34-2 The First Jewish Shekels. 



coinage of copper for the use of Judaea, somewhat larger and 

 different in character to that of the procurators. These 

 coins bear the name and titles of the issuer abbreviated, as 

 AYTOKP TITOS KAI2AP ; and also the inscription, 

 IOTAIA2 EAAcoKIAS, in allusion to the complete subjec- 

 tion of the Jewish people. But the most remarkable coins is- 

 sued on this occasion were those struck in Eome by order of the 

 Eoman senate, which are among the most interesting of the 

 whole Roman series. The reverse (Fig. 8) represents Titus in a 

 posture of triumph, placing his foot upon a clod of earth, 

 symbolizing the subdued territory, while a personification of 

 Jerusalem, as a female figure, wearing a turretted crown, weeps, 

 in a dejected posture, beneath a palm, the national type of 

 Judaea. This device is accompanied by the inscription, " Judasa 

 Capta/' which at once removes all doubt concerning the true 

 meaning of this interesting allegorical composition. 



After the year 70 a.d., all signs of an independent king- 

 dom were obliterated. The last of the native princes, Herod 

 Agrippa, though he had sided with the Romans after the 

 breaking out of the revolt, was compelled to retire into private 

 life ; and great obscurity prevails over the events which took 

 place in Judasa, as a Roman province, from the year 70 a.d. to 

 the year 117. In that year, at the time of the death of Trajan, 

 Hadrian was at Antioch ; the affairs of the East being then in 

 a disturbed state, which all the energy and military talents of 

 his predecessor had not been able to quiet ; among other 

 difficulties, Syria and Judasa were in a state of quasi insurrec- 

 tion, though it was not till the year 131, and after an inter- 

 vening period of comparative repose, 'that the last serious revolt 

 took place. Most of the ancient Jewish privileges had been 

 abolished, one after another, as it was thought by the Roman 

 authorities that the observance of ancient customs, and espe- 

 cially of religious festivals of peculiar character, tended to keep 

 up and nourish feelings of nationality and independence. 

 Among the customs forbidden was the rite of circumcision ; but 

 it is stated b} r some authors, and among others by St. Jerome, 

 that a determination on the part of the emperor to make the 

 city of Jerusalem a military fortress, and the seat of a Roman 

 colony, under a new Roman name, more greatly than any other 

 grievance, tended to stir up a serious revolt. That a revolt 

 took place at this time is well known, and there .-ire certain 

 coins, bearing national Jewish types and Hebrew inscriptions, 

 which jVI. de Pauley attributes to the fir-st years of this rebellion, 

 before the election of Simon Barcocebas (one of the leaders of 

 the revolt) to the chief power, as high priest and prince of 

 Israel. The coins so attributed by M. de Saulcy are similar in 

 typo to those afterwards issued by Barcoerbas during the 



