Israeli archaeologists have announced the exciting discovery of a coin from the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt, bearing the name of “Eleazar the Priest.”
Read more about what it means, who Eleazar likely was, and how it’s connected to the Jewish rebels who fought against the Roman empire!
Israel is no stranger to awe-inspiring archeological finds from ancient Jewish history, from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Biblical writings, to uniquely preserved glass from the Roman era, to coins and swords belonging to Judean rebels during and after the Second Temple era.
And the newest discovery, recently announced by archeologists of the Israel Antiquities Authority, is just as impressive!
Israeli archeologists have discovered a rare coin from the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt, engraved with a date palm and the name "Eleazar the Priest" in ancient Hebrew script. The reverse shows a bunch of grapes surrounded by the text "Year One of the Redemption of Israel," indicating that the coin was minted in the first year of the revolt, 132 CE.
Three other coins inscribed with the name "Shimon" were found alongside it, also from the same time period. All four pieces were uncovered in the Matzok Hahetekim Nature Reserve in the Judean Hills.
Although scholars don't know for sure who "Eleazar the Priest" refers to, one likely possibility is Rabbi Eleazar Hamoda’i, a Talmud-era sage and a pupil of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai during the time of Rabbi Akiva.
Rabbi Eleazar Hamoda’i played a significant religious role at the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt. He was living at the time in the town of Beitar, the location of the revolt's headquarters, where he likely also died during the revolt. It's therefore possible that the coin is directly connected to someone who was right in the midst of one of the most famous Jewish armed struggles in the Land of Israel!
It is known that the fighters of the Revolt used the Judean caves as hideouts and to stash their supplies - such as the swords that were also recently discovered in the area - so it's also likely that these coins belonged to the Judean fighters as well.
The Bar Kochba Revolt, named for its leader Shimon Bar Kochba, was an armed Jewish uprising in 132-135 CE against the Roman empire. Although ultimately unsuccessful, the brave Jewish fighters of the revolt sought to gain independence and end the oppressive Roman rule that had resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple.
The dry, arid climate of Israel's desert, particularly in the area of the Judean Hills near the Dead Sea, has kept many historical artifacts hidden and safe from erosion and damage over the past centuries and even millennia.
Archeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority and other institutions have spent the past several years systematically surveying the hills and caves of Judea, and have found many valuable historical relics. Eli Escusido of the Israel Antiquities Authority refers to the area as a “unique time capsule” allowing for the discovery of some of the most impressive and well-preserved treasures.
Click below to read about some other amazing artifacts found in the Judean desert:
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