Ancient Roman Numismatics meets Jewish Talmudic legend?

There are two legendary Jewish Rabbinic sages that are said to have had cordial friendships with either or both Emperors Antoninus Pius and his successor Marcus Aurelius. It is told in ancient Jewish midrashic-Talmudic literature that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai hid in a cave with his son Eleazar for thirteen years to avoid the cruel persecution of the then emperor Hadrian. He was having Jewish scholars martyred through torture and execution. It is said that a "Bat Kol", a heavenly voice called out to the dwellers in the cave that the Caesar was dead and a new Caesar is in power so they do not need to fear for their lives anymore. That new Caesar was Antoninus Pius. It is told that a younger sage at that time named Rabbi Judah HaNasi was also a friend of a Caesar. "HaNasi" means "the prince" since his family lineage was of the Lion of Judah(kingly tribe of Judah) as also was Rabbi Shimon most likely. Being friends with the Caesar during these years these two journeyed to the capital of the empire.
When they came to Rome, they heard that the daughter of the Roman emperor had lost her mind and that no one could cure her. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai proceeded to the palace and asked for permission to treat the patient. After a few days’ treatment the princess became well. In gratitude, the emperor told Rabbi Shimon that he could choose the most precious thing in his treasury. Rabbi Shimon found there the original decrees of persecution, and claimed them as his reward. These decrees they destroyed, thus they succeeded in bringing great salvation to the Jewish people.
With a little research we find that Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina Sr. had two sons and two daughters. Only one daughter survived to adulthood and as most here on this forum know she married Marcus Aurelius and became known as Augusta Faustina II. Therefore this daughter is most likely the girl who was healed by the Rabbi since she is only one of two girls and the only child to live to adulthood.
So here is where I see this amazing story possibly reflected on the reverse of this famous coin of Faustina II. This coin was minted around the year 168 ce, during the life of the Empress Faustina II. She is there in the place of the Magna Mater, Cybele, the great mother goddess and there by her side are two guardian protectors- two lions on each side of her throne. So maybe they brought this image back to these coins to honor the two sages who came to Rome and healed the princess of her malady thereby ensuring her ascent to the throne of Rome and her continuing the line of the Caesars. This unlikely meeting of two very different cultures and religions also provided a new era of freedom for the Jewish people at that time in the Roman empire and helped ensure their future survival. Or maybe this is just a divine mystery hidden on the back of an ancient coin waiting to be revealed like a message in a bottle after eighteen centuries floating on the sea of history?

 

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Very interesting (and appealing) story.