Zev Radovan

The rarest coins (two coins at top), unique to Gamla, number only six. They are crudely made bronze coins apparently issued as a propaganda effort during the Roman siege. An inscription using a mixture of paleo-Hebrew and square Aramaic scripts begins by the cup on the obverse (right) and continues on the reverse, at left. The inscription reads, “For the redemption of Jerusalem the H(oly).” The use of the cup, believed to represent one of the Temple utensils, imitates the Jerusalem shekels from the First Revolt (single coin at bottom).