ANCIENT JEWISH COINS- THE HASHMONAIEN DAINESTY




In the time of Antiuchus the 7th reign, a coin depicting on one side an anchor and the titles of the king and on the other side a lily (Jerusalem's mintage symbol) was minted in jerusalem. this coin is one of the mysteries of the numismatic of this period. The coin was minted under the reign of the Hashmonain state, and in its capitol, which at the same time minted small bronze Protahs of the Jewish kings. It could be explained through the fact that the Selvuk king started a war against the Jewish kingdom, and as a sign of tribute the jews minted this coin.

this coin is presented below (the revarse only)

Lily Coin

From the Hashmonaian period there are also coins related to 2 rulers of the kingdom. Horcanus I (135-104 BCE) and Aristobulus I (104-100 BCE). those coins share similsar characteristics based on a prototype:
Side A: two bounty-horns with a grenade between them (a jewish religious symbol). Side B: an inscription circled with leaves, the inscription reads: "YHWNTN KHN GDL WHVR HYHWDIM", meaning: "yehunatan the great priest and friend of the jews".
here are two examples of coins minted under those rulers.

Aristobulos I
Horcanus I

We now reach the time when the Hashmonaian state was at its peak. It was the time of the reign of Alexander Jenessus(104-76 BCE) whan the famuse "Widows Mite" were minted. In Alexander's time no silver or gold coins were minted, althrough the metirials and the tools were abundante. Each of the suronding kingdoms minted silver coins, and a great jewish state, like it was at the time of alexander the great minted just in bronze and lad, but they were minted in great abundance and can still be found at almost any archeological site in the country, and there are known to have been more than a 100,000 pieces found.

widow's mite hoerd


After Alexsander's wife's death a civil war broke out in the kingdom. Matitiah Antigonus and Hurcanus II fought for control over the kingdom. Matitah took the support of the Nabbatians and Hurcanus took the Romans'. After a bitter struggle of powers pompeus entered the land and conqured it. In 40BCE Matitiah Antiginus, with the support of the Parthians of the east, took the reins of power. the romans reacted by inthroming Herod, whose father was the ruler of Edomia at that time. After a three year war between Matitiah and Herod the romans won and begun an occupatian that lasted for five hundred years.

The coins of Matitiah were minted in three denominations, on the fourth denomination the holy Menorah was depicted. It is the rarest among the Jewish coinage.

Matitiahu's Coins
Menorah coin




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