• 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
NEWT GINGRICH: Trump Boom Or Democrat Gloom

NEWT GINGRICH: Trump Boom Or Democrat Gloom

July 26, 2025
JOSH HAMMER: Grading The Second Trump Presidency, Six Months In

JOSH HAMMER: Grading The Second Trump Presidency, Six Months In

July 26, 2025
Leftist Outrage Erupts At California Plan To Stop Paying Criminal Illegals’ Legal Bills

Leftist Outrage Erupts At California Plan To Stop Paying Criminal Illegals’ Legal Bills

July 26, 2025
Mexican Border State Asks Tourists to Travel Highways Only in Daylight Hours

Mexican Border State Asks Tourists to Travel Highways Only in Daylight Hours

July 26, 2025
LARRY ELDER: Dems Rail Against Colbert’s Cancellation — Here’s Why

LARRY ELDER: Dems Rail Against Colbert’s Cancellation — Here’s Why

July 26, 2025
Estado Fronterizo Mexicano Pide a Turistas Viajar Solo de Día

Estado Fronterizo Mexicano Pide a Turistas Viajar Solo de Día

July 26, 2025
Biden-Appointed Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Sanctuary City Chicago

Biden-Appointed Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Sanctuary City Chicago

July 26, 2025
NEWT GINGRICH: Beyond The August Recess

NEWT GINGRICH: Beyond The August Recess

July 26, 2025
CBS Trades One 60 Minutes Liberal Insider For Another

CBS Trades One 60 Minutes Liberal Insider For Another

July 25, 2025
JENNY BETH MARTIN: No Amnesty: America’s Immigration System Must Respect The Rule Of Law

JENNY BETH MARTIN: No Amnesty: America’s Immigration System Must Respect The Rule Of Law

July 25, 2025
Dem Admits Party’s Epstein Files Attack Line Is ‘Bulls*it’

Dem Admits Party’s Epstein Files Attack Line Is ‘Bulls*it’

July 25, 2025
‘It’s Important We Send A Message’: Tom Homan Tells Stephen A. Smith Why Trump Admin Can’t Only Deport Criminals

‘It’s Important We Send A Message’: Tom Homan Tells Stephen A. Smith Why Trump Admin Can’t Only Deport Criminals

July 25, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Saturday, July 26, 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
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