OLD TESTAMENT COINS

The first actual coins mentioned in the Bible were those of the Persian Empire. The Persians ruled Israel from 539 BC, when they conquered Babylon, until the coming of Alexander the Great in 331 BC. When Alexander advanced towards Jerusalem, it is said that he was met by a delegation of Jewish leaders who showed him passages from the Old Testament Book of Daniel that he believed referred to him. Because of this Alexander did not attack Jerusalem and the Jewish people fared well under his rule. Greek rule of the Holy Land continued under Alexander's successors until the Maccabee Rebellion of 164 BC which resulted in a century of Jewish independence. In 63 BC the Romans invaded the Holy Land and established the Roman province of Judaea.

PERSIAN EMPIRE

ACHAEMENID KINGS

XERXES (Ahasuerus)

SILVER SIGLOS

486-465 BC

12-15mm 5.6g

SEAR-4678

"In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the capital, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him." Esther 1:2-3

PERSIAN EMPIRE

ACHAEMENID KINGS

SILVER SIGLOS

465-330 BC

14mm 5.7g

SEAR-4680

The Persian king Artaxerxes, who ruled from 465-425 BC gave a large quantity of silver and gold to be used for re-building and repair of the Temple at Jerusalem. Much of the silver would have been in the form of these coins.

ATTICA

ATHENS

CLASSICAL PERIOD

SILVER TETRADRACHM

449-413 BC

24mm 17.0g

SEAR-2526

The Jews were aware of the Greeks from the earliest times, in Genesis an archaic Hebrew word for Greece (Javan) is used. In other places in the Old Testament Greek slave traders are mentioned, and the Prophet Daniel mentions a "Prince of Greece."

ATTICA

ATHENS

HELLENISTIC PERIOD

SILVER TERRADRACHM

136-63 BC

27mm 16.7g

SEAR-2555

"But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come." Daniel 10:20

MACEDONIA

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

336-323 BC

Babylon Mint

SILVER TETRADRACHM

324-323 BC

26mm 15.6g

PRICE-3640

During the conquest of Alexander the Great, Israel did not resist and as such enjoyed good treatment under his rule. Alexander died in Babylon at the time this coin was minted, and his death had been foretold 200 years before by the Prophet Daniel.

"Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power." Daniel 8:8 & 21-22

	MACEDONIA ALEXANDER THE GREAT 336-323 BC Herakleia Pontika Mint SILVER TETRADRACHM
205-200 BC	31mm 16.7g	PRICE-1284a

After the death of Alexander, coins bearing his image and name continued to be issued for over 200 years, it was thought that this practice added legitimicy to the rulers of the kingdoms that made up his empire.

MACEDONIA

PHILIP III

323-317 BC

SILVER DRACHM

323-317 BC

16mm 4.2g

SEAR-6750

Philip III was half brother of Alexander the Great, who seems to have felt familial affection for him. Philip accompanied his half brother on his campaigns and was present at the time Alexander died. Although Philip was unsuited to be king, he was named King of Macedonia. He served as a figurehead, but power was weilded by other parties including Alexander's mother Olympias, who had Philip deposed and executed in 317 BC.

ANCIENT EGYPT

PTOLEMY II

285-246 BC

Tyre Mint

SILVER TETRADRACHM

285-261 BC

25mm 14.1g

SEAR-7773

When Alexander the Great died, his general Ptolemy assumed the kingship of the Egyptian portion of Alexander's empire and became King Ptolemy I. Ptolemy seized the body of Alexander and built a tomb for it at Alexandria. Ptolemy's kingdom included the territory of Israel. When Ptolemy I died his son Ptolemy II became king. Ptolemy II founded the Library of Alexandria, he ordered his scribes to translate the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, this translation became known as the Septuagint.

ANCIENT EGYPT

PTOLEMY X & CLEOPATRA III

106-88 BC

Alexandria Mint

SILVER TETRADRACHM

106-105 BC

23mm 14.1g

SEAR-7938

Ptolemy X was co-regent with mother Cleopatra III, by the time he became king Egypt no longer held Israel.

Until the time of Antiochus IV, the Seleucid Kingdom governed Judaea with a hands-off approach that did not interfere with Jewish laws or custom. Antiochus reversed this policy, outlawing Jewish dietary rules and outlawing the study of the Torah. He went so far as to declare himself "God Manifest," and to place that inscription on his coinage. He placed an altar to Zeus in the Temple and sacrificed a pig on it in 167 BC. This outrage lead to the Maccabee Revolt.

"Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate." Daniel 11:31

SELEUCID KINGDOM

ANTIOCHUS IV

175-164 BC

Antioch Mint

AE 32

175-164 BC

32mm 31.3g

SEAR-6985

The Macabee Revolt started Under Antiochus IV lasted until Israel gained it's freedom from the Seleucids in 160 BC. The Macabees restored traditional Jewish laws and destroyed pagan altars. It was during the revolt while in the east, that Antiochus IV died. According to some sources he died of disease, while others contend that he drowned.

It was during the decade long reign of Antiochus VII that the Seleucid recognized the right of the Macabee Kingdom of Israel to coin it's own money. His policy of respect earned him the title "Benefactor" from the Jewish leadership. He was killed in an ambush in 129 BC.

SELEUCID KINGDOM

PHILIP I PHILADELPHOS

93-83 BC

Antioch Mint

SILVER TETRADRACHM

93-83 BC

26mm 15.9g

SEAR-7196

Philip Philadelphos was a weak ruler who was controlled by others. He was defeated in a rebellion in 83 BC at which time he was probably killed, however his death is not recorded and it is possible that he went into exile.

The Seleucid Kingdom survived from the death of Alexander the Great until 64 BC when it was conquered by the Roman General Pompey the Great. Coins in the Seleucid style would continue to be minted by the Romans for many years to come. The coin above is an example of such a coin.

While the Romans conquered Israel in 63 BC, they allowed the Maccabee Kings to remain as puppet rulers until 40 BC when the Roman Senate declared Herod the Great "King of Judaea." In 37 BC Herod besieged Jerusalem and captured Mattathias Antigonus and his supporters.

The coin that holds a strong claim to have been the first issued by the Kingdom of Israel would be the bronze Prutah shown above. It was a joint issue of John Hyrcanus I and the Seleucid king Antiochus VII.

John Hyrcanus I was the son of Simon Macabee and nephew of Judah Macabee. During his reign he raised an army and expanded the geographic boundry of his kingdom. He also served as High Priest. He avoided using the title of King for himself throughout his life.

Judah Astrobulus was the eldest son of John Hyrcanus. He served as both Hish Priest and took the step of naming himself King as well. This action was unpopular with the Pharisees who contended that only a direct descendant of David could serve as King of Israel. His mother opposed his decision to become king and in order to secure his position he had her imprisoned and starved to death. Judah suffered from poor health all of his life and his death probably avoided and war to depose him.

Alexander Jannaeus was the son of John Hyrcanus I and younger brother of Judah Astrobulus. During his reign Astrobulus had his brother placed in prison in an effort to secure his weak position. When Astrobulus died in 103 BC, Jannaeus was released from prison, became King and married Astrobulus' widow Salome Alexandra. Although a time of prosperity, the reign of Jannaeus is also remembered as one of constant war and conflict both internally and externally.

The "Widow's Mites" of Luke 21: 1-3 are believed to have been bronze Prutah of Alexander Jannaeus.

John Hyrcanus II was teh son of Alexander Jannaeus and Salome Alexandra, when Jannaeus died Salome assumed political control while Hyrcanus became High Priest. On her death Hyrcanus also assumed the role of King. He was a weak and unpopular ruler who was deposed by his nephew Mattathias Antigonus in 40 BC. According to the ancient sources, his ears were cut (or bitten) off by Antogonus and he was exiled to Babylon where his was allowed to live out his days in comfort.

Almost immediately upon taking the throne from John Hyrcanus II, Mattathias Antigonus faced a powerful rival to power in the person of Herod the Great. Antigonus rebelled against Roman rule in part due to heavy taxation. This prompted Rome to recognize Herod as the King of Israel. Herod succeeded in capturing Antogonus and handed him over to Mark Antony who had him executed. He was the last Macabee to rule Israel.

Rulers of Israel During The Period of Independence: (those in bold letters issued coins)
Judas Maccabeus	167-160 BC
Jonathan Maccabeus	153-143 BC
Simon Maccabeus	142-135 BC
John Hyrcanus I	134-104 BC
Judah Astrobulus I	104-103 BC
Alexander Jannaeus	103-76 BC
Salome Alexandra	76-67 BC
John Hyrcanus II (First Reign)	67-66 BC
Judah Astrobulus II	66-63 BC
John Hyrcanus II (Second Reign)	63-40 BC
Matththias Antigonus	40-37 BC