1. A Representation of the Inauguration Ceremony of the Restored Temple? A (Tentative) Reinterpretation of the Bar Kokhba Tetradrachm
- Author
-
Bourgel, Jonathan "Yonatan"
- Subjects
Bar Kochba Rebellion, 132-135 ,Sukkoth ,Temples -- History ,Revolutionists -- Religious aspects ,Coins -- History ,Philosophy and religion - Abstract
The coinage of Bar Kosiba (Bar Kokhba), the leader of the Second Jewish Revolt (132-135/6 CE), has long been acknowledged as a source of data for understanding the ideology and goals of the rebel regime he headed. In particular, the imagery and legends on Bar Kosiba's tetradrachms have been the subject of many interpretations and controversies. This article proposes that the facade of the temple on the obverse of Bar Kosiba's tetradrachms and the four species on its reverse side are complementary symbols, joined together to represent the future inauguration ceremony of the restored temple. Furthermore, this imagery on the tetradrachms may have been intended to respond to the coins issued to commemorate the founding of the colony of Aelia Capitolina on the site of Jerusalem. Keywords Bar Kokhba, Second Jewish Revolt, tetradrachm, Sukkot, Jerusalem temple, Aelia Capitolina., Introduction The Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (132-135/6 CE) led to the emergence of a short-lived independent Jewish state in Judea headed by Shimon Bar Kosiba (Bar Kokhba). (1) The [...]
- Published
- 2024