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Judaea, Hasmonean Kingdom. Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan). Æ Prutah (4.02 g), 104-76 BCE.
Jerusalem. ‘Yehonatan the King’ (Paleo-Hebrew) between the rays of star with eight rays, all within diadem.
Rev.
BASILEWS ALEXANDROU
, inverted anchor. (TJC grp. K; Hendin 1150a). An extremely heavy
example. Light desert green patina. Superb extremely fine.
$ 200
Purchased privately at the NYINC, December 1991.
25 Judaea, Hasmonean Kingdom. Mattathias Antigonos (Mattatayah). Æ 8 Prutot (17.88 g), 40-37 BCE.
Jerusalem. ‘Mattatayah the High Priest and Council of the Jews’ (Paleo-Hebrew), double cornucopiae. Rev.
[
BA
C
ILEW
C]
ANTIGONOU
, ivy wreath tied with ribbons. (TJC 36; Hendin 1162). Attractive green
patina with light earthen overlays. Unusually choice for this issue. Choice very fine.
$ 600
Purchased privately, January 1988.
In 40 BCE, at the head of a Parthian army, Mattathias Antigonus drove Herod the Great and his puppet, the Hasmonaean eth-
narch, John Hyrcanus II, out of Jerusalem and was proclaimed king and High Priest by the Parthians and his Jewish supporters.
Unfortunately, the wily Herod was not so easily defeated and returned in 39 BCE armed with recognition as the Roman client-king
of Judaea. The hapless Mattathias was ultimately defeated and crucified for his troubles, leaving Judaea to begin a new period in its
troubled history under the often hated Herodian dynasty.