• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
The newest coin in the stash dated to 170 B.C.

Cache of Silver Coins Discovered, Gives Hard Proof to Apocryphal Narrative

December 25, 2022
New DNC Chair Already Unsure If He Wants To Lead Party

New DNC Chair Already Unsure If He Wants To Lead Party

June 8, 2025
‘Should Apologize’: JD Vance Roasts ABC’s Terry Moran For ‘Vile’ Post Attacking Stephen Miller

‘Should Apologize’: JD Vance Roasts ABC’s Terry Moran For ‘Vile’ Post Attacking Stephen Miller

June 8, 2025
CASEY RYAN: San Francisco Mandates Insane Ethnic Studies Curriculum For Students

CASEY RYAN: San Francisco Mandates Insane Ethnic Studies Curriculum For Students

June 8, 2025
STEVE MILLOY: Big Beautiful Bill Won’t Raise Electricity Prices

STEVE MILLOY: Big Beautiful Bill Won’t Raise Electricity Prices

June 8, 2025
Trump Deploys National Guard To Los Angeles As Anti-ICE Riots Rock City

Trump Deploys National Guard To Los Angeles As Anti-ICE Riots Rock City

June 7, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: Outgoing FCC Commissioner Endorses Top Aide To Replace Him

EXCLUSIVE: Outgoing FCC Commissioner Endorses Top Aide To Replace Him

June 7, 2025
MARTHA BONETA FAIN: How Swamp Creatures Are Gutting Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill

MARTHA BONETA FAIN: How Swamp Creatures Are Gutting Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill

June 7, 2025
DONALD KENDAL: We Need Pro-Freedom AI

DONALD KENDAL: We Need Pro-Freedom AI

June 7, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: On Energy, China Knows What The Rest Of Us Must Re-Learn

DAVID BLACKMON: On Energy, China Knows What The Rest Of Us Must Re-Learn

June 7, 2025
Corporate Media Thought They Had Trump On Ropes Over Egg Prices — It Quickly Blew Up In Their Faces

Corporate Media Thought They Had Trump On Ropes Over Egg Prices — It Quickly Blew Up In Their Faces

June 7, 2025
‘He’s Going To Wish He Had Been Deported’: Alan Dershowitz Explains Why Abrego Garcia Chose Poorly

‘He’s Going To Wish He Had Been Deported’: Alan Dershowitz Explains Why Abrego Garcia Chose Poorly

June 6, 2025
‘Truly Sick’: Superstar Olympian Simone Biles Picks Fight With Riley Gaines

‘Truly Sick’: Superstar Olympian Simone Biles Picks Fight With Riley Gaines

June 6, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Sunday, June 8, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home FaithTap

Cache of Silver Coins Discovered, Gives Hard Proof to Apocryphal Narrative

by Western Journal
December 25, 2022 at 2:36 am
in FaithTap
245 7
0
The newest coin in the stash dated to 170 B.C.

The newest coin in the stash dated to 170 B.C. (Israel Antiquities Authority / YouTube screen shot)

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A new archaeological find in Israel attests to events described in the ancient Book of Maccabees, found in the Old Testament of some Bibles.

A team of excavators from the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered a wooden box containing 15 silver coins in a cave overlooking the Dead Sea this spring, according to the Israeli government.

“This is an absolutely unique find, presenting the first clear archaeological evidence that the Judean Desert caves played an active role as the stage of the activities of the Jewish rebels or the fugitives in the early days of the Maccabean Revolt, or the events that led up to them,” the government announcement said.

The coins — thought to be minted around 170 B.C — date to the reign of Ptolemy VI, a Greek king who ruled modern-day Egypt when the region was administered by the heirs of Alexander the Great, according to the Times of Israel.

The Book of Maccabees describes a revolt on the part of Jews against the Greek Seleucid Empire in the following years. At the time, Judea was ruled as a Seleucid province.

The movement of Maccabees described in the text objected to the Seleucid introduction of Hellenistic polytheism in Judea, instead advocating for Jewish monotheism.

Some Christian churches, including Catholic and Orthodox, hold Book of Maccabees to be canonical, but Protestant denominations and most branches of Judaism do not.

Archaeologists are pointing to both the location of the coin stash and their contemporary value (thousands of modern-day American dollars) as historically significant.

The container in question also contains purple-dyed cloth and wool stuffing — preserved in excellent condition by the region’s desert climate.

It’s thought that the stashing of coins in a desolate cave amounts to an act for desperate times — such as the war between the Seleucid Empire and the Jewish Maccabees.

“In general when we find a cache of coins, they tell us a story of war. Otherwise people don’t run off and leave their life savings,” archaeologist Eitan Klein said of the historical context of the find, according to the Times of Israel.

“Here, we have good proof that people really were fleeing,” Klein said of the find, adding that he believes the coins’ owner died in the violence that surrounded the Maccabean revolt, so was unable to come back for the stash.

“Every time there was a war or a traumatic event, people fled to the desert and hid in caves, which were their ‘safe rooms.’ They’d leave their homes, and take only their important items,” Klein explained.

Secluded from civilization, the Dead Sea cave of Wadi Muraba’at, where the coins were found, would’ve made an excellent hiding place, according to Klein.

Maccabees I describes an exodus of Jews from Jerusalem in the midst of the revolt, with righteous men of Israel taking up hiding places in the desert.

The revolt in question ultimately succeeded — with the Israelite nation overthrowing the Greek yoke and achieving self-government under the native Hasmonean dynasty of kings.

The story described in Maccabees serves as the inspiration for the holiday of Hanukkah, still celebrated in Judaism today.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Tags: EgyptIsraelJerusalemJudaismThe Biblewarworld news
Will more discoveries backing the scriptures be found in Israel?

Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Yes: 100% (6 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
Share196Tweet123
Western Journal

Western Journal

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th