We now reach the time when the Hashmonaian state was at its peak. It was the time of the reign of Alexander Jenessus(104-76 BCE) whan the famuse "Widows Mite" were minted.
In Alexander's time no silver or gold coins were minted, althrough the metirials and the tools were abundante. Each of the suronding kingdoms minted silver coins, and a great jewish state, like
it was at the time of alexander the great minted just in bronze and lad, but they were minted in great abundance and can still be found at almost any archeological site in the country, and there are known to have been more than a 100,000 pieces found.
| widow's mite hoerd |
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After Alexsander's wife's death a civil war broke out in the kingdom. Matitiah Antigonus and Hurcanus II fought for control over the kingdom.
Matitah took the support of the Nabbatians and Hurcanus took the Romans'. After a bitter struggle of powers pompeus entered the land and conqured it. In 40BCE Matitiah Antiginus, with the support of the Parthians of the east, took the reins of power. the
romans reacted by inthroming Herod, whose father was the ruler of Edomia at that time. After a three year war between Matitiah and Herod the romans won and begun an occupatian that lasted for five hundred years.
The coins of Matitiah were minted in three denominations, on the fourth denomination the holy Menorah was depicted. It is the rarest among the Jewish coinage.
| Matitiahu's Coins | Menorah coin |
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