THE COINS - The Israel Numismatic Society

43 Pages·2008·2.9 MB·English

CHAPTER THREE
THE COINS
Gabriela Bijovsky and Ariel Berman
Of the 150 coins discovered during the excavations, from a thick layer of destruction related by the
85 belong to the metalwork hoard (see discussion excavators to the earthquake that struck Tiberias in
below) and 65 are isolated coins retrieved during 749. Among the Umayyad material we include four
the excavation.* Arab-Byzantine transitional coins (Nos. 28–31)
Of the isolated coins (Pl. 3.1), almost half predate and two pre-reform anonymous ful¨s minted in
the main occupation strata excavated at the site (of the Tiberias (Nos. 32–33). The group of post-reform
Umayyad–Abbasid and Fatimid periods). Worthy of Umayyad ful¨s is quite diverse (Nos. 34–45).
mention is an autonomous Seleucid coin from Tyre Worthy of mention is a fals minted at Hims and
(No. 1). The rest (Nos. 2–27) constitute a wide and dated to 734/735 (No. 34). Eleven Abbasid coins
continuous range of Roman–Byzantine bronze coins were discovered, most of them anonymous types
from the first to sixth centuries CE. They include a made by casting (Nos. 46–56).
coin of the procurator Ambibulus (No. 2), Roman The Carmathian and Fatimid coins are related
Provincial issues minted in Caesarea (Nos. 3, 5) and to the latest and most relevant layer excavated in
an antoninianus of Salonina (No. 6). The coins dated the site. The four Carmathian coins are silver or
to the fourth–fifth centuries are conventional issues billon dirhams (Nos. 57–60). Coin No. 57, minted
that merit no further discussion. Among the Byzantine by Al-Hasan ibn Ahmad citing the caliph Al-Mu†ī‘,
material is a small follis of Anastasius I (No. 23), dated is dated to 970–974 CE. About the same time,
to the first phase of his monetary reform (498–512 ca. 975, the Carmathians (who were allies of the
CE). This whole assemblage is related to fills and Byzantines), led by Al-Fatajin and Shibal haUqaili,
collapse layers that reach a depth of ca. four meters took the city of Tiberias from the Fatimids (Gil
below the surface. Under this layer remains from the 1983: 286). It seems likely that the coin was brought
Roman-Byzantine periods were revealed. to the city during this event.
The Islamic material is divided into two main Four Fatimid coins (Nos. 61–64) were discovered
groups that correlate to the two main occupation in the excavation, two of which belong to Al-
strata: Umayyad and Abbasid coins of the eighth– Mustansir billāh (AH 427–487/1036–1094 CE;
ninth centuries (Nos. 28–56) and Carmathian and Nos. 63–64). Coins of this ruler were also found
Fatimid coins of the tenth–eleventh centuries (Nos. in the hoard of bronze vessels.
57–64). Some of the Umayyad coins originate Finally, a sole late Byzantine anonymous follis
of class B, dated to 1030–1035/1042(?), was
discovered in the excavation. Thirty copper coins
* The coins were cleaned by M. Lavi and photographed of the same class were discovered in the hoard of
by G. Laron, both of the Institute of Archaeology of the
bronze vessels. The character of this coinage will be
Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Islamic coins were
discussed below. It is, however, difficult to establish
identified by A. Berman. The non-Islamic coins were
whether this coin was originally associated with the
identified, and the discussion of the coins from the hoard
was prepared, by G. Bijovsky. assemblage from the hoard.
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CHAPTER THREE
Pl. 3.1. Isolated coins.
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THE COINS
t He Hoard
Gabriela Bijovsky
The hoard found in the metal workshop in Tiberias Heraclius (No. 7) and another sixth-century coin (No.
included 85 coins (Pls. 3.2–3.8). The coins were 4). The last in this group is an Arab-Byzantine coin
found in two of the three large pottery vessels that from the second half of the seventh century (No. 8).
All of them are completely worn.
contained the hoard: that buried below the floor
of the central room (Hoard C) and that hidden in Most of the coins belong to the second group,
dated from the end of the tenth century to the second
the small storeroom (Hoard A). The coin finds
in both containers, like the bronze objects, are half of the eleventh century CE. The bulk of the
homogeneous and are therefore considered together group consists of 59 well-preserved anonymous
for the purposes of this study. folles (Nos. 9–67). In addition, there are 15 folles
The numismatic evidence coming from these dated to emperor Constantine X (1059–1067)
containers is of extreme importance. Based on (Nos. 68–82) and a single follis of Michael VII
the dates of the coins, the deposition of the whole (1071–1078) (No. 83), the latest Byzantine coin
hoard can be dated to the second half of the eleventh in the hoard.
century, during the Fatimid period in Palestine. The third group consists of two badly preserved
The latest coins in the hoard are a bronze follis billon coins of the Fatimid ruler Al-Mustansir billāh
of emperor Michael VII (1071–1078) (No. 83) (Nos. 84–85). These coins bear no dates, making it
and two undated billon coins of the Fatimid ruler impossible to determine whether they were minted
Al-Mustansir billāh (1036–1094) (Nos. 84–85). early or late in his long rule (1036–1094).
Therefore, the hoard could not have been deposited This discussion concentrates on the study of
before the seventies of the eleventh century. As will the second group. Only the four earliest classes of
be explained below, this period was characterized anonymous folles, classified according to Grierson
by turbulent events associated with the Seljuq (DOC 3/2), are present in the hoard (Table 3.1).
conquest (1070–1078), almost three decades before Although the minting of the anonymous folles
has been discussed extensively in the past (Bellinger
the arrival of the First Crusade in 1099.
The analysis of the coins complements the 1928; Thompson 1954; Whitting 1955; DOC 3/2),
chronological conclusions from the study of the it is worth reviewing here some of their main
vessels and objects in the hoard, which are based features:
primarily on stylistic considerations. Even while • They are defined as “anonymous” since they
this chapter is dedicated to the numismatic study, bear no names or dates of the emperors who
the coins should always be regarded as part of the issued them. Given that no “signed” folles are
whole context of the hoard. known from a sequence of eleven rulers, from
John I Zimisces to Isaac I (969–1059), the whole
General description series is attributed to this period.
The coins in the hoard are classified into three
groups: 1) Coins predating the tenth century (Nos.
Table 3.1. Anonymous folles in the hoard.
1–8); 2) late Byzantine “signed” and anonymous
folles from the eleventh century (Nos. 9–83), and
class date no. of coins
3) Islamic coins (Nos. 84–85). The breakdown of
a2 976(?)–ca.1030/1035 CE 7
the hoard is illustrated in Fig. 3.1.
B 1030/1035–1042(?) CE 30
The first group consists of eight coins: two Roman c 1042(?)–1050 CE 20
Provincial bronzes (Nos. 1–2), a follis of Justin I d ca. 1050–1060 CE 2
(No. 3), two coins of Justin II (Nos. 5–6), a follis of total 59
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CHAPTER THREE
Pl. 3.2. Coins from the hoard.
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THE COINS
Pl. 3.3. Coins from the hoard.
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CHAPTER THREE
Pl. 3.4. Coins from the hoard.
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THE COINS
Pl. 3.5. Coins from the hoard.
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CHAPTER THREE
Pl. 3.6. Coins from the hoard.
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THE COINS
Pl. 3.7. Coins from the hoard.
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CHAPTER THREE
Pl. 3.8. Coins from the hoard.
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