Rare coin from Year Four of the Great Jewish Revolt discovered in Jerusalem
'An unexpected gift': archaeologists marvel at 2,000 year old bronze artefact dating to before destruction of Second Temple
Archaeologists have discovered a rare bronze coin minted by Jews in Jerusalem during the final year of rebellion against the Romans before the destruction of the Second Temple.
Uncovered near the southwest corner of the Temple Mount, the reverse side of the coin carries the inscription in ancient Hebrew script: “For the Redemption of Zion”.
Excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the same site have revealed remains ranging from the Second Temple period to the Umayyad period (2nd Century BCE—7th Century CE).
Archaeologist Esther Rakow-Mellet called the find “an unexpected gift” and described waiting “anxiously for several days until it came back from cleaning, and it turned out that it was a greeting from the Jewish rebels in the Year Four of the Great Revolt.”
She added: “Two thousand years after the minting of this coin, we come along a few days before Tisha B’Av and find such a moving testimony to that great destruction, and I think there is nothing more symbolic.”
Researcher and curator Yaniv David Levy added: “On its reverse is a lulav, a palm frond used in the Sukkot festival ritual. Next to it are two etrogs, the citron used in that same ritual. The reverse bears the inscription: ‘Year Four’.”
“This inscription denotes the number of years since the outbreak of the rebellion and allows us to accurately date the coin to the period between the Hebrew month of Nissan (March-April) of the year 69 CE, and the month of Adar (February-March) of the year 70 CE.”
Great Revolt Year Four coins were minted in Jerusalem under the leadership of Shimon Bar Giora, one of the prominent commanders in the revolt’s final year.
Considered relatively rare, most have been found in and around Jerusalem.
The coin is available for public viewing during family summer tours at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.
- Click here for visitor details.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
