Procuratorial coinage of Roman Judaea

The procuratorial coinage of Roman Judaea was minted by the prefects and procurators of the province between AD 6 and 66 in only one denomination and size, the bronze prutah.[1] All the coins were minted in Jerusalem.[2]

The design of these coins reflects accommodation of Jewish religious sensibilities. Likely in collaboration with Jerusalem's Jewish leadership,[1] they deviated from typical Roman coinage featuring the emperor's portrait. Instead, they displayed symbols like palm tree and ears of grains, reminiscent of earlier Hasmonean and Herodian designs. A notable exception is the coinage of Pontius Pilate, which included Roman cultic items on one side, though the reverse maintained Jewish imagery.[3][4]

Primarily circulated in Judaea, these coins have been found beyond their intended area, including in Transjordan and Syria. Minting ceased in 59 CE, but the coins remained in use until the end of the First Jewish–Roman War 70 CE.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Meshorer, Ya'akov (1982). Ancient Jewish Coinage. Vol. II: Herod the Great through Bar Cochba. Amphora Books. pp. 173–174, 186–187. LCCN 82-074517.
  2. ^ Meshorer, Ya'akov; Bijovsky, Gabriela; Hendin, David; Meadows, Andrew (2013). Coins of the Holy Land: the Abraham and Marian Sofaer Collection at the American Numismatic Society and the Israel Museum. Ancient coins in North American collections. American numismatic society. New York: American Numismatic Society. p. 269. ISBN 978-0-89722-283-9.
  3. ^ McGing, Brian C. (1991). "Pontius Pilate and the Sources". The Catholic Biblical Quarterly. 53 (3): 425. ISSN 0008-7912.
  4. ^ Graves, D. E. (2019). Pilate’s Ring and Roman Religion. Near East Archaeological Society Bulletin, 64, p. 7