Eliyahu Yanai / City of David
The discovery was part of a set of coins offered to soldiers who were returning from the conflict between the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and the Syria Seleucid Empire.
A team of archaeologists in Jerusalem discovered a rare gold coin that represents Queen Berenice II of Egyptdated from more than 2200 years ago, during the reign of her husband, Ptolemy III, the third ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
The discovery, announced by the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), was made in the Archaeological Site of the City of Davidin East Jerusalem, considered the old core of the city.
The miniature currency, which is believed to have been coined in Alexandria during the Third Syrian War (246-241 BC), is considered part of a Set offered to soldiers who returned from the conflict between the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and the Syria Seleucid Empire. “It’s a stunning currency,” said Robert Kool, IAA’s head of numismatics, who pointed out that Only 17 coins of this type were found in the last century. This is the first to be discovered outside Egypt during organized excavations.
The discovery was made by Rivka Langler, who worked on the excavation of Givati’s parking lot for two years. “It was sifting the ground of excavation when I suddenly saw something brilliant,” he recalled. “In seconds, I was running excitedly by the excavation site. ”
One side of the coin presents a detailed portrait of Queen Berenice II, adorned with a Tiara, veil and necklace. The reverse portrays a two -star -flanked cornucopia and boasts the Basileisse inscription, which means “from the Queen” in Greek. Registration generated speculation that Berenice may have been recognized as a ruler by his own right, says.
Historically, Berenice II was ruler of Cyrenaica (present -day eastern Libya) before marrying his cousin Ptolemy III. When he launched military campaigns in Syria, she served briefly as a conductor in Egypt. Its prominent representation in coins enhances its political importanceplacing it beside the best known ptolemaic queens, like Cleopatra VII.
The discovery also sheds light on the resilience of Jerusalem after the destruction of the first temple by Babylon in the 6th century AC for decades, scholars believed that the city had become impoverished and marginalized. However, the presence of such a valuable coin suggests that Jerusalem was integrated into the economic and political networks of the Hellenistic world.
