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Rare Gold Coin Reveals New Insights into Ancient Jerusalem
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The discovery of a 2,200-year-old gold coin depicting Queen Berenice II suggests Jerusalem was thriving earlier than previously thought.
Archaeologists have unearthed a rare gold coin in Jerusalem, dating back approximately 2,200 years.The find offers new perspectives on the city’s economic and political landscape during the Hellenistic period.
The miniature coin, discovered during archaeological excavations, features a portrait of Queen berenice II, the wife and consort of Ptolemy III, who ruled Egypt from 246 to 221 B.C. The coin’s inscription,”Basileisses,” meaning “of the Queen,” suggests Berenice may have held notable power in her own right,according to a statement from the Israel Antiquities authority (IAA).
Dr.Donald T. Ariel,head of the coin Department at the IAA,expressed his astonishment at the discovery,stating in the statement: “At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but within seconds I was running excitedly through the excavation site.”
The coin’s design features Queen berenice II wearing a tiara, veil, and necklace on one side. The reverse side depicts a cornucopia and two stars, accompanied by the Greek inscription “Basileisses.”
Queen Berenice II and Ptolemaic rule
“At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but within seconds I was running excitedly through the excavation site.”
Berenice II’s marriage to Ptolemy III brought her region of Kirinyaka (present-day eastern Libya) under Ptolemaic control. Historical accounts suggest that she even served as regent of Egypt during Ptolemy III’s military campaign in Syria, according to Dr. peter Kool, curator of coins at the IAA, in a video statement.
While queens of the Ptolemaic dynasty, such as Cleopatra VII, occasionally appeared on coins, this discovery is significant due to its age and the potential implications for Berenice II’s political influence.
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(Image credit: Eliyahu Yanai, City of David)
Jerusalem’s Recovery and Ptolemaic Influence
The coin’s presence in Jerusalem suggests the city was experiencing a period of recovery and growth following the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 or 587 B.C.
According to Yiftah shalev, an archaeologist with the IAA, the discovery challenges the prevailing view that Jerusalem was a small, insignificant town after the siege. The coin indicates that Jerusalem was re-establishing connections with major political, economic, and cultural centers during the Persian period (586 to 333 B.C.) and under Ptolemaic rule, as stated in the statement.
Yuval Gadot, a professor of archaeology at Tel Aviv University, suggests that the elite in Jerusalem likely had connections with the ruling elite in Egypt, as mentioned in the video. the discovery of the gold coin reinforces the idea that Jerusalem was a significant city during this period.
