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Coin Jewelry :
Jewish Coin Rings : Bronze coin of Maccabean King John Hyrcanus II
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Bronze coin of Maccabean King John Hyrcanus II - FJ.5794
Origin: Israel
Circa: 67
BC
to 40
BC
Collection: Jewish Coin Ring/ Judaica
Style: Judaica
Medium: bronze/gold
Condition: Very Fine
$3,400.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Obverse: Hebrew Legend Translated as
“Yehohanan the High Priest and the Community
of Jews”
Reverse: Double Cornucopias with Pomegranate
between Horns .
The ancient Kingdom of Judea reached the height
of its power during the reign of the Maccabean
(or Hasmonean) King Alexander Jannaeus, who
ruled Ancient Israel from 103-76 B.C. The
youngest son of Jehohanan Hyrcanus, Jannaeus
was imprisoned for a year by his oldest brother,
Aristobulus. Released by his widowed sister-in-
law, Salome, whom he later married, Alexander
conquered a series of coastal cities from Gaza to
Carmel, extending Judean control from the
Mediterranean to Gadara across the Jordan River.
He ruled more territory than any Judean king
since the time of Solomon. Yet he faced
mounting criticism from Jews inside Jerusalem
for embracing the increasing Hellenization of the
Near East. Eventually, a civil war erupted between
those forces loyal to Jannaeus and the pious
rebels who enlisted the aid of King Demetrios of
Syria. Whose Kingdom, the Seleucids, once ruled
the lands of Judea and Samaria before
Maccabean Independence. However, after being
led to a stunning victory by Demetrios’ forces,
the rebels soon realized that the Syrian army
planned to march onwards into Jerusalem and
they rallied around their King Jannaeus. In the
end, Alexander met his fate on the battlefield, on
the outskirts of Gadara, ever battling to secure
the borders of his Kingdom.
These coins include inscriptions in hebrew .
Depicted on the obverse, the pomegranate was
one of the seven celebrated products of Israel
and among the fruits that brought to the temple
as offerings of the first-fruits. Two hundred
pomegranates decorated each of the two
columns in the temple and were an integral part
of the sacred vestment of the High Priest, as
bells and pomegranates were suspended from
his mantle.
WHO CAN SAY WHO MIGHT FIRST HAVE HELD
THIS BRONZE COIN IN ANCIENT JUDAEA?
PERHAPS IT WAS A COURTIER, WITNESS TO THE
INTRIGUES OF THE ROYAL PALACE. IT MAY HAVE
BEEN A MERCHANT WHO TRADED RARE SILKS IN
THE MARKETS OF JERUSALEM OR A DANCING
GIRL WHO PERFORMED INFRONT OF THE TEMPLE
IN JERUSALEM.
- (FJ.5794)
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