Rare 2,000-year-old coin minted as a ‘political statement’ unearthed in Jerusalem

Recent excavations in Jerusalem revealed an “unusual” coin that dates back to ancient Roman times.

The coin, which is only about two centimeters wide, is a half-shekel denomination minted around the year 70 CE, according to a Hebrew University of Jerusalem news release.

“This is the third coin of this type found in excavations in Jerusalem, and one of the few ever found in archaeological excavations,” researchers said.

The archaeological dig was carried out by a team from both the Hebrew University and the Herbert W. Armstrong College in Oklahoma, in addition to several other organizations.

The coin, which was brought to a laboratory and examined by experts, features a goblet on one side with an inscription around the edges that says “Half-Shekel” in Hebrew, researchers said.

The other side features a branch with pomegranates in addition to an inscription in Hebrew that reads “Holy Jerusalem.”

What makes the small silver piece unique is that it was created by Jewish rebels during an era when only the Roman emperor held the authority to mint silver coins, researchers said.

It was made as a political statement during the “Great Revolt” against Rome, according to researchers.

The revolt, which took place between 66 and 70 CE, was a popular uprising against the Roman empire sparked by a desire for independence in addition to a belief in monotheism, class grievances and other factors, according to Commentary, a Jewish magazine.

The revolt, which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem, was nevertheless “one of the most heroic chapters in Jewish history,” the magazine reported.

The silver coins minted during the Great Revolt were the first and only coins in ancient times to include the title “shekel,” researchers said.

Earlier this year, a box full of 2,200-year-old coins dating to the Maccabean Revolt, another Jewish rebellion, was found in a cave in Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.

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