; Baramki AUB 36, nice VF, excellent portrait, attractive green patina with highlighting earthen deposits, some legend not fully struck, edge splits, weight 6.701 g, maximum diameter 24.1 mm, die axis 180o, Neapolis (Nablus, Israel) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AVT K M AVP - ANTWNIN, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder; reverse ΦΛ NE - CVP Π (Flavia Neapolis Syria Palestina), Tyche standing slightly left, head left, kalathos on head, rudder held by tiller in right hand, cornucopia in left hand; ex Menashe Landman Collection; rare; $140.00 (€131.60)
Ascalon, Philistia, Judaea, Late 1st Century B.C.
Askalon lies on the shore of the Mediterranean, ten miles north of Gaza and about 40 miles south of Joppa. Herod the Great ruled all of Palestine, except Askalon, which remained a free city. Today, a national park at Ashqelon, Israel includes ruins of Canaanite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Crusader walls and buildings.JD111091. Bronze AE 16, cf. RPC Online I 4873 (10 spec.); Sofaer 47; Baramki AUB 52; Rosenberger 79; BMC Palestine p. 110, 36, gF, green patina, earthen encrustations, irregular flan with part of the edge ragged, weight 2.831 g, maximum diameter 15.9 mm, die axis 0o, Askalon (Ashqelon, Israel) mint, late 1st century B.C.; obverse bare-headed and beardless young male head right; reverse prow of war galley left with ram, acrostolium, and oars, AΣ above (Σ in the form of a squared C); rare; $90.00 (€84.60)
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