Hasmonean coinage


Hasmonean coinage are the coins minted by the Hasmonean kings. Only bronze coins in various denominations have been found; the smallest being a prutah or a half prutah.
One Roman silver denarius is associated with the Hasmoneans, bearing a supplicant man bowing before a camel with a palm branch in his hand and the inscription BACCHIVS IVDAEVS. The individual on the coin has often been identified as Aristobulus II.
Unlike the coins of surrounding Hellenistic states, Hasmonean coins don't bear the image of a ruler or deity, in accordance with the commandment "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
The Hebrew inscriptions found on Hasmonean coins are:
  • "Yehochanan Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim".
  • "Yehochanan Kohen Gadol Rosh Chever Hayehudim".
  • "Yehonatan Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim".
  • "Yehonatan Hamelech".
  • "Yehudah Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim".
  • "Malka Aleksandros"
  • "Matityahu Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim".
  • "Matityahu HaKohen".
  • ''"Mattityah"''

    The Hasmonean dynasty and era (164–37 BCE)

The era of Hasmonean rule lasted for 127 years. It was founded by High Priest Simon son of Matityahu, and consolidated by his son Yochanan surnamed Hyrcanus. Thereafter followed Yehuda Aristobolus, Salome Alexandra, Alexander Yannai and then feuding brothers Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus. Hyrcanus and Aristoblulus each asked the Roman Republic to intervene on their behalf; as a result Judea fell under the greater rule of Rome as an autonomous province but still with a significant amount of autonomy. The last Hasmonean king was Aristobulus's son Matityahu Antigonus.
In 138 BCE, the Seleucid King Antiochus VII Sidetes published a royal decree, granting Simon Maccabaeus the right to mint his own coinage.

John Hyrcanus

. Minted prutot that said:
  • Yehochanan the High Priest and council of the Jews
  • Yehochanan the High Priest and the head of council of the Jews
  • Yehochanan the High Priest and the Jews
  • 'A' Yehochanan the High Priest and council of the Jews.
He also had monograms on some prutot on the cornucopia side, just left of the cornucopia, some resembling Ά, Π or Λ.
The Jerusalem-minted bronze prutah had on the reverse a double cornucopia adorned with ribbons with a pomegranate between horns, with borders of dots.

Alexander Jannaeus

Alexander Jannaeus, king of Judea from, son of John Hyrcanus, inherited the throne from his brother Aristobulus, and married his brother's widow, Shlomtzion or "Shelomit".
The Jannaeus coins are the most typical Jewish coins found at archeological sites in the former lands of the Hasmonean kingdom. They represent over 87% of the coins discovered in Jerusalem and 39% of the Hasmonean, Herodian, and Byzantine coins found in the southern Levant. Gamla was the site of the largest-ever discovery of Jannaeus coins from a single location.
Image:JanaeusCoinPhoto.jpg|thumb|300px|Coin of Alexander Jannaeus.
Obv: Seleucid anchor and Greek Legend: BASILEOS ALEXANDROU "King Alexander".
Rev: Eight-spoke wheel or starburst within diadem. Hebrew legend inside the spokes: "Yehonatan Hamelech".

Matityahu Antigonus

Antigonus the Hasmonean was the son of King Aristobulus II of Judea.
Obv: Menorah with Greek inscription "BASILEWS ANTIGONOY".
Rev: Showbread Table with Hebrew inscription "Matityahu HaKohen".
Obv: Double cornucopia with ancient Hebrew script; reading "Matityahu Kohen Gadol Chever Hayehudim".
Rev: Greek inscription; reading "BASILEWS ANTIGONOY".

Judaean coinage

  • Yehud coinage
  • Herodian coinage
  • Procuratorial coinage of Roman Judaea
  • First Jewish Revolt coinage
  • Judaea Capta coinage
  • Bar Kokhba Revolt coinage

    Historical currencies in Judaea

  • Ma'ah, Aramaic for gerah, ancient Hebrew unit of weight and currency
  • Prutah
  • Shekel, ancient Near Eastern unit of weight and coin
  • Zuz, ancient Jewish name for certain silver coinage

    Other

  • List of historical currencies
  • List of inscriptions in biblical archaeology
  • Maccabees
  • Maccabean Revolt
  • Hasmonean
  • Judah Maccabeus
  • Jonathan Maccabaeus
  • Simon Maccabeus
  • Mattathias
  • Alexander Jannaeus
  • John Hyrcanus
  • Aristobulus
  • Salome Alexandra
  • Hyrcanus II
  • Aristobulus II