The find of 44 gold coins was made on the territory of the Banias complex in the Nahal-Hermon nature reserve. According to scientists, it lay in the ground about 1400 years ago.
Finds related to coins are of great interest to numismatists around the world. This is not surprising, because their ever-increasing number is amazing. Just look at the number of fans of the Numismatics section on Violity.
Most of the discovered coins are Byzantine solidi, minted during the reign of Emperor Flavius Fokus and his successor Heraclius I. But most of them were still minted during the time of Heraclius. What is remarkable on the coins was initially minted only a portrait of the Byzantine emperor, and only later – images of his relatives.
As the head of the excavation specified, the coins were found at the base of the wall, which was laid out of paved stone. Presumably, they were buried during the capture of Eretz Israel by the Umayyad dynasty. For this money, they probably hoped to return after the end of the war. However, this did not happen.
The Antiquities Authority believes that the discovered coins will help clarify how economic activity developed in Banias during the last 40 years of Byzantine rule.
Previously, one of the residential quarters of the city was located at the site of excavations. This is evidenced by finds – fragments of metal, glass and ceramic objects. Including bronze coins that were found earlier. Specialists have dated these and other finds to the end of Byzantine rule in these places.
The city of Banias in the Christian tradition is considered the place where Jesus gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Earlier, a Byzantine period church was discovered in the vicinity of the city. The structure was badly damaged during the earthquake, but thanks to the well-coordinated work of reconstruction and restoration specialists, visitors to the reserve will soon be able to see the religious building.
