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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Holyland City Coins||View Options:  |  |  |   

Holyland City Coins
Marcus Aurelius, 7 March 161 - 17 March 180 A.D., Bostra, Decapolis

|Marcus| |Aurelius|, |Marcus| |Aurelius,| |7| |March| |161| |-| |17| |March| |180| |A.D.,| |Bostra,| |Decapolis||AE| |16|
Portraits of the young Marcus Aurelius as Caesar are a favorite among many collectors.
RY13610. Bronze AE 16, Spijkerman 20, gF, weight 1.73 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, die axis 0o, Bostra (Bosra, Syria) mint, as caesar, 138 - 161 A.D.; obverse AYPHΛIOC KAICAP, bare headed cuirassed bust right; reverse TYXHN TPAI BOC, turreted and draped bust of Tyche right; price reduced to Forum's cost!; rare; SOLD


Gaza, Philistia, Autonomous Period, c. 108/107 - 30 B.C.

|Judaea| |&| |Palestine|, |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |Autonomous| |Period,| |c.| |108/107| |-| |30| |B.C.||AE| |20|
Gaza's long and rich history as an important port and link in the Incense Route is largely one of subjugation, but beginning around 108/107 B.C., the city apparently was granted autonomous status by the Seleucid king, Antiochus VIII. This act was in line with other bestowals of autonomy to several of Gaza's coastal neighbors (e.g. Sidon and Ascalon) around the same time. The present coin, although undated, is believed by Oliver Hoover in a footnote to his 2007 Schweizerische Numismatische Rundschau article "The Dated Coinage of Gaza in Historical Context (264/3 BC - AD 241/2)," to have been struck right before the city's earliest known dated civic issues, of SE 205 (108/107 B.C.). Autonomous coinage would continue to be sporadically produced down to 43/42 B.C., during which time (and for many years before) its "freedom" was dictated by the Romans. In 30 B.C., they added the city to Herod the Great's Judaean kingdom.

ΔHMOY ΓAΞAIΩN is commonly translated as "of the Demos of the Gazaeans" (or similar). This would make sense if the personification so invoked was present pictorially somewhere on our coin. Instead, the head on the obverse, identified as Zeus's by a string of numismatic authorities stretching all the way from Sestini and Mionnet to the present, is sometimes seen with a scepter behind, as on some (or all?) the specimens of the left-leaning double cornucopia variety (e.g. Sofaer 30). An attribution to Demos is therefore unlikely. The alternative interpretation "of the people of the Gazaeans" sounds awkwardly redundant to our modern ears, but is perhaps more accurate, stressing the coin was issued by "the people" and not some authority above the Gazaeans. In reading the long version of their bold statement of autonomy (i.e. ΔHMOY ΓAΞAIΩN IEP[AΣ] AΣY[ΛOY]), the Sofaer authors treated the ethnic more along the lines of an adjective: "of the Gazaean people, sacred [and] inviolable."
GB13853. Bronze AE 20, Sofaer 30; Rosenberger 27; HGC 10 585; BMC Palestine p. 143, 1 & 3 var. (horns r.); Mi Supp 8, no. 47 var. (obv. star; horns r.; leg. arr.), aF, uneven strike on oblong flan with casting sprue and attractive sandy sediments; some roughness on rev., weight 4.581 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 0o, Gaza mint, c. late 2nd century B.C.; obverse laureate head of Zeus right, scepter (probably) behind (off flan); reverse ΔHMOY - ΓAΞAIΩN (clockwise beginning upper right), a "branch" of two cornucopias attached to stalk-like base, both horns parallel with tops leaning left, each sporting a dangling grape cluster; this coin sat in the FORVM mystery box unattributed for 20 years!; very rare; SOLD


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Dora, Phoenicia

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.,| |Dora,| |Phoenicia||AE| |24|
Dora, on the coast eight miles north of Caesarea, was a Canaanite city. It fell to the Philistines early in the 12th century B.C. Solomon appointed the son of Abinadab as overseer of Dor (I Kings 4:11). In the Persian period Dor was a Sidonian colony. In Hellenistic times it was a Ptolemaic seaport and royal fortress, once besieged by Antiochus VII, (1 Macc. 15. 11-14). Under the Romans, Dora was a free city. See also Josh 11:2, 17:11; and Judg 1:27.
SH09078. Bronze AE 24, RPC Online III 3916 (11 spec.); BMC Phoenicia p. 117, 33; Meshorer Dora 34, De Saulcy 4, Rouvier 770, Sofaer 30, Rosenberger II 25, aVF, beautiful green patina with attractive natural earthen highlighting, weight 12.41 g, maximum diameter 24.3 mm, die axis 0o, Dora (Tel Dor, Israel) mint, 111 - 112 A.D.; obverse AVT KAIC NEP TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM ΔAK, laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, star under chin; reverse turreted and veiled bust of the city-goddess Tyche right, ΔΩ-P (Dora) divided across field, POE (year 175) below, all within oak wreath; rare; SOLD


Trajan Decius, September 249 - June or July 251 A.D., Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), Syria Palestina

|Roman| |Judea| |&| |Palestina|, |Trajan| |Decius,| |September| |249| |-| |June| |or| |July| |251| |A.D.,| |Aelia| |Capitolina| |(Jerusalem),| |Syria| |Palestina||AE| |27|
In 132, a messianic, charismatic Jewish leader Simon bar Kokhba started the Bar Kokhba revolt, a war of liberation for Judea against Rome. At first the rebellion was a success. The legion X Fretensis was forced to retreat from Jerusalem to Caesarea. The legion XXII Deiotariana, which advanced from Egypt, was destroyed. The Jews re-established their sacrifices and struck coins to celebrate their independence. The rebellion would last for only 30 months. By 135, the Romans had recaptured Jerusalem, Simon bar Kokhba was dead, and the majority of the Jewish population of Judea was either killed, exiled, or sold into slavery. Jerusalem was renamed Colonia Aelia Capitolina and an altar to Jupiter was erected on the site of the Temple. After these events, the Jews would remain scattered without a homeland for close to two millennia.
SH90827. Bronze AE 27, Kadman Aelia 170 (same dies), Sofaer 141, Meshorer Aelia 154, Rosenberger I 89, BMC Palestine -, F, weight 13.132 g, maximum diameter 26.7 mm, die axis 0o, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) mint, Sep 249 - Jun/Jul 251 A.D.; obverse IMP C G MES Q TRA DECIVS AVG, laureate bust right; reverse COL AEL KAP COM P F (Colonia Aelia Kapitolina Commodiana Pia Felix), Serapis seated left on throne, kalathos on head, reaching right hand toward Cerberus at feet on left, long scepter vertical behind in left; from the J. Berlin Caesarea Collection; extremely rare; SOLD


Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Joppa, Judaea

|Elagabalus|, |Elagabalus,| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.,| |Joppa,| |Judaea||AE| |18|
Roman imperial coins were struck at Joppa only during the reigns of Elagabalus and Severus Alexander.
JD11658. Bronze AE 18, Hendin 873 var. (bust drapped & obv legend), F, weight 7.710 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 0o, Joppa mint, obverse AYK C A[ (or similar), laureate bust right; reverse ΦΛA - IOΠΠHC (Flavia Joppe), Athena standing right wearing helmet and long chiton, inverted spear in right hand, left hand on grounded shield; attractive example for the type; very rare; SOLD


Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, 7 March 161 - February 169 A.D., Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), Syria Palestina

|Marcus| |Aurelius|, |Marcus| |Aurelius| |and| |Lucius| |Verus,| |7| |March| |161| |-| |February| |169| |A.D.,| |Aelia| |Capitolina| |(Jerusalem),| |Syria| |Palestina||AE| |28|
During his famous travels, Hadrian visited Judaea and initiated reconstruction of Jerusalem on the Roman model, with a temple of Jupiter replacing the Jewish Temple and restrictions on circumcision. This triggered the Bar-Kochba war, lasting three years and brutal beyond imagination. Hadrian sought to eradicate Judaism and renamed the city Aelia Capitolina, as inscribed on this rare coin.
SH14112. Bronze AE 28, Sofaer 53; Rosenberger I 36; Meshorer Aelia 54; Kadman Aelia 61; SNG ANS 605; BMC Palestine p. 89, 44; RPC Online IV.3 T6414, aVF, weight 16.504 g, maximum diameter 28.2 mm, die axis 0o, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) mint, 7 Mar 161 - Feb 169 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES ANTONINO ET VERO AVG, confronted, laureate and draped busts of M. Aurelius (on left) and L. Verus; reverse COL AEL CAP (Colonia Aelia Capitolina), Nike advancing left, wearing a long chiton, wreath in right hand, palm frond in left hand; rare; SOLD


Hadrian, 11 August 117 - 10 July 138 A.D., Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), Syria Palestina

|Judaea| |&| |Palestine|, |Hadrian,| |11| |August| |117| |-| |10| |July| |138| |A.D.,| |Aelia| |Capitolina| |(Jerusalem),| |Syria| |Palestina||AE| |13|
In 135, Simon bar Kokhba was killed in Betar, a fortress where he had taken refuge. Resistance continued in Galilee. The Jewish diaspora began as Emperor Hadrian barred Jews from Jerusalem and had survivors of the massacre dispersed across the Roman Empire. Many were sold into slavery. Jerusalem, largely destroyed, was renamed Colonia Aelia Capitolina. Legio VI Ferrata rebuilt the legionary fortress in the city and constructed a Roman temple at Golgotha. An altar to Jupiter was erected on the site of the Temple in Jerusalem.
SH75359. Bronze AE 13, RPC Online IV.3 3966; Sofaer 6; Meshorer Aelia 4; Kadman Aelia 6; Rosenberger I 4; BMC Palestine p. 82, 3, aVF, well centered, dark black and brown patina, slightly rough, weight 2.233 g, maximum diameter 12.7 mm, die axis 180o, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) mint, c. 135 - 10 Jul 138 A.D.; obverse IMP - HAD, laureate head right; reverse COL / AEL (Colonia Aelia), boar walking right; from the J. Berlin Caesarea Collection; extremely rare; SOLD


Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, 161 - 180 A.D., Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), Syria Palestina

|Roman| |Judea| |&| |Palestina|, |Marcus| |Aurelius| |and| |Lucius| |Verus,| |161| |-| |180| |A.D.,| |Aelia| |Capitolina| |(Jerusalem),| |Syria| |Palestina||AE| |29|
During his famous travels, Hadrian visited Judaea and initiated reconstruction of Jerusalem on the Roman model, with a temple of Jupiter replacing the Jewish Temple and restrictions on circumcision. This triggered the Bar-Kochba war, lasting three years and brutal beyond imagination. Hadrian sought to eradicate Judaism and renamed the city Aelia Capitolina, as inscribed on this rare coin.
JD11633. Bronze AE 29, Sofaer 51; Meshorer Aelia 52; Kadman Aelia 55; BMC Palestine p. 89, 40; RPC Online T6413; SNG ANS -; Rosenberger -, aVF, beautiful obverse, pitting on reverse, weight 17.46 g, maximum diameter 28.7 mm, die axis 0o, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) mint, 161 - 180 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES ANTONINO ET VERO AVG, laureate and draped facing busts of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus; reverse Tyche-Astarte inside central arch of tetrastyle temple, standing half left, wearing a short chiton, parazonium at side, right foot on uncertain object (prow?), small bust in right hand, long scepter in left hand, COL AEL CAP (Colonia Aelia Capitolina) in exergue; rare; SOLD


Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Charachmoba, Arabia

|Roman| |Arabia|, |Elagabalus,| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.,| |Charachmoba,| |Arabia||AE| |23|
Coins of Charachmoba (Kerak, Jordan today) were struck only for Elagabalus and are very rare. Kerak has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age. It was an important city for the Moabites. In the Bible it is called Qer Harreseth or Kir of Moab and was subject to the Assyrian empire; in the Books of Kings (16:9) and Book of Amos (1:5, 9:7), it is mentioned as the place where the Syrians went before they settled in the regions north of Palestine, and to which Tiglath-Pileser III sent the prisoners after the conquest of Damascus. It became important in the late Hellenistic Period, and eventually fell under Nabataean rule. Rome took it in 105 A.D., with support from the Arab Ghassanid tribe (who still live in there). Today Karak is best known for the crusader's Kerak Castle.
RP72143. Bronze AE 23, Spijkerman 1; Rosenberger 1; BMC Arabia p. 27, 1; Sofaer p. 157 and pl. 134, 1; Meshorer City-Coins 276 var. (retrograde rev leg); SNG ANS -, VF, nice green patina, a few pits, weight 7.750 g, maximum diameter 22.9 mm, die axis 135o, Charachmoba (Kerak, Jordan) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AV K M AV ANTWNINO, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, flower (star?) in right field; reverse XAPAX MWBA, Tyche standing facing, head left, wearing kalathos, chiton, and mantle, holding rudder by tiller in right, cornucopia in left; none of the references mention the flower (or star) on the obverse, but it may have originally been present on most specimens; very rare; SOLD


The Rosenberger Israel Collection, City-Coins of Palestine, Volumes I - III

|Judean| |&| |Biblical| |Books|, |The| |Rosenberger| |Israel| |Collection,| |City-Coins| |of| |Palestine,| |Volumes| |I| |-| |III|
A primary reference for Holy Land city coins. A recent auction price for these three volumes was $800 plus 22% fees. The cities covered in these volumes include the following:
Volume I: Aelia Kapitolina, Akko, Anthedon Antipatris, and Ascalon.
Volume II: Caesarea, Diospolis, Dora, Eleutheropolis, Gaba, Gaza, and Joppa.
Volume III: Hipos-Sussita, Neapolis, Nicopolis, Nysa-Scytopolis, Caesarea Panias, Pelusium, Raphia, Sebaste, Sepphoris-Diocaesarea, Tiberias.
There is a fourth volume (Eastern Palestine) but it is even harder to find and "sets" often include only these first three volumes.
BK11695. The Rosenberger Israel Collection, City-Coins of Palestine, Volumes I - III by M. Rosenberger, 1972 - 1977, volumes I - III, hardback, illustrations throughout, used, good condition; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES

Baramki, D. The Coin Collection of the American University of Beirut Museum. (Beirut, 1974).
Burnett, A., M. Amandry, et al. Roman Provincial Coinage. (1992 - ).
Grose, S. Catalogue of the McClean Collection of Greek Coins, Fitzwilliam Museum, Volume III: Asia Minor, Farther Asia, Egypt, Africa. (Cambridge, 1929).
Harl, K. "The Coinage of Neapolis in Samaria" in ANSMN 29 (1984), pp. 61–97, pl. 6-15.
Hendin, D. Guide to Biblical Coins, 6th Edition. (Amphora, 2021).
Hill, G. Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum: Palestine. (London, 1914).
Kadman, L. The Coins of Aelia Capitolina. (Jerusalem, 1956).
Kadman, L. The Coinage of Akko Ptolemais. (Jerusalem, 1961).
Kadman, L. The Coinage of Caesarea Maritima. (Jerusalem, 1957).
Kindler, A. The Coins of Tiberias. (Tiberias, 1961).
Lindgren, H. Lindgren III: Ancient Greek Bronze Coins from the Lindgren Collection. (Quarryville, 1993).
Lindgren, H. & F. Kovacs. Ancient Bronze Coins of Asia Minor and the Levant. (San Mateo, 1985).
Meshorer, Y. City-Coins of Eretz Israel and the Decapolis in the Roman Period. (Jerusalem, 1985).
Meshorer, Y. The Coins of Aelia Capitolina. (Jerusalem, 1989).
Meshorer, Y. "The Coins of Caesarea Paneas" in INJ 8 (1984-5).
Meshorer, Y. "The Coins of Dora" in INJ 9 (1986).
Meshorer, Y. "Monnaies de Raphia" in RN 1976.
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).
Prieur, M. & K. Prieur. The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and their fractions from 57 BC to AD 258. (Lancaster, PA, 2000).
Rosenberger, M. The Rosenberger Israel Collection Vol. I: City-Coins of Palestine: Aelia Kapitolina, Akko, Anthedon Antipatirs and Ascalon. (Jerusalem, 1972).
Rosenberger, M. The Rosenberger Israel Collection Vol. II: City-Coins of Palestine: Caesarea, Diospolis, Dora, Eleutheropolis, Gaba, Gaza and Joppa. (Jerusalem, 1975).
Rosenberger, M. The Rosenberger Israel Collection Vol. III: City-Coins of Palestine: Hipos-Sussita, Neapolis, Nicopolis, Nysa-Scytopolis, Caesarea-Panias, Pelusium, Raphia, Sabaste, Sepphoris-Diocaesarea, Tiberias. (Jerusalem, 1977).
Rosenberger, M. The Rosenberger Israel Collection Vol. IV: The Coinage of Eastern Palestine, and legionary countermarks, Bar-Kochba overstruck. (Jerusalem, 1978).
RPC Online - http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/
Saulcy, F. de. Numismatique de la Terre Sainte : description des monnaies autonomes et impériales de la Palestine et de l 'Arabie Pétrée. (Paris, 1874).
Sear, D. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values. (London, 1982).
Spijkerman, A. The Coins of the Decapolis and Provincia Arabia. (Jerusalem, 1978).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Volume 7: Cyprus to India. (West Milford, NJ, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain VI, Corpus Christi College Cambridge, The Lewis Collection II: The Greek Imperial Coins. (Oxford, 1992).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Schweiz II, Katalog der Sammlung Jean-Pierre Righetti im Bernischen Historischen Museum. (Bern, 1993).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, USA, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 6: Palestine - South Arabia. (New York, 1981).
Wroth, W. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Syria. (London, 1899).
Yashin, C. From Ascalon to Raphia: City Coins of the Southern Palestinian Coast. (Jerusalem, 2007).

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