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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Al Kowsky, post: 8275493, member: 97383&quot;]Roman era tetradrachms from the Gaza mint were struck by only two emperors, Caracalla &amp; Macrinus; they are rare, popular, and usually bring high prices at auction. The only reason these coins were struck was to pay the military for Caracalla&#039;s proposed invasion of the Parthian Empire, AD 215-217. I believe the popularity of all the Gaza mint coinage is due in part because of the 2,500 year enmity between Jews and Palestinians that still exists today. The only time there was a moderation of hostilities between Judaea and Palestine happened after the end of the 1st Jewish War in AD 70. Throughout its history Gaza was an important seaport for trade and military expeditions. It was used by Alexander the great, the Ptolemies, &amp; the Seleucids for their continuous warfare. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461039[/ATTACH] </p><p>In the Greco-Roman era the Palestinians worshipped Haddad, better known as Zeus Marnas. Nearly all the coinage from the Gaza mint bears the peculiar mintmark of Marnas, a cross symbol with an added arm to each side of the horizontal arm of the cross. Most of the Roman era coinage from the Gaza mint is crude an hastily struck. The tetradrachms were made from billon with a silver fineness of 35%. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461046[/ATTACH] <b>JUDAEA, Gaza. Caracalla, AD 198=217. Billon Tetradrachm: 13.64 gm, 25 mm, 2 h. The reverse depicts a heifer with the sign of Marnas above, supported by an eagle. The heifer refers to an amusing myth of Zeus. After having sex with a nymph, Zeus turned her into a heifer to avoid the anger of his wife Hera <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Prieur 1684. This coin is from the 1st issue of Caracalla from the Gaza mint. </b><i><b>Ex CNG Triton XVIII, lot 903. Price realized $40,250.00 with buyers fee <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />! </b></i>Photo courtesy of CNG.</p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><i>[ATTACH=full]1461049[/ATTACH] </i></b></p><p><b>JUDAEA, Gaza. Caracalla AD 198-217. Billon Tetradrachm: 14.24 gm, 26 mm, 12 h. Sign of Marnas below eagle. Prieur 1686. </b><i><b>Ex CNG 118, lot 853; Ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection. Price realized with buyers fee $4,425.00. </b></i>Photo courtesy of CNG.</p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><i>[ATTACH=full]1461050[/ATTACH] </i></b></p><p><b>JUDAEA, Gaza. Caracalla, AD 198-217. Billon Tetradrachm: 12.49 gm, 26 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Sign of Marnas below eagle, star in right field. Prieur 1685. </b></p><p><i><b>Al Kowsky Collection. </b></i>I won this coin at auction last year <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Photo courtesy of CNG.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461052[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>JUDAEA, Gaza. Macrinus, AD 217-218. Billon Tetradrachm: 10.30 gm, 26 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Sign of Marnas below eagle, star in right field. Roma E-Sale 89, lot 792. </b>Photo courtesy of Roma Numismatics Ltd.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461053[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>JUDAEA, Gaza. Diadumenian as Caesar (son of Macrinus), AD 217-218. Billon Tetradrachm: 13.25 gm, 26 mm, 1 h. Reverse: Sign of Marnas below eagle, star in right field. Prieur 1697. CNG 118, lot 854, price realized $560.50 with buyers fee. </b><i><b>Ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection. </b></i>Photo courtesy of CNG.</p><p><br /></p><p>References:</p><p>The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and Their Fraction, Michel &amp; Karen Prieur. 2000.</p><p><br /></p><p>Essay: The Dated Coinage of Gaza in Historical Context. Oliver Hoover. </p><p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/533922/The_Dated_Coinage_of_Gaza_in_Historical_Context" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.academia.edu/533922/The_Dated_Coinage_of_Gaza_in_Historical_Context" rel="nofollow">(62) The Dated Coinage of Gaza in Historical Context | Oliver D Hoover - Academia.edu</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Wikipedia</p><p><br /></p><p>Classical Numismatic Group, LLC</p><p><br /></p><p>Roma Numismatics Ltd.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>CT </b>members are welcome to post any of their coins from the Gaza mint <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie50" alt=":happy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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