984 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Money inenlioiied in the Bible — Continued. 

 III. tlKEEK AND KOMAN IMONKY. 



1= .OOJ 



The following specimens were shown as representing the ancient 

 coinage of places mentioned in the Bible: 



Shekel. — Made of silver and attributed to Simon Maccabaeus 

 (141-136 B. C), to whom Antioclius VII Sidetes "gave leave to coin 

 money for thy country with thine own stamp." ' Obverse, a cup repre- 

 senting the pot of manna,- with the legend: '• Shekel of Israel. Year 

 two;" reverse, the budding rod of Aaron,'' with the legend: "Jerusa- 

 lem the Holy." (See plate 9, fig. l.j The vahie of the shekel in United 

 States currency was about 64 cents. The average shekel weighs 

 between 200 and 220 grains, Troy weight. 



Two COINS OF John Hyrcanus (136-106 B.C.). — Original of copper. 

 Obverse, "Jochanan, High Priest and Prince of the Jewish Confedera- 

 tion; " reverse, two cornucopias and a poppy head. (See plate 0, fig. 3.) 



Widow's mite. — Coin of Alexander Jannaeus (105-78 B. C). — Cop- 

 per (facsimile). Obverse, "Jonathan the High Priest and the Confed- 

 eration of the Jews," within a wreath of olive; reverse, two cornucopias 

 and a poppy head. (See plate 9, fig. 4.) It is assumed that this or a 

 similar coin is referred to by the term " widow's mite " in Mark xii, 42. 

 It is true that in the original it bears the Greek name lepton X^mov^ 

 Latin minutum, but a Jewish coin must be assumed here, none other 

 being permitted within the temple precincts. The mite was the small- 

 est current Jewish coin in the times of Jesus, and was also the smallest 

 temple contribution legally admissible. Its value in the United States 

 currency was about one-eighth of a cent. 



Coin of Herod Antipas.— Bronze. Obverse (in Greek characters), 

 "Herod Tetrarch," with a palm branch; reverse, "Tiberias," within a 

 wreath. (See plate 9, fig. 6.) Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and 

 Peraea, A. D. 4-39, is often mentioned in the New Testament.* It was 

 he who beheaded John the Baptist, and to him was Jesus sent for 

 examination, by Pilate.-^ In honor of the Emperor Tiberias he founded 

 the city of Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Gennesareth, 

 where the coin was struck. 



' 1 Maccabees xv, 6. ■♦ Matthew xiv, 1-3 ; Luke iii, 1, 19, etc. 



2 Exodus xvi, 33. 6 Luke xxiii, 7. 



^ Numbers xvii, 8. 



