138-129 B.C. Antiochus VII Bronze
$199.00
Select a Grade: Very Fine
King of Syria Antiochus VII defeated the usurper Tryphon, recaptured lands in Palestine and Babylonia, and became the last strong ruler of the Seleucid dynasty. To maintain support from the Jews against his rivals, he granted them religious autonomy and allowed them to mint their own coins. These bronze coins were issued circa 132 B.C. in Jerusalem for use in Judaea. Since portraits were forbidden in Jewish coinage, they show an upside-down anchor symbolizing the Seleucids` naval strength, and a lily, a symbol linked to fertility and Jerusalem itself. Hand struck over 2,000 years ago, each is a surviving legacy of the ancient world, and a fantastic piece for your collection.
