Ancient Lod coin hoard reveals details of little-known 4th-century Jewish uprising

[Roman Collector]

Interesting find.

"Archaeologists have uncovered a hoard of silver and bronze coins dating from the 4th century CE buried in the foundations of an ancient, destroyed Jewish public building in the central Israel city of Lod, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Sunday.

The 94 coins were probably buried for safekeeping during the events of the Gallus Revolt (351-354 CE), a lesser-known Jewish uprising against Roman rule in the land of Israel, but the building was destroyed and the coins were never recovered, the IAA said.

The Gallus Revolt was named by historians after the Roman Emperor Constantius Gallus (326–354), who at the time was presiding over a fractured, weakened empire, but specifics about the events 'are not clear,' explained IAA archaeologist Mor Viezel, co-director of the Lod excavations, to The Times of Israel."

[Steppenfool]

Very interesting. Fascinating that there are still 3rd century Antiochian Tetradrachms in this hoard, but no sign of Imperial Silver. 

[seth77]

I was just reading this earlier and noticed the reporter did not have an actual grasp of the era -- he seems to not differentiate between Gallus and Constantius II, at a certain point there is the inference that Gallus went to fight off Magnentius, which is what prompted the Jewish revolt.

Edited June 17 by seth77

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I somehow missed this topic.  That's very interesting how third century Tetradrachmae are showing up in this hoard.  Is this an isolated incident?

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I am assuming tetradrachms circulated more widely in Judaea than denarii, both Syrian and Tyrian shekels. It is interesting to see that the archaeologists found them in the same context as fourth century bronze pieces. One can only imagine the tariff between silver and bronze at the time. It would take a whole lot of fallen horseman coins to equal a tetradrachm, probably.  Thanks for bringing the story to our attention.

[GinoLR]

The tetradrachms seem to be Trajan Decius, Etruscilla and Trebonianus Gallus, that is to say minted between 249 and 253. At this time there were no Tyrian shekels, not even denarii, just antoniniani. What is interesting is the absence of antoniniani in this pile of coins. All the coins visible on the picture seem to be Trajan Decius and Trebonianus Gallus, then a gap of 60 years, then Constantinian LRB and fallen horsemen coins of different modules.

The mid-3rd c. tetradrachms were probably at the time worth 2 antoniniani. But they surely did not circulate in the mid-4th century ! Is it an intrusion?

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

If these were a true find, perhaps somehow they happened upon two different containers, secreted at different times?