HOARD OF BOADICEA’S GOLD FOUND IN BRITAIN

Gold Saters Minted about the Time of Boadicea

Hello My Friend and Welcome. 

In the past we’ve dealt with Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, or as the Romans called her, Boadicea. We looked at her rebellion, which nearly overthrew Roman rule in Britannia, in a post entitled Queen Boadicea, Warrior Queen of Britannia and also examined the consequences of that rebellion on the city of Camulodunum in Boadicea’s Legacy in the post ATale of Two Cities and the Arthurian Legend. Today, we want to take a look at a huge cache of gold coins discovered a few years ago in East Anglia, Britain. Interestingly enough, this hoard of Iceni coins circulated during the period of Boadicea’s reign. 

FORTUNE SMILES ON A TREASURE HUNTER

Here is a tale that will warm the heart of even the most discouraged treasure hunter. Michael, a 60-year-old mechanic who prefers that his full name not be used, had been metal detecting for 25 years and never discovered a gold coin. One spring day, he decided to explore a field which had been used as a pasture for almost 30 years. He found very little at first…a rusty nail here, an old bolt there. Then he stumbled upon his first gold coin. He checked the Internet and found that his find was known as a Freckenham gold stater, a coin used by the Iceni during the last century BC and the First Century AD. 

Freckenham gold staters are a somewhat unique coin known as base gold staters or what dealers call rose gold staters. They are made with an alloy mix of about 40 per cent copper, 20 per cent silver and 40 per cent gold. They continued to be minted up to and beyond Boadicea’s reign. Note the coppery color of the gold coins made during the Boadicean era. 

THE FIND OF A LIFETIME

It snowed the following weekend, but that didn’t dissuade Michael. He returned to the pasture on Easter Sunday and, under a light covering of snow, dug up eight more of the staters. Then, in his own words, “my machine suddenly went doolally and I knew for sure I was standing right on top of a crock of gold.” In an amazing display of self-control, he marked the spot and went home for a cup of tea. He returned to the field the following day, Easter Monday, and dug into clay soil which hadn’t been plowed since 1980. Six to eight inches beneath the sod he found a cache of 774 gold staters, many of them still in their original container, an earthenware pot. The top of the pot had been sheared off years before by a plowshare which scattered coins over a 30 foot area.  

All of but two of the 825 coins eventually recovered were minted by the Iceni, Queen Boadicea’s tribe. The coins were minted over a number of decades under several Kings and many predated Boadicea’s rule by a generation. Below is a coin minted by Prasutagus, Boadicea’s late husband.



What 774 Gold Staters Looks Like



 UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Who accumulated and buried these coins, now easily worth several million dollars? Such a huge accumulation of gold could not have been the savings of a rich merchant, a prosperous farmer, a skilled craftsman or a mercenary warrior. Their sheer quantity and extreme value of the original deposit indicates the coins most probably belonged to a wealthy king…or queen.  

What was the purpose of this hoard? A number of possibilities have been suggested. It might have been the life savings of a king who died without telling anyone where he stashed the family fortune. Or they could have been gathered to make a very specific and important payment of some kind. If so, to whom and to what end? The fact that the hoard consists solely of gold staters —no gold quarter staters, no silver coins, no gold jewelry, no gold or silver bullion— and that the coins were mostly minted within 20–30 years of deposition suggests they were hoarded very quickly to make a specific payment.  

THREE POSSIBILITIES FOR THEIR INTENDED USE

But what sort of payment? The hoard may have been a votive offering, made on behalf of the tribe during a period of anxiety.  The Wickham Market hoard, as it’s come to be called, was buried close to the boundary of a ditched enclosure close to the southern border of the Iceni’s realm. Several similar hoards have been found along the tribal borders, which seem to imply some sort of  religious significance…a gift to the gods, perhaps. Could the ditched structure have been a temple? However, the special nature of this group, all gold staters, implies it had some special purpose. We examined a similar situation in a cache collected for the Temple Tax buried on Mt. Carmel in the post A Lost Hoard of Shekels Tell Their Story.  

It also may have been a war chest, gathered in anticipation of an imminent military threat. The early years of the First Century seem to have been a time of political upheaval in Britannia and perhaps the Iceni felt threatened by the aggressively expansive Catuvellauni, and prudently accumulated hoards of gold staters in readiness for a military campaign. Almost the only monetary transaction for which there is documentary evidence is the purchase of military service. While coinage was undoubtedly used for other commercial purposes, its most common use appears to have been in governmental transactions. The historical record is replete with the monthly rates of military pay, various taxes and levies, etc.  

And, finally, the coins might have been gathered as a tribute payment to a more powerful king. The proximity of Addedomaros, king of the Catuvellauni’s, to the Iceni may have necessitated a political alliance between the two tribes…an alliance of compliance, with the Iceni as the weaker partner. When Cunobelin invaded the Trinovantes sometime around AD 10 he may have scrapped this treaty and demanded a massive payment of tribute from the Iceni in exchange for not invading them too. This begs the question, if so, why weren’t they paid? 

Clearly, such caches of coins are the stuff of legend and they pose questions which can never be answered. Rather than making it less interesting, it piques the imagination to speculate on why someone buried that jar of gold coins, who they were, and why they did it. 

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings. 

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OLDEST PAINTING OF STS. PETER & PAUL

Saint Paul is Clearly Identifiable in this Frescoe

Hello My Friend and Welcome. 

On the liturgical calendar June 29^th is the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, making it an opportune time to examine the oldest known image of the Apostles. To do that, we must head to Rome. Put on a light jacket and bring your flashlight because we’ll be going into the catacombs. More specifically, we’ll be visiting the tomb of a Roman noblewoman in the Santa Tecla catacomb. 

SAINT THECLA

For those not be familiar with Santa Tecla, or Saint Thecla, she was reputed to have been a pupil of the Apostle Paul and is the heroine of the apocryphal Acta Pauli et Theclae — The Acts of Paul and Thecla. Our knowledge of her is derived exclusively from these writings, which appeared about 180. According to the narrative, Thecla was a virgin from Iconium whom Paul converted to Christianity. She was miraculously saved from death several times and traveled with St. Paul to Antioch in Pisidia. From there, she went to Myra where the Paul was preaching, and finally to Seleucia where she died.

With the consent of St. Paul she acted as a female Apostle and proclaimed the Gospel. Notwithstanding the purely legendary character of this story, it’s very possible that it in some way relates to an historical person. It is easy to believe that a virgin of this name who was a native of Iconium was actually converted by St. Paul and then, like many other women of the Apostolic and later times, labored in the work of the Church. In the Eastern Church the wide circulation of the Acts led to her veneration. She was called Apostle and proto-martyr among women. Her veneration was especially strong in Seleucia where she was buried, Iconium, and Nicomedia.

Good Shepherd

HEADING UNDERGROUND

And so we now head deep into an ancient catacomb dug beneath an eight-story office building in a working-class neighborhood of Rome. Watch you head, the ceiling’s low in places. Follow this long corridor, turn the corner…a little further, and here they are. Hidden away in this dank, damp manmade cave are the earliest known icons of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The paintings, which date from the second half of the 4th century, also include the earliest known images of the Apostles John and Andrew. The paintings adorn what is believed to be the tomb of a Roman noblewoman in the Santa Tecla catacomb and represent some of the earliest evidence of devotion to the apostles in early Christianity.

Peter is Easily Identifiable as Well

Vatican officials announced the discovery of the icon of Paul in June, 2009. Their announcement was timed to coincide with the end of the Vatican's Pauline year. At the time, Pope Benedict XVI also announced that tests on bone fragments long attributed to Paul seemed to confirm that they did indeed belong to the saint.

 Vatican archaeologists recently opened up the tomb to the media and revealed that the image of Paul was not found in isolation, but was part of a square ceiling painting that also included images of three other apostles — Peter, John and Andrew — surrounding an image of Christ, the Good Shepherd. "These are the first images of the apostles," said Fabrizio Bisconti, superintendent of archaeology for the catacombs, which are maintained by the Vatican's Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology.

TWO-YEAR RESTORATION EFFORT 

The Vatican office oversaw, and paid for, the two-year restoration effort. This was the first time lasers were used to restore frescoes and paintings in a catacomb. The damp, musty air of these underground tombs makes preservation of paintings particularly difficult and restoration problematic. In this particular case, the small burial chamber at the end of the catacomb was completely encased beneath inches of white calcium carbonate deposits. Previous restoration techniques would have just scraped it away by hand. This method requires them to leave a filmy layer on top so as to not damage the paintings underneath.

FIRST USE OF A LASER

The new laser technique allows them to remove the entire thing.  The use of the laser allowed restorers to burn off centuries old deposits without damaging the dark colors of the original paintings underneath.

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

WOMEN in the EARLY CHURCH

Ancient Mosaic of Women of the Early Chruch

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Even during a cursory reading of the Gospels you’ll find yourself surrounded by women who, in one way or another, ministered to Jesus and his inner circle. Most famous of these is Mary and Martha of Bethany and, thanks to Dan Brown and his DaVinci Code nonsense, Mary of Magdala…usually called Mary Magdalene. One who is never mentioned, though she must have been a supporter, is Mary, wife of Aristopulus. It was in the upper room of their home that Jesus celebrated his Last Supper with his disciples.

There are others as well. The woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, the woman with the hemorrhage who just wanted to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak, Peter’s mother-in-law, the woman who washed his feet with tears — some associate her with Mary Magdalene, though this seems doubtful. And, of course, his mother, Mary, who was no doubt always in the background.

Sinner or saint, the one thing we glean from the Gospels is that our Lord treated each these women with as persons worthy of dignity and respect. Clearly, he was a modern man almost 2,000 years before the term was invented.

But what of the early church? Once Christ handed the reins over to the apostles did they revert to the misogynistic, patriarchal ways that we’re told prevailed in First Century society? Did they banish women to the kitchen to be seen, but not heard? No, they did not.  

Ikon of Lydia

The history of women taking an active role in the early church is well documented. A number of women are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and the various Epistles. Some examples would be Timothy’s mother and grandmother; fellow tent-makers, Aquila and Priscilla, Lydia the seller of purple cloth, Dorcas, or Tabitha, whom Peter raised from the dead, and the four daughters of Phillip who were prophetesses. There are also numerous instances where women are mentioned without specifying their names…the distinguished widows of Asia, women among the 120 and so on. Paul and his companions frequently relied upon the charity and social standing of some of these women —many no doubt wealthy widows— ­to ease them into the local society so they could accomplish their mission.

 

Literary sources have left ample records of deaconesses in different parts of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople’s main cathedral, the Hagia Sophia, counted among its clergy 6o priests, 100 male deacons and 40 deaconesses. (Justinian, Novella 3.1) The early church’s practice of baptizing converts by full immersion in the nude ―a symbolic rebirth into the life of Christ― made the presence of deaconesses a practical necessity. In addition to assisting with baptisms, they tended the sick, nurtured the waifs the ecclesia rescued, and cared for the crippled, mentally ill, and dying.



A Wall Painting of Early Deaconesses

Some of these women are known by name because of their association with other notable members of the early church. These few undoubtedly represent unnamed thousands whose contributions have been lost to history. Here is a short list of some of them:

Olympias in Constantinople, ordained by Bishop Nektarios, friend of St. Gregory of Nazianze and later of St. John Chrysostom.
Anonyma who ministered in Antioch during the persecution of Julian the Apostate.
Procula and Pentadia, two deaconesses to whom St. Chrysostom wrote letters.
Salvina whom St. Jerome knew and who later became a deaconess in Constantinople.
The deaconess Anastasia whom Severus, Bishop of Antioch, mentions in his letters.
The deaconess Macrina, sister of St. Basil the Great, and her friend and deaconess Lampadia.
The deaconess Theosebia, wife of St. Gregory of Nissa.

The names of others have been preserved on their tombstones:
Sophia of Jerusalem, whose Greek inscription reads: “Here lies the servant and virgin of Christ, the deacon.”
Theodora of Gaul carried this Latin inscription on her tomb: “Here rests in peace and of good remembrance Theodora the deaconess who lived about 48 years.”
In Delphi, Greece, a tombstone dating to the 5th century remembers a certain Athanasia. “The most devout deaconess Athanasia, established deaconess by his holiness bishop Pantamianos after she had lived a blameless life.”
Another tombstone in Jerusalem remembers the deaconess Eneon who ministered to the sick.

Notice also that the ordination of deaconesses was not restricted to only the early church; it continued well into the later centuries. Another question inevitably arises when discussing the role of women in the early church. Were there also female priests…priestesses, if you will? All claims of radical feminists aside, the records indicate that, though a deaconess might head a congregation when no episkopos (Bishop) was available, they never exercised the full authority of the office.

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

 

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DINING AT CAESAR'S PALACE

Hello my Friend and Welcome.

The picture above was taken at Caesar’s Palace alright, just not the one on the Palatine Hill in Rome. Admittedly the complex they’ve built in Las Vegas is pretty impressive… now, but let’s see what it looks like in 2,000 years.

Extrior of the REAL Caesar's Palace

VISITING THE PAST

A recent archaeological dig on the Palatine, a hill where the luxurious palaces and villas of the Caesars and other affluent Roman citizens once stood, has uncovered a richly decorated cavern. The cavern in question lies beneath the palace of Augustus, Rome’s first Emperor. He lived from 63 BC to 14 AD and is mentioned in Luke 2:1with the famous words, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.” I expect we’ve all heard that a time or two while attending Christmas services.

This chamber lies roughly 50 feet beneath the surface. While there have been rumors that it is the Lupercale, the room where Romulus and Remus were nursed and the Romans held annual celebrations in honor of the legendary founders of Rome, most people believe it to be a private dining room. The 125 sq. ft. grotto is circular in design and adequate to comfortably house a triclinium, three Roman dining couches arrange in a U-shaped pattern.

Boring in Through the Ceiling

No one has entered the area since the cave is close to collapse. Instead, they drilled a hole through the ceiling and inserted a light and remote camera to see what was there. What they found was a ceiling encrusted with seashells, marble and mosaics. The walls have rectangular panels filled geometric shapes and flowers. The floor, which is not in good shape, also has elaborate mosaics.

Ceiling Decorations

COOL DINING IN THE SUMMER’S HEAT

It is well known that many Roman Emperors, including Nero and Caligula, had small dining rooms built into the natural hollows in the rock underneath their multi-storied palaces. If you’ve ever lived in home with a basement, you know that the temperature remains very comfortable even on the hottest of days. It’s not hard to imagine old Augustus slipping away on a hot night and descending a stairway to his private retreat where he could recline in comfort and dine on delicacies.

Remnants of the Mosaic Floor

So are we looking at the spot where the great emperor feasted with a small circle of friends on roasted peacock tongues seasoned with fermented fish sauce? We very well could be. One wall of the room displays a white eagle, the symbol of the Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus.

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

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COSMETICS IN THE FIRST CENTURY

An Ancient Cosmetic Case

Hello My Friend and Welcome. 

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.”  — Ecclesiastes 1:9 

UNCHANGING HUMAN NATURE

We can summarize the words of Solomon above in the simple conclusion that human nature has pretty much stayed the same over time. Men are men, and women are women. This is nowhere truer than in the realm of cosmetics and make-up. Cosmetics are, and were, used by women at all levels of society. Women in ancient times manicured their nails, tweezed superfluous hair, and outlined their eyes in colors including black, green, aqua, terracotta and charcoal.  

Apparently humankind’s use of cosmetics dates to pre-historic times. Neolithic burials used red ochre pigments symbolically, either to represent a return to the earth or possibly as a form of ritual rebirth, in which the color symbolized blood and the Great Goddess. About twenty years ago an exhibit related to bathing and the use of beautifying compounds in the ancient Roman Empire was held in Paris. Called The Bath and The Mirror, one of its most interesting sections contained information about 144 different powders, unguents, and other cosmetic materials that had been excavated from various sites, many reconstituted and displayed in recovered glass or ceramic containers. 

MABEL'S MASCARA

Although the definition and standards of beauty differ from age to age and across cultures, the one constant is that women have always relied upon cosmetics to enhance their attractiveness. Even the derivations of the words themselves tell us interesting things. Take, for instance, the word mascara. The modern version, by the way, was invented by Maybelline’s founder, chemist T. L. Williams, for his sister’s use. His original recipe consisted of coal dust mixed with petroleum jelly. Since petroleum jelly was called Vaseline and his sister was named Mabel, he named the resulting concoction Mabelline.   

And why is it called mascara? The Oxford English Dictionary says the word mascara probably came from a Catalan or Portuguese word meaning soot. How lovely. The word cosmetic, meanwhile, derives from the Greek kosmetike, meaning the art of dress and ornament.   

JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE

We know more about the cosmetics of Rome, Greece and Egypt than of the Jewish nation. This is not to say that women in Israel didn’t use make-up. They surely did, especially the upper classes. The area was thoroughly Hellenized and Romanized by the First Century. However, the Biblical prohibition against graven images meant that very few paintings, mosaics, frescoes or  statues depicted the human form. A great deal of our knowledge of day-to-day life in the ancient world derives from the artistry preserved in places such as Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Pyramids, Temples, and other ruins. Though no such equivalent sources exist in the ancient Jewish world, we do have the Bible as a resource. 

LOOKING TO THE BIBLE FOR CLUES

Perfumes and fragrant spices were a precious commodity in antiquity, very much in demand, and at times exceeding even silver and gold in value. Therefore they were a luxury product, used mainly in the temples and in the homes of the nobles and the wealthy. The Judean kings kept them in treasure houses (2 Kings 20:13). And the Queen of Sheba brought Solomon, “camels laden with spices, gold in great quantity and precious stones.” (1 Kings 10:2). Over time the use of cosmetics became widespread among the lower classes of the population as well as among the wealthier. Despite this, make-up and cosmetics were not looked upon with favor in all quarters. When Samuel warns the Jews of the dangers of having kings, among his warnings he said, “He will take your daughters to be perfumers…” (1 Samuel 8:13) 

CREATING THE SECRET FORMULA

The basic recipe for all cosmetics is pretty much the same — a fatty base, color, and a pleasant scent. To quote a character in my novel PROMISES, “They’re nothing but a pinch of product wrapped in a pound of promise.”  

Just as T. L. Williams turned to Vaseline, the ancients relied upon such things as lanolin, a waxy, viscous fat most often derived from wool, tallow, beef fat, or lard, rendered pork fat. Before the development of synthetics in the latter half of the Twentieth Century, modern cosmetics used the same things. Lanolin had the disadvantage of having a distinctively sheepish smell. Both tallow and lard would keep for long periods of time without refrigeration if stored in air-tight containers. Exposed to oxygen in the air, they quickly grow rancid. 

Once a base was chosen, color and scent were added. The colors used in kohl, or eye shadow, were mostly mineral based. Such materials were crushed to a fine powder and blended into the base. Stibium (antimony), Fulgio (lampblack- fine black soot), or Plumbum nigrum (black lead) where used to achieve a black paste. Greens came from copper oxide or Malachite, copper carbonate. Blues were derived from Azurite, hydrated, or weathered, copper ore. For reds they turned to iron oxide (rust). The earth pigment ochre was also used. A clay mineral, ochre is found in red, yellow, brown, purple or gold.   

Ancient cosmeticians used a substance called Fuco (red algae) from the mulberry plant. Cinnabar, mercury sulfide, was also used for lipsticks. The consistency of the material could be moderated by the addition of waxes obtained from honey comb or palm leaves, giving it smooth, creamy texture. 

FACIALS, EXFOLIANTS, AND EMOLLIENTS

Facial masks were made from lentils, honey, barley, lupine (any of a number of leguminous plants which bear tall clusters of flowers), or fennel. Animal byproducts such as various internal organs or the placenta, marrow, genitalia, or gonads of birds, mice, crocodile, calves, cows, bull, mules and horses were added for vigor and skin tone.  

For skin emollients they turned to vegetable oils, such as olive oil, almond oil, sesame oil and others. Fragrant resins and/or extracts of aromatic flowers were added to give them a sweet scent. Plant essences were obtained by chopping and pressing the leaves, roots, petals and flowers, then steeping them in hot oil. The essence of rose petals (Rhodium) was produced mainly in the town of Palestrina along the outskirts of Rome. Various species of lilies were also used. Myrtle and laurel (Mirtum and Susinum), Melinon extracted from Quince and Iasminum was extracted from jasmine. Aromatic resins exuded from certain trees — myrrh, frankincense, balm, balsam were collected as well.  

SCENTED OILS AND PERFUMES

These essences and scented oils could be added to a bath or applied to the body as perfume. Returning to the Jewish world and Jerusalem for a moment, we find references in the Talmud to perfume dealers who had shops in the market where scents and cosmetics for women were sold. Known as The Street of the Perfumers, this area still exists today as a narrow street in the marketplace in the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The ancient Romans were as beauty-obsessed as any modern society. They studied plants and minerals for their cosmetic properties. Many Roman noble women owned cosmetic cases, which archaeologists have uncovered. These wooden beauty boxes contained the same items you would probably find if you emptied most modern women's purses…a variety of lipsticks and eye make-ups along with rouge, powders and a foundation for covering skin blemishes, freckles and other imperfections.  

By the time of Christ there was a far flung and highly profitable industry devoted to gathering, preparing, packaging, and transporting the raw materials and specialized ingredients used in the manufacture of various cosmetics. Although called The Spice Route, the income derived from aromatic plants, balms, essences and the like rivaled that earned from the sale of medicinal and flavoring items. As the Early Church grew and spread throughout the Roman Empire, its focus on the life of the spirit, and rejection of earthly or bodily pleasures, led to a general decline, but not the elimination, of the use cosmetics and perfumes. 

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings. 

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JUNE CW BLOG CHAIN — PURSUING YOUR GOALS

Climber at the top Mt. Hood. 
(Photo by Trin Yuthasastrakosol)

Hello My Friend and Welcome. 

Today we add our link to the Christian Writer’s Blog Chain. This month’s topic is pursuit and, as usual, we’ll examine it from an authorial viewpoint. Pursue is an active verb implying movement toward a goal. So the question becomes, what is your goal? 

Each year an estimated 8-10,000 people attempt to scale Orgenon's talest peak, Mt. Hood. The operative word is attempt. Despite great intentions and a vigorous pursuit of their goal, as in all endeavors only a few make it to the top.

In her inaugural post, new blog chain member, Holly Michael, shared that when her son attended rookie camp with the New Orleans Saints his coach told the group, “Each of you are one out of three million kids that started playing football. There are 2,800 left. That means you are in the top 0.01%.” As someone whose mother once confessed she worried I’d never learn to walk because I kept tripping over my own feet, I stand in awe of such an achievement.  

The novel as a distinct literary form, though predating the era of professional athletes, is also a relatively recent phenomena. The origins of this unique method of storytelling coalesced in the 18^th Century. One of its early pioneers, Jonathan Swift, is credited with introducing allegorical elements and verisimilitude in his book, Gulliver’s Travels.  

Although the novel continues to mutate and evolve, most of its essential components, along with a diversity of genres, were firmly in place by the close of the 19^th Century. By then, Edgar Allen Poe had laid the groundwork for the macabre mystery novel, Jules Verne and H G Wells invented what used to be called science fiction, Wilkie Collins and Arthur Conan Doyle defined the first detective novels, Lew Wallace created the Biblical/Historical novel, and Mark Twain developed a uniquely American-style of writing that melded humor with gritty realism. 

Compared to our predecessors, we modern novelists have it pretty easy. The form is there and so are the plots. After all, how many times haven’t we been told, “There is no such thing as new plot?” Not only that, but we are blessed to live in the computer age. It boggles my mind to think of typing War and Peace page after page through various iterations. Nowadays it’s no problem to re-arrange sentences, paragraphs or even chapters. Highlight, Ctrl X, Crtl V and it's done! Change your main character’s name from Helen to Monique? No problem…Find and Replace All.  

But easy or hard, the ultimate question remains Why bother to write in the first place? Whether you’re sitting down to a stone tablet with hammer and chisel or a comfortable desk in front of keyboard and monitor, you must have some goal in mind…you’re in pursuit of something. Perhaps you’re seeking personal fulfillment or a resolution to some inner conflict. You may feel led to share your unique viewpoint, experiences, truths and insights. Then again, maybe you just find filling a page with words arranged in a special order to be fun. Though I would never eschew the blending of art and commerce; a laborer is worthy of his wages.  

In the final analysis, writing is a very personal endeavor and there is no right or wrong reason to write. I would, however, caution anyone pursuing fame and fortune to evaluate their goals. I always tell people that there are many garage bands, but few Beatles…just as there are lots of kids playing sandlot ball and only a few make it to the Pros. Even those writers who are regularly published seldom derive a living from it. Think hard before quitting your day job. 

Matthew Kelly, an Author and Inspirational Speaker whom I enjoy listening to, says God has a place for each us in his plan. We can know we’ve found our particular spot when we find a deep, abiding fulfillment in an activity, time seems to vanish whenever we pursue it, and we’d do it for free if no one would pay us for doing it. That describes a lot of writers I know.

Until the next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

AN ANCIENT MYSTERY — THE HOARD OF ANCIENT SILVER SHEKELS



The Tyrian Shekel

Hello My Friend and Welcome. 

One of the largest hoards of ancient coins ever found was discovered in Israel in the spring of 1960 at a village called Isifa on Mount Carmel. The hoard consisted of 3,400 Tyrian Shekels, 1,000 Half-Shekels, and 160 Roman Denarii minted during Augustus’ reign. The bulk of the Shekels and Half-Shekels were dated from 20-53 AD.  

At first glance this strange mix of coins at first seems to defy logic. At the time these coins were hidden, the Shekel was not in regular circulation.  And both the Gospels and Josephus indicate that the coinage of that era was almost exclusively Roman. This means that the hoard could not have belonged to a private owner, or come from a bank or military strong box.  

PAYING THE TEMPLE TAX

In the middle of the first century, the only use for Tyrian Shekels was payment of the prescribed Temple Tax. Every male Jew of 20 years of age and above had to pay a yearly tax of half a Shekel to support the Temple in Jerusalem. If we assume that the Mount Carmel hoard represents a shipment of taxes due the Temple, the question of its strange composition becomes clear.   

Consider first that they were predominantly Tyrian Shekels which were of sufficient quality for Temple use. The Half-Shekels, however, were minted in Antioch by the Romans and were under weight. Therefore the Misnah stipulated that an agio, or small additional percentage, of 4-8% was required along with the Half-Shekel to bring it up to full value. In other words, if you paid for two people with a Tyrian Shekel, you were home free, but if you paid just for yourself with a Half-Shekel you had to add in the agio. This is proven by Matthew 17:24-28 in which Peter is told to catch a fish with a Shekel in its mouth…a sufficient tax for both himself and Jesus.  

Interestingly enough, the 160 Denarii represents an agio of exactly 8% on the 1,000 Half-Shekels found in the hoard. The presence of the Augustinian Denarii is explained by the fact that the inflated Denarii of Nero were rejected by the Temple treasury. Only the full-weight Denarii of Augustus were considered acceptable payment.  

UNRAVELING THE RIDDLE

If one assumes that the hoard represents a shipment of taxes destined for the Temple, the answer to not only where they came from, but also when it was concealed becomes clear.  

Fact One: The hoard represents the Temple-Dues of 7,800 male Jews of more than 20 years of age, or a community of approximately 30,000 Jews.

Fact Two: According to the Mishnah, the Temple Tax for all of Palestinia was due at the Temple by the beginning of April. Egypt and Phoenicia were due in June, and Babylon, Mesopotamia and all other regions in September.

Based on this timetable, the entire Temple Tax could not have reached its destination before the outbreak of the Jewish-Roman War in the summer of 66 AD. Assume for a moment that the taxes from Galilee for the year 67 AD were delivered to the Temple in April as required. From the defeat of Cestius Gallus in November of 66 AD until the beginning of the operations of Vespasian the following May, the country was free of the Romans.  

However the transport of the Temple Tax from Phoenicia, which was due in June, probably reached Jewish territory in late May of 67. By then, Western Galilee was already occupied by Vespasian and the main roads to Jerusalem through Megiddo and Samaria were barred by the Romans.

Now assume that the convoy transporting the Temple Tax decided to bypass Megiddo by going over Mount Carmel to Narbata and from there to Jerusalem. However they found this way closed by a Roman detachment under the command of Cerealis.

HOPING FOR A QUICK END TO THE WAR

Continuing this supposition, we can assume that the couriers hoped that the new Roman army under Vespasian would be defeated like that of Cestius Gallus. The leaders of the convoy then decide to conceal the money until the way to Jerusalem opened up again. Since they were coming from Phoenicia, they chose the first acceptable spot they came to — the Jewish village nearest the border between Phoenicia and the Jewish territory, a spot known today as Isifa. They then selected a spot near the ancient synagogue there, concealed their treasure, and set about waiting for things to blow over.

However, their hopes were dashed when Jerusalem was conquered and the Temple destroyed. The hoard of coins on Mount Carmel remained buried until it was discovered in 1960. Now we know that fate of the coins, but we can never know the fate of the men who buried them/

Until next time, we wish you Peace And Blessings.

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