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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Greek Domination||View Options:  |  |  | 
Greek Domination of Judaea and Palestine

From Alexander the Great's conquest until Roman domination, the city states and small nations of the region, including Judaea, were at various times either ruled or dominated by either the Seleukid Empire or Ptolemaic Kingdom.

Seleukid Kingdom, Antiochus VII Euergetes Sidetes, 138 - 129 B.C.

|Seleucid| |Kingdom|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Antiochus| |VII| |Euergetes| |Sidetes,| |138| |-| |129| |B.C.||AE| |16|
After his brother Demetrius was captured by the Parthians, Antiochus VII was made king. He married Demetrius' wife Cleopatra Thea. He defeated the usurper Tryphon at Dora and laid siege to Jerusalem in 134. According to Josephus, the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus opened King David's sepulcher and removed three thousand talents, which he then paid Antiochus to spare the city. Sidetes then attacked the Parthians, supported by a body of Jews under Hyrcanus, and briefly took back Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Media before being ambushed and killed by Phraates II. His brother Demetrius II had by then been released, but the Seleucid realm was now restricted to Syria. Antiochus VII was the last Seleucid king of any stature.

After seeing a coin specimen with the ΓA monogram in the outer left field and a probable ΛΠ in the outer right, one wonders if these marks are regularly paired and are not often noticed simply because the flans for this coin issue are typically small in comparison to the dies used.GY113546. Bronze AE 16, cf. SNG Spaer 2113 ff., Houghton-Lorber II 2119.1 f., Houghton CSE 880, HGC 9 1102 (R1), F, chunky tight flan with a solid black patina and sandy dusting; small die break on reverse in left field, weight 3.101 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, die axis 0o, probably Ptolemais-Ake (Acre, Israel) mint, 136/5 or 135/4 B.C.; obverse bust of Athena in Corinthian helmet right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIOXOY (downwards on right) EYEPΓETOY (downwards on left), owl standing three-quarters right with head facing, ΓA monogram in outer left field, date (HOP or ΞOP - Seleukid era year 177 or 178) mostly off-flan in exergue; rare; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Berenike II, 244 - 221 B.C., Wife of Ptolemy III

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Berenike| |II,| |244| |-| |221| |B.C.,| |Wife| |of| |Ptolemy| |III||tritartemorion|
This type has traditionally been attributed to Ake Ptolemais, Galilee (Acre, Israel). R. Poole attributed them to Cyprus and they have been found there, but C. Lorber notes they were found in numbers in the Ras Ibn Hani Excavations, on the North Syrian coast. This site had easy access to Cyrus. She also finds Seleukid influence in the skilled epigraphy and reverse legend arrangement. She thus attributes the type to an uncertain North Syrian mint.GP113395. Bronze tritartemorion, Svoronos 1055, pl. 31, 23 (this leg. arrangement); Weiser 84 (same); Lorber CPE B460; SNG Cop 460 var. (leg. arrangement); Noeske -, VF, glossy dark brown patina, reddish earthen deposits, tight flan cutting off much of legends, sprue remnants, weight 8.329 g, maximum diameter 21.4 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain North Syrian mint, 244 - 221 B.C.; obverse BEPENIKHΣ downward on left, BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ (clockwise), diademed and draped bust of Queen Berenike II right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (clockwise), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings closed, head left; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Berenike II, 244 - 221 B.C., Wife of Ptolemy III

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Berenike| |II,| |244| |-| |221| |B.C.,| |Wife| |of| |Ptolemy| |III||tritartemorion|
This type has traditionally been attributed to Ake Ptolemais, Galilee (Acre, Israel). R. Poole attributed them to Cyprus and they have been found there, but C. Lorber notes they were found in numbers in the Ras Ibn Hani Excavations, on the North Syrian coast. This site had easy access to Cyrus. She also finds Seleukid influence in the skilled epigraphy and reverse legend arrangement. She thus attributes the type to an uncertain North Syrian mint.GP112041. Bronze tritartemorion, Svoronos 1055, pl. 31, 23 (this leg. arrangement); Weiser 84 (same); Lorber CPE B460; SNG Cop 460 var. (leg. arrangement); Noeske -, aF, irregular flan, weight 6.368 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain North Syrian mint, 244 - 221 B.C.; obverse BEPENIKHΣ downward on left, BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ (clockwise), diademed and draped bust of Queen Berenike II right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (clockwise), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings closed, head left; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Greek| |Domination|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||diobol|
Ptolemais is today Acre, Israel. It was at Ptolemais that the Jews met Petronius, sent to set up statues of the emperor in the Temple, and persuaded him to turn back. St. Paul spent a day in Ptolemais (Acts 21:7). -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AkkoGP113579. Bronze diobol, Lorber CPE B338; Svoronos 790 (5 spec.); Rosenberger I p.20, 16; Sofaer pl. 3, 36; Weiser 42; SNG Cop -; Noeske –, Choice VF, green patina, earthen deposits, areas of weaker strike, marks, obv. edge beveled, weight 19.353 g, maximum diameter 31.7 mm, die axis 0o, Galilee, Ake Ptolemais (Acre, Israel) mint, 261 - 246 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Zeus Ammon right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing half left atop fulmen (thunderbolt), head left, wings closed, double cornucopia bound with diadem over shoulder, Pi-Tau ligate inside Omicron (PTO - Ptolemais mintmark) in field; scarce; $800.00 (€752.00)
 


Seleukid Kingdom, Antiochus VII Euergetes Sidetes, 138 - 129 B.C.

|Seleucid| |Kingdom|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Antiochus| |VII| |Euergetes| |Sidetes,| |138| |-| |129| |B.C.||AE| |12|
David Hendin identifies the mint city as Jerusalem. Some numismatists have attributed this type to Askalon. Houghton and Lorber attribute it to an uncertain mint in southern Koile-Syria.GY111516. Bronze AE 12, Houghton-Lorber II 2122, SNG Spaer 2095, Houghton CSE 819, Hendin 6166 (Jerusalem mint), HGC 9 1111, VF, green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, rev. off center, weight 1.108 g, maximum diameter 11.8 mm, die axis 45o, southern Koile-Syria (?, uncertain) mint, 138 - 137 B.C.; obverse crested Boeotian helmet with cheek guards; reverse ANTIOXOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, aphlaston; this is the first specimen of this type handled by FORVM, ex Zuzim Inc. (Isadore Goldstein, Brooklyn, NY); $90.00 (€84.60)
 


Judaean Kingdom, John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan), 134 - 104 B.C., For the Seleukid King Antiochus VII

|John| |Hyrcanus| |I|, |Judaean| |Kingdom,| |John| |Hyrcanus| |I| |(Yehohanan),| |134| |-| |104| |B.C.,| |For| |the| |Seleukid| |King| |Antiochus| |VII||prutah|
Hendin lists four varieties of this type AΠP (year 181) below (Hendin 6165), AΠP (year 181) beside the anchor on left (Hendin 6165a), BΠP (year 182) below (Hendin 6165b), and BΠP (year 182) beside the anchor on left (Hendin 6165c). Houghton and Lorber list a variety without a date (Houghton-Lorber 2123), but the date is probably just off flan, as on this example.JD98719. Bronze prutah, Houghton-Lorber II 2123, Hendin 6165, HGC 9 1103, Meshorer TJC p. 30, aVF, green patina, light earthen deposits, tiny edge cracks, obverse edge beveled, weight 2.550 g, maximum diameter 15.2 mm, die axis 0o, Jerusalem mint, 132 - 130 B.C.; obverse lily on stem with two leaves, dot border; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY EYEPΓETOY (Greek: of King Antiochus, Benefactor), anchor, upside down, AΠP or BΠP (Greek: year 181 or 182 of the Seleucid Era) below; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Judah (Yehud), Macedonian Rule, Hezekiah, 332 - 302 B.C.

|Greek| |Domination|, |Judah| |(Yehud),| |Macedonian| |Rule,| |Hezekiah,| |332| |-| |302| |B.C.||half| |ma'ha| |(1/48| |shekel)|
When he was at the Siege of Tyre, Alexander the Great demanded the high priest of Jerusalem provide auxiliaries and provisions and pay to him the tribute which he had previously been paid to the Persians. The high priest answered that he had taken an oath to Darius and could not bear arms against him. Alexander angerly responded that after he had taken Tyre, he would attack Jerusalem and teach them to whom they should keep oaths. Click here to read Josephus' astounding account of Alexander the Great's meeting the high priest of Jerusalem.JD111397. Silver half ma'ha (1/48 shekel), Menorah Coin Project YHD 24, Hendin 6069, Meshorer TJC 22a, Sofaer 20, HGC 10 450 (R3), VF, obv. near blank as struck with a very worn die, toned, scratches, edge split, weight 0.215 g, maximum diameter 6.7 mm, die axis 0o, Jerusalem mint, 332 - 302 B.C.; obverse trace of male head facing; reverse owl standing right, head facing, feathers on the head in a circle, wings closed, Phoenician HPHH YHZQYH (Yehezqio the governor) starting upward on left, ending downward on right; very rare; SOLD


Judaea (Yehudah), Ptolemaic Rule, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Greek| |Domination|, |Judaea| |(Yehudah),| |Ptolemaic| |Rule,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||quarter-ma'ah-obol|
Ptolemy II encouraged education, commerce, industry, immigration and trade resulting in a prosperous growing economy and making him the richest monarch of his age. His 112 ships comprised the most powerful fleet that had ever existed. His splendid court compares with the Versailles of Louis XIV. An enthusiast for Hellenic culture, he also adopted Egyptian religious concepts bolstering his image as a pharaoh. At the Library at Alexandria, Jewish texts were translated and transcribed by seventy Jewish scholars, creating the Septuagint, the oldest Greek version of the Hebrew Bible. He defeated the Seleucids in the first Syrian War, gaining control of western Cilicia, southern Lycia, Caunus, Halicarnassus, Myndus, Cnidus, probably Miletus, all of Phoenicia, and even part of Syria.GS94060. Silver quarter-ma'ah-obol, Lorber CPE 705; Hendin 6083 (RRR), Meshorer TJC 33; Mildenberg Yehud pl. 22, 26; Gitler-Lorber II, group 6, pl. 1, 10, aF, obverse off flan, weight 0.162 g, maximum diameter 5.7 mm, Jerusalem mint, c. 283 - 270 B.C.; obverse diademed bust of either Ptolemy I right; reverse head of Berenike I right, Hebrew inscription downward on right: YHD; very rare; SOLD










REFERENCES

Ariel, D. "A Survey of Coin Finds in Jerusalem until the end of the Byzantine Period" in Liber Annuus 32 (1982), pp. 273 - 326.
Babelon, E. Les Rois de Syrie, d'Arménie, et de Commagène, Catlogue de monnaies grecques de la Bibliothèque Nacionale. (Paris, 1890).
Cohen, E. Dated Coins of Antiquity: A comprehensive catalogue of the coins and how their numbers came about. (Lancaster, PA, 2011).
Cox, D. Coins from the Excavations at Curium, 1932 - 1953. ANSNNM 145. (New York, 1959).
Deutsch, R. "Five Unrecorded 'Yehud' Silver Coins" in INR 13 (1994 - 1999), pp. 25 - 26 & pl. 3.
Gardner, P. Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, The Seleucid Kings of Syria. (London, 1878).
Gitler, H. & C. Lorber. "A New Chronology for the Ptolemaic Coins of Judah" in AJN 18 (2006).
Gitler, H. & D. Master. "Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent Finds from the Leon Levy Expedition" in INR 5 (2010), pp. 67 - 98.
Hendin, D. Guide to Biblical Coins, 5th Edition. (Amphora, 2010).
Hoover, O. Coins of the Seleucid Empire From the Collection of Arthur Houghton Part II. (New York, 2007).
Hoover, O. Handbook of Coins of the Southern Levant: Phoenicia, Southern Koile Syria (Including Judaea), and Arabia, Fifth to First Centuries BC. HGC 10. (Lancaster, PA, 2010).
Hoover, O. Handbook of Syrian Coins, Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC. HGC 9. (Lancaster, PA, 2009).
Houghton, A., C. Lorber & O. Hoover. Seleucid Coins: A Comprehensive Catalog. (Lancaster, 2002 - 2008).
Lorber, C. Coins of the Ptolemaic Empire. (New York, 2018).
Meshorer, Y. Ancient Jewish Coinage. (New York, 1982).
Meshorer, Y. A Treasury of Jewish Coins from the Persian Period to Bar Kokhba. (Jerusalem, 2001).
Meshorer, Y., et al. Coins of the Holy Land: The Abraham and Marian Sofaer Collection at the American Numismatic Society and The Israel Museum. ACNAC 8. (New York, 2013).
Mildenberg, L. "Yehud: A Preliminary Study of the Provincial Coinage of Judaea" in Essays Thompson. (Wetteren, 1979).
Newell, E. Late Seleucid Mints in Ake-Ptolemais and Damascus. ANSNNM 84 (1939).
Newell, E. The Dated Alexander Coinage of Sidon and Ake. (Oxford, 1916).
Newell, E. The Seleucid Mint of Antioch. (New York, 1918).
Noeske, H. Die Münzen der Ptolemäer. (Frankfurt, 2000).
Polk, R. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, the Ptolemies, Kings of Egypt. (London, 1882).
Price, M. The Coinage of in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus. (London, 1991).
Rosenberger, M. The Rosenberger Israel Collection. (Jerusalem, 1972 - 1978).
Sear, D. Greek Coins and Their Values, Volume 2: Asia and Africa. (London, 1979).
Spaer, A. & A. Houghton. Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Israel I, The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. (London, 1998).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Vol. 7: Cyprus to India. (West Milford, NJ, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Italy, Milano, Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche, part 1: Ptolemaei. (Milan, 1989).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, USA, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 6: Palestine - South Arabia. (New York, 1981).
Svoronos, J. Ta Nomismata tou Kratous ton Ptolemaion. (Athens, 1904-08).
Weiser, W. Katalog Ptolemäischer Bronzemünzen der Sammlung des Instituts für Altertumskunde, Universität Köln. (Opladen, 1995).

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