Ancient coins discovered near Jerusalem
The Israel Antiquities Authority said the cache of nine bronze coins—discovered in a large complex that served Christian pilgrims en route to Jerusalem—serves as “evidence of the Persian invasion at the end of the Byzantine period.”
A cache of 1,400-year-old coins discovered in excavations near Jerusalem. Credit: Yoli Shwartz, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority
The coins feature the images of three Byzantine emperors: Justinian (483-565 AD), Maurice (539-602 CE) and Phocas (547-610 CE).
The excavation that led to the finding occurred in June 2016 as part of the expansion of Israel’s Highway 1, which connects Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A massive two-story structure and an elaborate wine press were revealed in the excavation, and the coins were found among large stones that had collapsed alongside the building.
“It seems that during a time of danger, the owner of the hoard placed the coins in a cloth purse that he concealed inside a hidden niche in the wall,” said Annette Landes-Nagar, director of the excavation on behalf of the IAA. “He probably hoped to go back and collect it, but today we know that he was unable to do so.”
[JNS.org]
At first glance I thought the coins were “the 30 pieces of silver” but they’re bronze and from a later era.