Ancient Biblical Coin of Herod the Great-Lifetime of Jesus minted in Jerusalem

Description: This is a genuine prutah of King Herod the Great, minted in Jerusalem (37 B.C. – 4 AD). It was purchased from Venus Galleries in Jerusalem and is guaranteed authentic for life. Obverse: Seleucid Anchor with legend around, ΗΡW ΒΑCΙΛ Reverse: Double cornucopia adorned with ribbons, pomegranate between horns, border of dots. How Herod Got His Power Herod “the Great” ruled as king of the Jews under Roman authority for thirty-three years, from 37–4 BC. It is this Herod who appears in the account of Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:1–19; Luke 1:5). From the start, Herod proved to be an extraordinary political survivor. When civil war broke out in Rome between Mark Antony and Octavian, Herod first sided with Antony and his ally Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt. Then, when Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC, Herod immediately switched sides, convincing Octavian of his loyalty. Following his victory, Octavian returned to Rome, where the Roman senate made him imperator, or supreme military leader, and gave him the honorary title “Augustus” (“exalted one”). Historians mark this event as the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire, the transfer from rule by the senate to rule by a supreme emperor. Under the patronage of Octavian—now Caesar Augustus—Herod’s position as king of the Jews was secure. For his Roman soldier part, Herod would prove to be a loyal subject to his Roman overlords, maintaining order in Israel and protecting the western flank of the Roman Empire. What Herod Was Like Herod was a strange mix of a clever and efficient ruler and a cruel tyrant. On the one hand, he was distrustful, jealous, and brutal, ruthlessly crushing any potential opposition. The Jews never accepted him as their legitimate king, and this infuriated him. He constantly feared conspiracy. He executed his wife when he suspected she was plotting against him. Three of his sons, another wife, and his mother-in-law met the same fate when they too were suspected of conspiracy. Herod, trying to be a legitimate Jew, would not eat pork, but he freely murdered his sons! Matthew’s account of Herod’s slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem fits well with what we know of the king’s ambition, paranoia, and cruelty (Matt. 2:1–18). Was there a good side to Herod? Herod wasn’t all bad. He presented himself as the protector of Judaism and sought to gain the favor of the Jews. He encouraged the development of the synagogue communities and in time of calamity remitted taxes and supplied the people with free grain. He was also a great builder, a role which earned him the title “the Great.” His greatest project was the rebuilding and beautification of the temple in Jerusalem, restoring it to even greater splendor than in the time of Solomon. Judea prospered economically during Herod’s reign. He extended Israel’s territory through conquest and built fortifications to defend the Roman frontiers. Herod was a committed Hellenist and an admirer of Roman culture. He built Greek-style theaters, amphitheaters, and hippodromes (outdoor stadiums for horse and chariot racing) throughout the land. While this earned him the favor of many upper-class Jews, it brought disdain from the more conservative Pharisees and the common people. The Herodians mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 3:6; 12:13) were Hellenistic Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty, who favored the stability and status quo brought by Roman authority. The Death of Herod Herod died in 4 BC (cf. Matt. 2:19), probably from intestinal cancer. As a final act of vengeance against his contemptuous subjects, he rounded up leading Jews and commanded that at his death they should be executed. His reasoning was that if there was no mourning for his death, at least there would be mourning at his death! (At Herod’s death, the order was overruled and the prisoners were released.)

Price: 45 USD

Location: Rice Lake, Wisconsin

End Time: 2024-12-03T02:27:05.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD