Israelis unearth Byzantine gold hoard

Coins bear the image of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius

Israeli archaeologists said they have unearthed more than 250 gold coins from the seventh century on the edge of Jerusalem's walled Old City. A British tourist volunteering at the dig discovered the trove on Sunday.

Israel's Antiquities Authority said the Byzantine-period hoard was found in the ruins of a building where a striking 2,000-year-old gold earring from the Roman era was dug up last month.

source

I find this story fascinating. It is exciting to get a look into the past with finds like this. What is especially interesting to me is the depiction of Heraclius on the front of the coins.

The coins bear the image of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, who ruled between 610 and 641 A.D. He is depicted wearing military dress and holding a cross in his right hand.

Why would he be depicted in military dress holding a cross in his hand? Was the Byzantine scepter shaped like a cross? Is there some other symbolism involved?


[edit on 22-12-2008 by Icarus Rising]

reply to post by Icarus Rising


It is a very riveting tale, though there is evidence of his existence, there has been little to back the event with artifacts.
First, here's a history from the Byzantine Empire, so you can track it to the time of Heraclius reign.

BYZANTINE EMPIRE

Early Period.

Constantine established precedents for the harmony of church and imperial authorities that persisted throughout the history of the empire. These included his creation of a successful new monetary system based on the gold solidus, or nomisma, which lasted into the middle of the 11th century. The commercial prosperity of the 4th through the 6th century enabled many ancient cities to flourish. Large estates dominated agriculture, and while heavy taxation resulted in much abandonment of land, agriculture continued to be productive. The church acquired vast landed estates and, along with the emperor himself, was the largest landholder during most of the empire’s history. Rigorous imperial regulation of the purity and supply of precious metals, as well as the organization of commerce and artisanship, characterized economic life.

Emperor Justinian I and his wife, Theodora, attempted to restore the former majesty, intellectual quality, and geographic limits of the Roman Empire. At great cost, they reconquered, between 534 and 565, North Africa, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and parts of Spain. This effort, however, together with substantial expenses incurred in erecting public buildings and churches—in particular, Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) in Constantinople—overstrained the empire’s resources, while plagues reduced its population.

www.history.com...

Heraclius, Emperor of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, reorganized the Byzantine imperial administration and the imperial armies and strengthened the Empire in the process. During his reign, pivotal changes took place in the Balkans and the Middle East.

historymedren.about.com...

Here is a time-lapse Biography of his reign:

i-cias.com...

He was a respected and recognized foe for the most part, but him having the place in history of being more of a humanitarian is the most important of his doings. he was also quite the organiser when it came to sustaining his people and his beliefs. He fought well and hard, but eventually fell to his opponents.
The Byzantines were a very wealthy society, worthy of being talked about here on the ATS forums, "Starred and Flagged"

Great post, and excellent find for past civilizations topics!!

[edit on 073131p://1174 by Allred5923]

The Byzantine Empire was a remnant of the Roman empire, which became predominantly Christian after Constantine in 312.
So it's not surprising that the figure bears a cross.

I'm not familiar with coins from those dates as appearing so perfect as if they were just minted recently. How would we know they weren't? If they are put up for sale, I would be very suspicious. Too bad they didn't show the details of these coins for inspection. Any other coins from that era that are minted that way?

reply to post by aleon1018


After some cleaning, it seems as if the coins of that time sustained remarkable and very articulated for the years they had been lost to the sands of time.



As for these particular coins being "Fake" I would say "No" they have discovered them before, and they are just well preserved.

reply to post by aleon1018


Gold itself is a metal that doesn't corrode over time like most metals, part of the reason it has a lot of symbolism attached to it.
So as long as they cleaned off the dust before hand, it's not surprising that they look like new in the picture.

reply to post by Allred5923


Thanks for the background and analysis. I don't know much about the era, and had never heard of Heraclius before.

reply to post by RuneSpider


Yes, seen it that context, it makes perfect sense that he would be holding a cross. It was the combination with the military garb that had me wondering. I knew it was too early in history and too far east to be related to the Crusades.

I understand that. I'm just suspicious of anyone who sells antiquities. I'm wondering what other possible connection there would be with the Knights Templar and their gold. I guess that's another thread and different era.

I presume the statement below is what the coin was commemorating.

In 630 Heraclius traveled to Jerusalem where he returned the Holy Cross to the city among much acclaim.

Heraclius (October 5, 610 - February 641 A.D.)

I'm not sure what returning the Holy Cross means though.

[edit] To satisfy my curiosity I found an article about the holy cross, its loss, and its return. It is thought to be the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross



[edit on 12/23/08 by makeitso]

So, if it's purpose was a commemorative coin, than it may have just been sold as a souvenir?

Doubt it, more along the lines of it just being his figurehead on the coin.
At the time, he would have been popular because of it, best way to remind the people is to have them see it ever day.

Just to confirm, gold comes out of the ground in excellent condition. I pulled one tiny gold bead out of a stone dry wall and despite looking brand new it was over four thousand years old.

RuneSpider is correct.
The advent of the coins being produced in that era were to show the defeats as a coexistence with the help of the aid of the "All mighty" to win wars and show their opponents they were more than self sufficient.

CURRENCY IN THE AGE OF JUSTINIAN AND HERACLIUS:

Imperial currency was based on a gold SOLIDUS (in Greek nomisma), struck at 72 to the Roman pound (4.48 grs.) and 99-99.5% fine. Gold fractions of SEMIS (1/2 solidus) and TREMISSIS (1/3 solidus) were minted. Each soldius was reckoned as composing 24 carats (siliquae), divisions by weight against which ceremonial silver denominations were struck. In 615 Heraclius reintroduced a large silver coin, the HEXAGRAM (6.75 grs.), exchanged at 12 to the solidus, when he coined ecclesiastical plate during the Persian War.

It seems as if the coin was produced from one metal to another throughout history. You can find all the info of weight and values here at this website.

www.tulane.edu...

Really a enjoying this thread Icarus, thanks for posting this thread!!


[edit on 093131p://5974 by Allred5923]

to add to the information:


Article: 12 dec 08, "Buried Treasure Found Outside Temple Mount'

www.israelnationalnews.com...


Why should you read the story:

more info, & the fact that 264 coins found,
Better image of a coin accompanies the story.
poises more questions

Reply to:
St Udio (Sorry, my "Reply to" button doesn't work from time to time...??:puz

If you are referring to this part of your posted article:

The archaeologists, whose excitement at finding the coins can barely be overstated, are still hoping to find answers to these questions: What was the nature of this building? Under what circumstances was it destroyed? Why were the coins buried there? How is it that they were forgotten, abandoned, or rendered inaccessible?
Searching for the answers to these and other riddles, the combing of the site continues.

That is standard questions in an effort for standard procedures of he excavation.
I too wish to here the outcome of the "Who,What, Where Whens" of this find, but thus far, it is an archaeological find, and has its merit in the number of coins that were found.
Who knows, "Maybe it was a priest from a later date that stumbled across them, and hid them from others in the afore mentioned building."

It will be interesting to see what comes of this terrific find!!

reply to post by RuneSpider


He recovered the true cross from the Sassanids in 629 - which probably explains his holding up a version of a cross.

Why was the money hidden? In 637-638 the Muslims swept into Jersulem after the battles Ajnadayn, Fahl, and Yarmouk. The money might have been hidden then.

i personally think it was "Spoils" of war, with the new edifice on teh coins. I was trying to see if there were any documented records producing factual basis of my theory, but so littke has been written in the near past, it didn't give much explanation, with out the Helenistic jargon o fthat period, But, did find this.

But in the 17th year however after the capture of Jerusalem, in the 3rd year after the murder of Khosro, in the 21st year after the accession of Heraclius, the 3rd indiction, the Persian general Rasmi-Ozan slew the Persian king Artasir, whom we mentioned above. He seized the kingdom, became an ally of the Greeks, and bestowed on the King Heraclius the life-giving tree, the Cross of Christ, as the treasure of the whole world, and as the richest of gifts, and he gave it him. But King Heraclius took it to Jerusalem on the occasion of his going there with Martina, who was daughter of his father's brother; and he had married her against the law, and therefore was very much afraid that the high priests would rebuke him on the score of that indecent action. And when he had entered Jerusalem, he on the 21st of the month of March re-established in its own place the glorious and precious tree of the Cross, sealed as before in a chest, just as it had been carried away. And it was set up altogether unopened; for just as the ark of the covenant was left unopened among strangers, so was left the life-giving tree of the Cross, which had vanquished death and trampled on Hell. Then King Heraclius, seeing the glorious event—namely, the restoration of the holy places, which had been rebuilt by the blessed Modestus, was much rejoiced and ordered him to be consecrated patriarch over Jerusalem; for the blessed Zachariah had died in Persia, and the church was widowed.

homepages.luc.edu...

It was listed under the title of "Temple Treasure Lost" for this era, it is a good era, but pretty much the same history as anything else for this to be "Spoils" of war.

reply to post by Allred5923


Great background on the return of the Cross to Jerusalem. Gifted to Heraclius by the ascendent Persian General; Heraclius then driven by guilt over his incestuous marriage to return the Cross to Jerusalem in hopes of absolution of his sin. What a script!

I wonder if the 21st of March that year fell on Easter Sunday? Or maybe Good Friday?

[edit on 23-12-2008 by Icarus Rising]

I could also imagine as with war booty today, that a regular soldier may have hid it there in order to retrieve it for himself at a later date. Weren't temples also taxed and or used as sources of revenue?

There could be many more cashes such as this one in the same area. What various types of equipment are they using to search these areas anyway?