Ancient Silver Coin Hoard Found In Israel Features Pieces From The City Of Tyre

CoinWorld - A small hoard of 16 silver half-shekel and shekel coins of the city of Tyre was found in Israel in April.



A small cache of silver coins recently found in Israel offers a fascinating look into life during the second century B.C.

The hoard contains 16 silver shekels and half-shekels (tetradrachms and didrachms) that were minted in the city of Tyre and bear the images of the king, Antiochus VII, and his brother Demetrius II.

The hoard was found in April with the participation of local youth during construction of a new neighborhood in the Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut municipality. The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the find in early June.

Ancient Modiin was the place of origin of the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Judea for 227 years from 163 B.C. to 63 A.D. and is where the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks started.

Soldiers of Antiochus came to Modiin to force the local Jews to make sacrifice to the heathen gods and forsake their laws, according to David Hendin in Guide to Biblical Coins.

According to a statement from IAA excavation director Avraham Tendler released by the organization, "The cache may have belonged to a Jew who hid his money in the hope of coming back to collect it, but he was unlucky and never did return."

The treasure was hidden in a rock crevice, up against a wall on an impressive agricultural estate that was discovered during the excavation there.

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