Judaea, Pontius Pilate, Roman prefect under Tiberius: Æ prutah, 26-36 AD, struck 30/31 AD in Jerusalem, 1.58gm, 14.9mm. Obv: TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC; lituus. Rev: LIZ (date) within wreath. Hendin 1343; RPC I 4969. I’m usually not much of a religious man, but I often think about the stories from the bible during the holidays. My collection leaves something to be desired with regards to biblical coins too, but I know there are a few here that have this as a collecting area. Above is a prutah from the time when Pontius Pilatus was prefect in Judea, 26-36 AD. He was originally an equestrian of the Samnite clan of the Pontii. He got his appointment from Sejanus, the infamous Praetorian prefect. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why he didn’t care too much about people walking around, saying things like «Bad company ruins good morals.” (Corinthians 15:33). It didn’t take Pilatus long to become unpopular in Judea, however. His attempt to win the hearts and minds of the Jewish people seems to have gotten off to a bad start when he forgot that the use of iconography and symbols had stricter religious rules in Jerusalem than in Rome, and few were impressed when Pilatus decorated the walls of Jerusalem with worship images of the emperor, and minted coins bearing pagan religious symbols, like the lituus on the coin above. This actually caused the Jews to riot, and they gathered in Ceasarea (home of the prefect) to protest. Pilatus threatened to kill the rioters, but as they seemed ready to die for their belief, he changed strategy and removed the images. Pilatus seems to have intended to abolish the Jewish laws and to remove the privileges that the Jews enjoyed. This was of course not popular. The affair with the decorations had also shown that he would let himself be moved by the mob, as he would later prove during a certain trial where he allowed a seemingly innocent man to be crucified. The clumsiness of the head strong Pilatus got the best of him in the end. After having provoked riots with both the Jews and Samaritans, and several acts of «cruelty and oppression», he was out of favor with the new emperor Caligula, who ordered Pilatus to commit suicide. Please post your biblical coins!
"When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison." -- Acts 24:27 Here's Felix and Festus: Antonius Felix, Procurator under Claudius, AD 52-60. Judean Æ Prutah, 2.42 g, 17.2 mm. Caesaria mint, AD 54. Obv: ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑ (Julia Agrippina, wife of Claudius) within a wreath tied at the bottom with an X. Rev: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟC ΚΑΙCΑΡ ΓΕΡΜ, two crossed palm fronds, LΙΔ (year 14) below. Refs: Hendin 651; Meshorer TJC 342. Porcius Festus, Procurator under Nero, AD 59-62. Judean Æ Prutah, 2.51 g, 16.2 mm. Caesarea mint, AD 58-59. Obv: NЄPѠNOC in 3 lines, surrounded by wreath. Rev: Palm branch surrounded by KAICAPO, LЄ (year 5). Refs: Hendin 653; Meshorer TJC 345.
""But, so we won't offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."" Mat.17:27 Literally a stater. This coin is considered to be a tetradrachm, the equivalent of a shekel, exactly the amount required to pay the temple tax for two. This is the picture of the fish (chromis simonis) just before they took the coin out of it.......
Coingrats on the new punchy pilot. I didn't know Gaius made him commit suicide. That was nice of him.
Nice coin and writeup, @svessien . PONTIUS PILATE Judaea Pontius Pilate 14-37 CE - Prutah TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC Lituus Hendin 1342 Judaea Pontius Pilate - Prutah Julia - IOYLIA KAICAPOC Julia Caesar - LIVIA wife of Augustus Hendin 1341
HERODEAN COINS HEROD I THE GREAT, 40 B.C.E. TO 4 A.D. 9. BCH #500. AE Prutah. Obv. Anchor. HPWA BACI Rev. Double cornucopia adorned with caduceus between, dots above. AJC II, 237, 17.
PORCIUS FESTUS (59-62 A.D.) under Nero 16. BCH #653. AE Prutah. Obv. Legend in a wreath tied at bottom with an X, NEP/WNO/C (Nero). Rev. Palm branch surmounted by KAICAPO and date LE (Year 5) struck 58 A.D. AJC II, Supp. V, 35.
HERODEAN COINS HEROD AGRIPPA I, 37 TO 44 A.D. The most common coin of Agrippa was also the only coin issued for circulation in his Jewish territories. This bronze prutah shows a royal umbrella on the obverse surrounded by the Greek inscription "King Agrippa;" the reverse features three ears of barley and the date 10. BCH #553. AE Prutah. Struck year 6. 41/2 A.D. GCVS #5567. Obv. Umbrella-like canopy with fringes. ArP1IIA BACIAEWC Rev. Three ears of barley growing between two leaves, flanked by date, LC, AJC II, 249, II.
