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40
Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ Prutah (2.40 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 3 (68/9 CE). ‘Year three’ (Paleo
Hebrew), amphora with broad rim, two handles, and conical lid decorated with tiny globes hanging around
edge. Rev. ‘The freedom of Zion’ (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on small branch. (TJC 204; Hendin 1363).
Earthen-brown patina. Extremely fine.
$ 200
Purchased privately from D. Hendin, November 1992.
Magnificent Year Four Silver Shekel
41
Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (13.41 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). ‘Shekel of Israel’
(Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, ‘year
4’. Rev. ‘Jerusalem the holy’ (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 207;
Hendin 1364).
Very Rare.
Uncleaned and perefectly centered.
Among the finest known examples
.
Extremely fine.
$ 30,000
Purchased privately, November 1984.
The disasters brought by the internecine conflict among the Jewish rebel factions in the third year of the Jewish War turned into hor-
ror in the fourth (April 69-March 70 CE) as Titus marched south against Jerusalem and laid siege to the heavily fortified city. The
Jews trapped within faced the torment of starvation. Hunger stalked the streets and compelled the Jerusalemites to eat the leather
from their shoes, belts, and even the coverings of their shields. Some even descended to cannibalism in order to survive, according
to Josphus. By this point, the possibility of redeeming Zion from the Romans was long past and the tragic fall of the Holy City was
soon to come.