Herodian coinage were coins minted and issued by the
Herodian Dynasty,
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
s of
Idumean
Edom (; Edomite: ; he, אֱדוֹם , lit.: "red"; Akkadian: , ; Ancient Egyptian: ) was an ancient kingdom in Transjordan, located between Moab to the northeast, the Arabah to the west, and the Arabian Desert to the south and east. ...
descent who ruled the
province of Judaea between 37 BC–92 AD. The dynasty was founded by
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renova ...
who was the son of
Antipater, a powerful official under the
Hasmonean King
Hyrcanus II
John Hyrcanus II (, ''Yohanan Hurqanos'') (died 30 BCE), a member of the Hasmonean dynasty, was for a long time the Jewish High Priest in the 1st century BCE. He was also briefly King of Judea 67–66 BCE and then the ethnarch (ruler) of J ...
.
Herod the Great 37–4 BC
The coinage of
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renova ...
continued the
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish tradition of not depicting a
graven image. However, a
prutah
Prutah (Hebrew: פרוטה) is a Hebrew term, possibly derived from Aramaic. It refers to a small denomination coin.
History
Antiquity
The prutah was an ancient copper Jewish coin with low value. A loaf of bread in ancient times was worth about ...
of Herod was the first coin since the
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
period to depict a living creature - an eagle, which may have been an allusion to the golden eagle that Herod erected over the entrance to the
Second Temple, and which caused such great offence to the Jews.
Other objects depicted on coins of Herod include a winged
caduceus and
pomegranate
The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall.
The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...
('rimmôn'), one of the
seven species
The Seven Species ( he, שִׁבְעַת הַמִינִים, ''Shiv'at HaMinim'') are seven agricultural products - two grains and five fruits - which are listed in the Hebrew Bible as being special products of the Land of Israel.
The seven specie ...
mentioned in the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
as blessings to the
Land of Israel, a plumed helmet and shield, a ship's
stern and a palm branch. The largest denomination coin issued by Herod, bears a year, "year 3", and displays a series of unusual designs, such as a helmet with long cheek pieces, surmounted by a star. The second largest denomination features a crested helmet and a shield, as well as the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
letter Chi within a
diadem
A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty.
Overview
The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', " ...
and a
tripod
A tripod is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads ...
holding a ceremonial bowl. These designs are surrounded by the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
inscription grc-gre, 'ΗΡΩΔΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ' (of Herod
Basileus, Of King Herod).
The Greek letter Chi representing the "crown of
''Kehunah'' (High Priest)" and the diadem representing the "crown of
''Malchus'' (Kingness)" (
BT: Horayot
Horayot ( he, הוֹרָיוֹת; "Decisions") is a tractate in Seder Nezikin in the Talmud.
In the Mishnah, this is the tenth and last tractate in Nezikin; in the Babylonian Talmud the ninth tractate; in the Jerusalem Talmud the eighth. It consi ...
,
Keritot
Keritot is a tractate of the Mishnah and Babylonian Talmud. It is the seventh tractate in the Order of Kodashim. Its name is the plural of the punishment kareth which the Torah specifies for intentional violation of certain sins; unintentional viol ...
) are taken to mean that Herod claimed both offices for himself.
The most common
prutah
Prutah (Hebrew: פרוטה) is a Hebrew term, possibly derived from Aramaic. It refers to a small denomination coin.
History
Antiquity
The prutah was an ancient copper Jewish coin with low value. A loaf of bread in ancient times was worth about ...
issued by Herod the Great is similar in design to that of the
Hashmonean coinage, an anchor with Greek inscription "ΉΡωΔ ΒΆCΙ" (King Herod), and a caduceus between double
cornucopia
In classical antiquity, the cornucopia (), from Latin ''cornu'' (horn) and ''copia'' (abundance), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers ...
e, which was meant as a continuation of the Hashmonean coinage as well as a continuation of the
Hasmonean dynasty
The Hasmonean dynasty (; he, ''Ḥašmōnaʾīm'') was a ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity, from BCE to 37 BCE. Between and BCE the dynasty ruled Judea semi-autonomously in the Seleucid Empire, and ...
. However, Herod used only the Greek script on his coins, not the dual Greek and Hebrew method of the Hasmoneans.
Herod Archelaus 4 BC–6 AD
The most common coins of
Herod Archelaus
Herod Archelaus (, ''Hērōidēs Archelaos''; 23 BC – ) was ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, including the cities Caesarea and Jaffa, for a period of nine years (). He was the son of Herod the Great and Malthace the Samar ...
are small
prutot depicting a bunch of grapes, also one of the seven species, and a crested helmet with his name (Herod) and title (
Ethnarch
Ethnarch (pronounced , also ethnarches, el, ) is a term that refers generally to political leadership over a common ethnic group or homogeneous kingdom. The word is derived from the Greek words ('' ethnos'', "tribe/nation") and (''archon'', " ...
) in Greek (ΗΡΩΔ ΕΘΝ ), and a ship's prow and wreath with his name and title abbreviated. Grapes were commonly depicted on
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish coins, serving as s reminder of the fertility of the country. Other coins of Archelaus showed the bow of a ship and a laurel wreath.
A rare double prutah of Herod Archelaus depicts a
galley and conjoined double
cornucopia
In classical antiquity, the cornucopia (), from Latin ''cornu'' (horn) and ''copia'' (abundance), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers ...
e, also inscribed in Greek with his name and title.
[''Handbook of Biblical Numismatics'' pg 10]
/ref>
Herod Antipas 4 BC–39 AD
The coinage of Herod Antipas is rather rare, and can be divided into four categories: i) coins dated 'year 24' with the inscription 'ΤΙΒΕΡΙΑC' (Tiberias
Tiberias ( ; he, טְבֶרְיָה, ; ar, طبريا, Ṭabariyyā) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's F ...
), where the coins were minted, contained within a wreath on the reverse; ii) coins from the years 33, 34 or 37, which also have the inscription 'ΤΙΒΕΡΙΑC' on the reverse; iii) coins dated 'year 43' with the inscription ΓΑΙΩ ΚΑΙCΑΡΙ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙΚΩ ( Gaius Caesar Germanicus) on the reverse; iv) only one known example of a coin dated 'year 4' with the inscription ΤΕΤΡΑ—ΗCΔ, ΗΡΩ.
The coinage of Herod Antipas was minted in four denominations, with the inscription 'ΤΙΒΕΡΙΑC' on the reverse within a wreath. The obverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ...
has the Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
inscription "Herod the Tetrarch
Tetrarch, Tetrarchs, or Tetrarchy may refer to:
* Tetrarchy, the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire instituted by the Emperor Diocletian
* Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs - a sculpture of the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire
* Herodian Tetrarc ...
" (ΗΡΩΔΟΥ ΤΕΤΡΑΡΧΟΥ) with an upright palm branch. A variant type depicted an upright reed.
Herod Philip II 4 BC–34 AD
The coins of Herod Philip II
Philip the Tetrarch (c. 26 BCE. - 34 CE), sometimes called Herod Philip II by modern writers (see "Naming convention"), son of Herod the Great and his fifth wife, Cleopatra of Jerusalem, ruled over the northeast part of his father's kingdom b ...
are mostly bronze of middle-size. He was the first Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish ruler to put portraits of himself and the Roman Emperors on his coinage. An early issue has a portrait of the Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
, with the Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
inscription 'KAICAPI CEBACTΩ' on the obverse, and 'ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ ΤΕΤΡΑΡΧΟΥ' on the reverse. Later coins depicted Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
on the obverse, with the inscription 'TIBEPIOΣ ΣEBAΣ', and 'ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ ΤΕΤΡΑΡΧΟΥ' on the reverse. Both types had the facade of a four-columned temple on the reverse, possibly the Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two now-destroyed religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jeru ...
. The coins are dated according to the year of the Emperor's reign.[
]
Herod Agrippa I 37–44 AD
Agrippa I was the son of Aristobulus Aristobulus or Aristoboulos may refer to:
*Aristobulus I (died 103 BC), king of the Hebrew Hasmonean Dynasty, 104–103 BC
*Aristobulus II (died 49 BC), king of Judea from the Hasmonean Dynasty, 67–63 BC
*Aristobulus III of Judea (53 BC–36 BC), ...
and Berenice
Berenice ( grc, Βερενίκη, ''Bereníkē'') is the Ancient Macedonian form of the Attic Greek name ''Pherenikē'', which means "bearer of victory" . Berenika, priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC, is the oldest epigraphical evidence. ...
, and was a grandson of Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renova ...
. Agrippa spent much of his boyhood at the Imperial court in Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. His friend, the Emperor Caligula, granted him the former territories of his uncles Herod Philip II
Philip the Tetrarch (c. 26 BCE. - 34 CE), sometimes called Herod Philip II by modern writers (see "Naming convention"), son of Herod the Great and his fifth wife, Cleopatra of Jerusalem, ruled over the northeast part of his father's kingdom b ...
and Herod Antipas. The Emperor Claudius later also added Judaea
Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous Latin, and the modern-day name of the mountainous so ...
. The most common prutah issued by Agrippa I shows a royal fringed umbrella-like canopy on the obverse, with the inscription 'ΑΓΡΙΠΑ BACIΛEΩC' ('King Agrippa') in Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, while the reverse shows three ears of barley between two leaves with the year. All the other coins of Herod Agrippa I contain graven images, with portraits of the Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
or even of Agrippa himself. A very rare issue has a portrait of Agrippa with his son Agrippa II on horseback.
Herod Agrippa II 55–92 AD
Agrippa II was the last ruler of the Herodian Dynasty. His coins include both Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish and pagan symbolism. A Jewish type, for example, depicts a palm branch on the obverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ...
with the inscription 'ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ KAICAPOC' (Claudius Caesar) in Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, and a wreath on the reverse
Reverse or reversing may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Reverse'' (Eldritch album), 2001
* ''Reverse'' (2009 film), a Polish comedy-drama film
* ''Reverse'' (2019 film), an Iranian crime-drama film
* ''Reverse'' (Morandi album), 2005
* ''Reverse'' ...
surrounding the inscription 'TIBERIAC' ('Tiberias'), also in Greek. In 66 AD he issued a prutah
Prutah (Hebrew: פרוטה) is a Hebrew term, possibly derived from Aramaic. It refers to a small denomination coin.
History
Antiquity
The prutah was an ancient copper Jewish coin with low value. A loaf of bread in ancient times was worth about ...
showing his own bust on the obverse with the Greek inscription 'ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΟΥ' (King Agrippa). The coin's reverse depicts an anchor with the letters L and I on either side, giving the tenth year of the king's reign. Agrippa II also minted a ' Judaea Capta' coin. This large bronze coin was minted at Tiberias
Tiberias ( ; he, טְבֶרְיָה, ; ar, طبريا, Ṭabariyyā) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's F ...
and shows a portrait of Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death.
Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
on the obverse with the Greek inscription ' KAICAP CEBAC AVTOKP TITOC', while the reverse depicts the goddess Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
advancing right holding a wreath and palm branch over her shoulder, with a star in upper right field and the inscription 'ETO - KC BA ΑΓΡΙ-PPA'.
Another coin of Agrippa was issued in the name of Claudia, the daughter of Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unti ...
. These coins show a temple with a seated figure within and the inscription 'DIVA POPPAEA AVG' on the obverse, while the reverse shows a round temple with a female figure standing within and the Greek inscription 'DIVA CLAVD NER F'.
Salome
Although not a ruler of Judaea, Salome is included here because she was a granddaughter of Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renova ...
and therefore was a member of the Herodian Dynasty. As the queen of Chalcis and Armenia Minor
Lesser Armenia ( hy, Փոքր Հայք, ''Pokr Hayk''; la, Armenia Minor, Greek: Mikre Armenia, Μικρή Αρμενία), also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, comprised the Armenian–populated regions primarily to the west and no ...
she appeared on the reverse of coinage issued by her husband, Aristobulus of Chalcis
Aristobulus V of Chalcis ( grc-gre, Ἀριστόβουλος) was a son of Herod of Chalcis and his first wife Mariamne. Herod of Chalcis, ruler of Chalcis in Iturea, was a grandson of Herod the Great through his father, Aristobulus IV. Mariamne ...
. Minted in 56-57 AD, only three copies of this coin, all quite worn, have been discovered to date.New Portrait of Salome 1 January 2004
The obverse depicts Aristobulus with the Greek inscription 'BACIΛEΩC APIΣΤΟΒΟΥΛΟΥ' (King Aristobulus), while the reverse shows Salome and, on one example, the Greek inscription 'BACIΛIC ΣΑΛΩΜΗ' (Queen Salome).
See also
*List of historical currencies
This is a list of historical currencies.
Greece
* Aeginian stater (gold)
* Corinthian stater (silver)
* Aurous
* Athenian drachma (silver)
*Stater (silver)
*Tetradrachm (silver)
*Drachma (silver)
** Alexandrian coinage
** Ptolemaic coinage
** Se ...
*Prutah
Prutah (Hebrew: פרוטה) is a Hebrew term, possibly derived from Aramaic. It refers to a small denomination coin.
History
Antiquity
The prutah was an ancient copper Jewish coin with low value. A loaf of bread in ancient times was worth about ...
*Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two now-destroyed religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jeru ...
* Second Temple
*Herod's Temple
The Second Temple (, , ), later known as Herod's Temple, was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem between and 70 CE. It replaced Solomon's Temple, which had been built at the same location in the United Kingdom of Israel before being inherited ...
References
External links
Coins of Herod the Great
New Portrait of Salome
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herodian Coinage
1st-century BC works
1st-century works
Herodian dynasty
Ancient currencies
Jews and Judaism in the Roman Empire
Currencies of Israel
Historical currencies, List of
Numismatics
Coins of Judea