A two-day international conference with the theme Judaea and Rome in Coins, 65 BCE to 135 CE, was held at the premises of Spink and Son Ltd. in London on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th September 2010.

The event, co-ordinated by David Jacobson, Nikos Kokkinos and Philip Skingley and co-sponsored by the Institute of Jewish Studies at University College London (UCL), followed two previous London conferences (The World of the Herods and Nabataeans in 2001 and Herod and Augustus in 2005), which were successful and have become reference points.

The period covered spans the Roman conquest of Judaea by Pompey, through the years of the Herodian dynasty to the last major Jewish uprising against Roman rule under Simon Bar-Kokhba, and encompasses the birth of Christianity. The past few decades have seen considerable advances in numismatic scholarship dealing with this period, partly stimulated by archaeological exploration and numerous coin finds, which have shed light on various political, social and economic issues. The conference was used to exchange views and analyse the fresh developments from new perspectives.

Well-known experts in the fields of Roman and Jewish numismatics delivered lectures in four sessions over two days. Hospitality in the form of buffet lunches and refreshments was provided. The Spink showrooms were open for the duration of the Conference and a small related exhibition was on display in the British Museum. A collection of papers was published subsequently.

PUBLICATION (2012):

David M. Jacobson and Nikos Kokkinos (eds.), Judaea and Rome in Coins 65 BCE - 135 CE: Papers Presented at the International Conference Hosted by Spink, 13th-14th September 2010, London: Spink, 2012 (Hb). ISBN: 978-1-907427-22-0. 19 X 25 cm. i-x, 245 pp. illustrated.

The papers in this volume are based mostly on presentations at the conference. The period covered spans the Roman conquest of Judaea by Pompey through to the last major Jewish uprising against Rome under Simon Bar-Kokhba, encompassing the age of the Herods and the birth of Christianity. The contributors have pooled their specialist knowledge to illuminate important issues in the history of Judaea and its relationship to Rome.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword (by Markham J. Geller)

Preface (by the Editors)

Andrew Burnett, The Herodian Coinage Viewed against the Wider Perspective of Roman Coinage

Rachel Barkay, Roman Influence on Jewish Coins

Anne Lykke, The Use of Languages and Scripts in Ancient Jewish Coinage: An Aid in Defining the Role of the Jewish Temple until its Destruction in 70 CE 

Danny Syon, Galilean Mints in the Early Roman Period: Politics, Economy and Ethnicity 

Robert Bracey, On the Graphical Interpretation of Herod’s Year 3 Coins     

Nikos Kokkinos, The Prefects of Judaea 6-48 CE and the Coins from the Misty Period 6-36 CE 

Robert Deutsch, The Coinage of the Great Jewish Revolt against Rome: Script, Language and Inscriptions 

David Hendin, Jewish Coinage of the Two Wars: Aims and Meaning     

David M. Jacobson, The Significance of the Caduceus between Facing Cornucopias in Herodian and Roman Coinage

Ted V. Buttrey, Vespasian’s Roman Orichalcum: An Unrecognised Celebratory Coinage 

Marius Heemstra, The Interpretation and Wider Context of Nerva’s Fiscus Judaicus Sestertius 

Kevin Butcher, The Silver Coinage of Roman Arabia

Boaz Zissu and David Hendin, Further Remarks on Coins in Circulation during the Bar-Kokhba War: Te’onim Cave and Horvat ‘Ethri Hoards 

Larry Kreitzer, Hadrian as Nero Redivivus: Some Supportive Evidence from Corinth     

List of Contributors 

Group Photograph