Rare Coin Discovered in Israel

News July 18, 2014

(Courtesy University of Omaha/Hanan Shafir)
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(Courtesy University of Omaha/Hanan Shafir)

 

BETHSAIDA, ISRAEL—An archaeological team working at the site of Bethsaida on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee has uncovered a rare example of a coin minted under the Roman emperor Domitian celebrating the Romans’ conquest of Judea in A.D. 70, according to a University of Nebraska at Omaha press release. While the “Judea Capta” (“Conquered Judea”) coin series lasted for 25 years, this version is very unusual—only 48 similar coins have been found—and has confirmed the date of a large Roman building the team has been excavating for the past several seasons. Bethsaida was the site of an important biblical city (possibly identified with the city of Geshur in the Hebrew Bible) not only as the birthplace of the apostles Peter, Philip, and Andrew, but also the location of some of Jesus’ important miracles, including the healing of a blind man and a paralytic. 

 

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