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Roman Coin Depicting Zodiac Symbol Discovered off Israel's Coast: The rare bronze coin was minted during the reign of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius
Smithsonian Magazine ^ | July 29, 2022 | Brigit Katz

Posted on 08/01/2022 4:33:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

A nearly 2,000-year-old Roman coin, etched with a symbol of the zodiac, was fished from the waters around Haifa in northern Israel...

Archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) made the discovery while conducting an underwater archaeological survey. The bronze coin was minted in Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius...

One side of the coin features an image of Luna, the Roman goddess of the moon, and an image of the zodiac sign for Cancer; the other side depicts Antoninus Pius. The coin also bears the inscription "Year Eight," indicating that it was produced during the eighth year of Pius' rule, which spanned from 138 to 161 C.E.

This ancient relic belonged to a series of 13 coins, portraying the 12 signs of the zodiac and the complete zodiac wheel, per a statement from IAA...

Pius led the empire through one of its most peaceful eras. Before this period, hostilities abounded in what is now Israel—particularly in the years after 70 C.E., when Roman forces destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem. In 130 C.E., the emperor Hadrian initiated plans to build a Roman metropolis in Jerusalem. He also outlawed circumcision, a core practice in Judaism. Shortly afterwards, Jews launched a rebellion against Roman rulers known as the Bar Kochba Revolt. Roman forces ultimately quashed the rebellion after three years of fighting and "enormous losses" on both sides.

Conversely, Pius, who succeeded Hadrian... helped cool relations with the empire's Jews by allowing them to resume the practice of circumcision.

The bronze coin depicting Pius was found near a "small hoard" of other coins, indicating that it fell into the sea during a shipwreck, Jacob Sharvit, head of the IAA's marine archaeology unit, tells the AFP.

(Excerpt) Read more at smithsonianmag.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: ancientnavigation; antoninuspius; astrology; barkochbarevolt; coins; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; hadrian; israel; romanempire; secondtemple
The coin depicts Luna, the goddess of the moon, and the zodiac sign for Cancer.
Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities Authority
The coin depicts Luna, the goddess of the moon, and the zodiac sign for Cancer. Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities Authority

1 posted on 08/01/2022 4:33:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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Archaeologists Find Rare Zodiac Coin in Israel
by News Staff / Source
Jul 28, 2022
https://www.sci.news/archaeology/zodiac-coin-israel-11042.html


2 posted on 08/01/2022 4:34:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

3 posted on 08/01/2022 4:35:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

It probably has recently increased in value against the dollar.


4 posted on 08/01/2022 4:35:02 PM PDT by neverevergiveup
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To: SunkenCiv

Clear as day!


5 posted on 08/01/2022 4:36:16 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Prayers for America.)
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To: SunkenCiv

“The Queen has Crabs.”

Propaganda using coins. Brilliant!


6 posted on 08/01/2022 4:37:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: SunkenCiv

With inflation, how much is it worth today?


7 posted on 08/01/2022 4:48:35 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (Cancel Culture IS fascism...Let's start calling it that!)
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To: BenLurkin

8 posted on 08/01/2022 4:51:17 PM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: SunkenCiv

Just as I thought: lawn mower nick.


9 posted on 08/01/2022 4:52:58 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: SunkenCiv

“Hey Girl! Is your birthday between March 21st and April 19th?

....April 10th, Why?

I knew it. You must be an Aries!

....What makes you say that?

Your flirting style is direct, passionate, but at the same time charming.

.....Why, thanks for the compliments!

No problem.. Oh, do you wanna see my Horoscope?


10 posted on 08/01/2022 4:59:34 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: gundog

Some things never change!


11 posted on 08/01/2022 5:24:25 PM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: lee martell
Urban streets are filled with horoscopes. Wait, what?<'blockquote>

12 posted on 08/01/2022 5:32:08 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

There is one Antoninus Pius bronze drachma of the zodiac series for sale on ebay. $5600.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTONINUS-PIUS-144AD-Alexandria-Egypt-ZODIAC-Leo-ASTROLOGICAL-Coin-NGC-i66478/234599547287?hash=item369f390197:g:mTAAAOSwOPFitMaV&pageci=7a593a77-a2f0-4e6a-9b91-89c13249c62a&redirect=mobile


13 posted on 08/01/2022 7:32:07 PM PDT by AlmaKing
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To: SunkenCiv

It’s a crab? That’s my sign!🦀


14 posted on 08/01/2022 8:29:22 PM PDT by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: AlmaKing

I have an ancient Roman coin of THIS GUY, the emperor Postamus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postumus

He wasn’t a Roman emperor. He was a Roman commander who was proclaimed
Emperor by his own troops , of Gaul, and most of Western Europe.
In 269 AD, he lost control of his troops, and they killed him.
My coin didn’t cost anywhere near $5600. I paid $40 for it. I don’t know what metal it is, but it’s not gold or silver. It was the only ancient coin at the coin show that I could afford, lol.


15 posted on 08/01/2022 8:49:03 PM PDT by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: AlmaKing

Thanks, I’ll get right on that. :^) There’s a way to invest in them through ETFs, but collectibles are fickle as investments.

The Beauty and Fascination of Ancient Coins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U77Irq7_qE

Ancient Coins: What Drives their Prices?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4JhJORpwAc


16 posted on 08/02/2022 7:16:08 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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