Lot 81
Judaea. The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (12.68 g), 66-70 CE. Year 4 shekels are many times scarcer than those of Years one, two and three. Shekels of the first three years number in the high hundreds while less than 50 examples exist for Year 4. Jerusalem mint, Dated Year 4. (69/70 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice(Omer cup) with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 4'. Reverse: 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. Hendin 1364; TJC 207; Deutsch 15 (O4/R15; Lad,am 27; Bromberg II 382 (same obv. die); Sofaer 36; Spaer 178. Toned, roughness on obverse. NGC graded XF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 2/5. Estimated Value $5,000 - UP
The disasters brought by the internecine conflict among the Jewish rebel factions in the third year of the Jewish War turned into horror in the fourth (April 69-March 70 CE) as Titus marched south against Jerusalem and laid siege to the heavily fortified city. The Jews trapped within faced the torment of starvation. Hunger stalked the streets and compelled the Jersalemites to eat the leather from their shoes, belts, and even the coverings of their shields. Some even descended to cannibalism in order to survive, according to Josphus. By this point, the possibility of redeeming Zion freom the Romans was long past and the tragic fall of the Holy City was soon to come.
Ex CNG Triton XXIII, lot 494; Ex Jonathan P. Rosen Collection; Ex Stack's (2 December 1997), lot 648; Ex CNG 38 (6 June 1996), lot 599.
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| Realized $15,000 |
