Newly Discovered Bar Cochba Coins
Posted by Kushana Torumekia at 9/9/2009 6:17 PM 
Categories: Beitar,jewish war,jewish revolt,judaism,jerusalem temple,Betar,jugs,numanistics,jars,archaeology,second temple,bar kosiba,bar kokhba,weapons,bar cochba,coins,caves,pots,roman empire
Tags: Beitar jewish war jewish revolt judaism jerusalem temple Betar jugs numanistics jars archaeology second temple bar kosiba bar kokhba weapons bar cochba coins caves pots roman empire
Categories: Beitar,jewish war,jewish revolt,judaism,jerusalem temple,Betar,jugs,numanistics,jars,archaeology,second temple,bar kosiba,bar kokhba,weapons,bar cochba,coins,caves,pots,roman empire
Tags: Beitar jewish war jewish revolt judaism jerusalem temple Betar jugs numanistics jars archaeology second temple bar kosiba bar kokhba weapons bar cochba coins caves pots roman empire
Listen to this article
image source: http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/gaddis/HST210/Nov18/Default.htmDr. Zissu points out that one of the fascinating aspects of the Bar-Kokhba revolt is the intensive use of the rebels and Jewish refugees of natural and man-made caves as hiding and refuge places in the face of extensive Roman search-and-destroy missions. Those who fled to the caves took with them food, weapons, drinks, coins and various documents. Sometimes they even took with them the keys to their houses that they abandoned in the hope that one day they would be able to return to them.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909095100.htm
Radio program on the new Bar Kokhba discoveries:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/1393
The radio show, itself:
Part 1: eve090909_1.mp3
Part 2: eve090909_2.mp3
An article with good pictures (and a brief video):
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133354
Who are the folks who found this:
http://geography.huji.ac.il/CRC.html#Research
The important thing to me about this discovery is not its location, we already knew that Beter (also spelled Beitar) was part of Bar Cochba's revolt against the Romans. The important thing these coins, weapons, and pots were found in a scientific dig (and many are in pristine condition.) It does not sound like there are any new types of coins but further study of this discovery will certainly expand what we knew of the late second century. (It is often difficult to know how important a discovery will be from its initial announcement: it is the details that matter.)
Scroll down to see one of the kinds of coins discovered in this find with an image of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (which had been destroyed by the Romans some 60 years earlier):
http://www.romancoins.info/VIC-Buildings.html
A letter which may have been written by the man, himself:
http://cojs.org/cojswiki/Bar_Kokhba_Letter,_132-135_CE
-Kushana
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