Judaean Lepton
Dublin Core
Title
Judaean Lepton
Subject
BRONZE
Description
Obv.: Royal canopy, with a Greek legend around it, reading [BASILE]OS AGRIP[A]: [beta, alpha, sigma, iota, lamda, epsilon,] omega, sigma; alpha, gamma, rho, iota, pi, [alpha].
Rev.: Three ears of grain with two leaves. Two letters in the field: L Z (Zeta) ('Year 6')
Significance:
In the sixth year of his reign (AD 42), King Agrippa I (Herod Agrippa) of Judaea was believed to have struck a large series of small bronze coins at the mint of Jerusalem, of which this coin was thought to belong. But, a recent article (see the bibliography), after a deep analysis of archaeological, iconographical, palaeographical and historical evidences could demonstrate that this kind of coins have been struck by the son of Agrippa I, King Agrippa II, probably starting about September- October AD 66 to the spring or early summer of AD 67. The series could be considered to be Agrippa II s contribution to Roman Emperor Nero during the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73). So the coins probably were the payment to the Agrippa s troops and were probably minted at Caesarea Maritima, which was the base for Roman military operations.
Herod respected his subjects sensibilities by avoiding human and animal figures on his coins in Judea. In Caesarea, he struck them with his own portrait. He was the first Jewish ruler to use only Greek letters in his coin legends. The legend on the obverse, King Agrippa , suggests pride in his position. Despite his Hellenistic leanings, self-indulgence, and extravagance, the Jews revered his memory. He seems to have been basically true to Judaism and his people. He remonstrated with Gaius over the latter s proposal to put his statue in the temple.
Additional Information:
The royal canopy or umbrella was used to portray power and government. Agrippa II (b. AD 27/28), son of Agrippa I (whose name as a Roman citizen, Marcus Julius Agrippa, he shared) was the seventh and last king of the family of Herod the Great (the Herodian Dynasty). He was the brother of Julia Berenice and Drusilla (second wife of the Roman procurator Antonius Felix). During the First Jewish-Roman War of 66 73, he sent 2000 men, archers and cavalry, to support Vespasian (Flavius Josephus, Jewish War, 2.295).
Rev.: Three ears of grain with two leaves. Two letters in the field: L Z (Zeta) ('Year 6')
Significance:
In the sixth year of his reign (AD 42), King Agrippa I (Herod Agrippa) of Judaea was believed to have struck a large series of small bronze coins at the mint of Jerusalem, of which this coin was thought to belong. But, a recent article (see the bibliography), after a deep analysis of archaeological, iconographical, palaeographical and historical evidences could demonstrate that this kind of coins have been struck by the son of Agrippa I, King Agrippa II, probably starting about September- October AD 66 to the spring or early summer of AD 67. The series could be considered to be Agrippa II s contribution to Roman Emperor Nero during the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73). So the coins probably were the payment to the Agrippa s troops and were probably minted at Caesarea Maritima, which was the base for Roman military operations.
Herod respected his subjects sensibilities by avoiding human and animal figures on his coins in Judea. In Caesarea, he struck them with his own portrait. He was the first Jewish ruler to use only Greek letters in his coin legends. The legend on the obverse, King Agrippa , suggests pride in his position. Despite his Hellenistic leanings, self-indulgence, and extravagance, the Jews revered his memory. He seems to have been basically true to Judaism and his people. He remonstrated with Gaius over the latter s proposal to put his statue in the temple.
Additional Information:
The royal canopy or umbrella was used to portray power and government. Agrippa II (b. AD 27/28), son of Agrippa I (whose name as a Roman citizen, Marcus Julius Agrippa, he shared) was the seventh and last king of the family of Herod the Great (the Herodian Dynasty). He was the brother of Julia Berenice and Drusilla (second wife of the Roman procurator Antonius Felix). During the First Jewish-Roman War of 66 73, he sent 2000 men, archers and cavalry, to support Vespasian (Flavius Josephus, Jewish War, 2.295).
Source
Purchased from BA Seaby Ltd, London, 1976.
Date
AD 66 - 67
Identifier
C.066
Files
Citation
“Judaean Lepton,” RD Milns Antiquities Museum Online Exhibitions, accessed May 2, 2024, https://uqantiquitiesonlineexhibitions.omeka.net/items/show/42.