By Amanda Borschel-Dan
An extremely rare 1,600-year-old gold coin of the Byzantine emperor who made Jews
second-class citizens in the Land of Israel has been discovered — ironically, near a new
trail built in commemoration of the Sanhedrin he abolished. It is the first time this coin
has been found in Israel, according to an Israel Antiquities Authority press release
published on Tuesday.
In February, four trekking teens stumbled upon the coin while orienteering in the fields
alongside the Zippori stream in the Galilee. The high schoolers, Ido Kadosh, Ofir Sigal,
Dotan Miller and Harel Grin, immediately discerned that this was no run-of-the-mill coin
and alerted their geography and history teacher Zohar Porshyan, who contacted the Israel
Antiquities Authority.
The ninth graders received a certificate of commendation from the IAA at the Haemeq
Hama’aravi High School in Kibbutz Yifat in the Jezreel Valley. The coin has been
transferred to the State Treasuries.
The obverse of the solidus — a solid gold coin with a weight of approximately 4.5 grams
that was minted in the later Roman Empire/early Byzantine era — depicts Emperor
Theodosius II; its reverse is illustrated by the goddess Victory holding the Staff of the
Cross.
According to IAA numismatic expert Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky, “The gold coin is
a solidus minted by the emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople (now Istanbul) around
420–423 CE. Similar coins are known from the Eastern Byzantine empire, but this is the
first of its type discovered in Israel.”
Emperor Theodosius II (401-450) began his reign over Byzantium, the eastern part of the
Roman Empire whose capital was in Constantinople, as a 7-year-old. His name is
enshrined in the Codex Theodosianus or Theodosian law code, which is a set of laws
published in 438 that collected and redacted the thousands of imperial laws of the
sprawling empire.
Unfortunately for the Jews of the era, who had enjoyed relative freedom, the codex
officially demoted their status.
Rare 1600-year-old gold coin depicting the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II discovered
in February 2019 by pupils alongside the Zippori stream in the Galilee. (Nir
Distelfeld/Israel Antiquities Authority)
Although the coin depicts the goddess Victory, Theodosius was a defender of the
Christian faith and promoted Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the official religion of the
empire. As such, the rights and privileges of Jews were circumscribed. They were barred
from military and civil service — aside from the thankless profession of tax collector —
and and no new synagogues could be constructed.
In an even more resonant blow, the emperor’s codex also diverted the taxes paid to the
head of the Sanhedrin, which led to the eventual abolishment of the Jewish legal council.
Gamaliel VI (400–425) was the final holder of the office of Nasi.
The image of the goddess Victoria holding the Staff of the Cross on the 1600-year-old
gold coin discovered by pupils in February 2019. (Nir Distelfeld/IAA)
“The emperor Theodosius II abolished the post of the ‘Nasi,’ the Head of the Sanhedrin
Council, and decreed that the Jews’ financial contributions to the Sanhedrin be
transferred to the Imperial Treasury,” said Yair Amitzur, IAA chief archaeologist of the
Sanhedrin Trail.
“The Sanhedrin Trail initiated by the IAA tells the story of the Jewish leadership in the
Galilee at the time of the Mishnah and the Talmud in the Roman and Byzantine periods.
It is symbolic that the gold coin discovered adjacent to the Sanhedrin trail reflects the
period of dramatic events when the Sanhedrin ceased to function in the Galilee, and the
center of Jewish life transferred from the Galilee to Babylon,” said Amitzur.
The Haemeq Hamaaravi high school pupils who found the unique 1,600-year-old
Byzantine era gold coin in February 2019. (Suzi Frenkel/IAA)
The high schoolers showed archaeologist Nir Distelfeld, the IAA’s anti-theft inspector,
where the valuable coin was discovered.
“It is uncommon to find single gold coins as they were very valuable, and people took
care not to lose them. I commend the pupils and their teacher for their good citizenship,”
said Distelfeld.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/1600-year-old-gold-coin-of-emperor-who-abolished-
sanhedrin-discovered-by-pupils/
