The leader of The Second
Revolt (132-135 CE) was Shim'on Bar Koseba. known as Bar Kochba,
"Son of the Star," in reference to messianic expectations of their coming Messiah.
the verse:"There shall step forth a star (kochab) out of
Jacob" (Numbers 24:17).
Indeed, one of the
greatest sages of the time - Rabbi Akiva
-
had
proclaimed Bar Kochba as the messiah.
It is
It is estimated that over half a million Jews fell in battle during the
Second Revolt, with countless more sold as slaves after the
re
revolt and defeat of Bar Kochba at Betar. The Romans too suffered such heavy
losses that when Hadrian sent a writtereport
of the campaign to the senate, he omitted the usual introductory remarks that
the emperor and the army were well.
COINS OF 2ND JEWISH
REVOLT
The name "Shim'on" appears on all of the coins of
the Second
Revolt except for a few types issued at the beginning of the
revolt with the name
"Eleazar the Priest (Cohen)," who may have
been Bar Kochba's uncle. (#96, 97)
#96 Eleazar the Priest, silver zuz 132/133 CE (H-675)
#97 Eleazar the Priest, small bronze 132/133 CE (H-681)
Unlike
the situation at the start of the First Revolt, in Bar Kochba's
time there was no
Temple and no Temple Treasury. So, in order to
mint their own coins
as a sign of
sovereignty, they gathered all of the bronze and silver foreign (Rome, Syria,
Phoenicia, etc.)
coins circulating
in Judaea. Then they filed off
the original designs and restamped them with Jewish symbols and
Hebrew inscriptions
relating to their hope of rebuilding the Temple. Many coins exhibit parts of
the original designs and
legends.
Coins of the first two years are dated Year 1 and Year 2 "of the Freedom
(or Redemption) of Israel (or
Jerusalem)."
But in the third year, when the revolt became more of a defensive guerrilla
action, the inscription changed
to the hope
"For the Freedom of Jerusalem."
The overstruck silver tetradrachms (called "sela" in the Mishnah)
are among the most religiously significant coins
issued by the ancient Jews, since the Holy of Holies of the
Jerusalem Temple is depicted, along with the Ark - that
had held the two tablets of the Ten Commandments in
Solomon's time. "Jerusalem" was inscribed around the
Temple. (#98)
Beginning in the second year (#99) and continuing
into the final year (#100), a
star appeared above the Temple
on many coins, likely alluding to Bar Kochba's nickname
"Son of the Star." And
some of these large silver
coins issued in the third year of the revolt
feature a wavy line above the Temple, perhaps representing an ornamental
grape vine. (#101)
Agricultural symbols associated with the harvest festival of Succoth - lulav
and etrog - appear on the reverse, surrounded by a Hebrew inscription:
"Year One of the Redemption of Israel," "Year Two of the
Freedom of Israel," or "For the Freedom of
Jerusalem,"
respectively in the three years of the revolt. In a letter from Bar Kochba,
discovered in the late 1950s,
the Jewish
leader orders Judah Ben Manasseh to supply him with lulav for his army so
that they could celebrate the festival
even though they were in the midst of
major battles.
There are dozens of
varieties of overstruck Roman silver denarii (called "zuz" in
Hebrew). There are some very rare Year 1 zuzim inscribed Eleazar the Priest
instead of Shim'on. (#96) Otherwise, most have an abbreviated form of Bar
Kochba's first name "Shim’o'" or the full name "Shim'on"
within a wreath on one side, and the date (Year 1 or 2) or "For the
Freedom of Jerusalem" (Year 3) on the reverse. The symbols are
associated with the Temple - palm branch, amphora, bunch of grapes, lyre and
trumpets. (#103, 104, 105)
The rarest of all
Bar Kochba denominations is the large (28-35mm.) bronze, overstruck (and
usually weak, with parts of the
design or inscription indistinct) on a Roman
sestertius. The large size allowed the engravers to inscribe the full name of
"Shim'on Prince (Nasi) of Israel" within a wreath. The reverse
features an amphora, which Romanoff concludes "was the
vessel of oil
which nourished the flames of the Temple Menorah (7-branched
candelabrum)."
A file was used to remove the designs of the underlying coins, such as the
portrait of the Roman Emperor, and this is readily apparent on some of the
large bronzes. (#106) In rare instances, the coin cracked when it was
overstruck. (#107)
The 24-26mm.
bronzes of Bar Kochba picture a grape vine leaf and 7-branched palm tree. The
seven branches of the palm
tree could well allude to the holy 7-branched Temple
Menorah, that was considered too holy to depict on coins (with the
isolated
exception of the small bronze Menorah coin issued in the last desperate days
of the reign of Antigonus Mattathias).
Bar Kochba's given name appears on the
palm tree side either in full with his title: Shim'on the Prince of Israel
(#108), or
without the title: Shim'on (#109), or shortened as Shim' (#110).
The 20-24mm. bronzes of Bar Kochba feature an upright palm branch within a
wreath, and a lyre. The lyre is either a wide
4-6 stringed chelys type (#111)
or narrow 3 stringed kithara (#112). The Jewish leader's name and title
surround the wreath:
"Shim'on Prince of Israel," while a patriotic
(and religiously significant motto is inscribed on the reverse, such as "Year
One of the Redemption of Israel," "Year Two of the Freedom of
Jerusalem," or "For the Freedom of Jerusalem."
The smallest (18-21mm.) bronze coins issued during the Second Revolt all
picture a bunch of grapes, and a 7-branched palm
tree with clusters of dates.
The legends surrounding the grapes are similar to other issues: "Year
One of the Redemption of Israel,"
"Year Two of the Freedom of
Jerusalem," "For the Freedom of Jerusalem,"
etc.
The inscription around the palm tree begins in the first year with
"Eleazar the Priest" (#97) and changes to "Jerusalem"
(#114), which continues through the second year, and finally changes to
"Shim'on" in the third year of
the revolt (#11
THE MCMILLAN
BIBLE ATLAS makes these points about this rebellion : "Acts
JOSEPHUS, TALMUDIC Sources news of Hadrian's plan to found a Roman colony in
the city of Jerusalem which would have included the usual pagan temples--thus
defeating all hope of reconstructing the Temple--stirred anew the spirit of
the struggle against Rome.
The
Jews had learned a lesson from the First Revolt, in which proper preparation
and unity were lacking. This time they chose the most suitable moment, at a
time when the Emperor was far from Judea. They had paired fortified positions
in the countryside, so as not to be trapped again in fortresses. Preparations
also included hundreds of underground hiding systems in the Judean plains and
some in the Galilee. These underground systems were quarried into the rock
exploiting existing K's and caverns. They made
ready
quantities of arms and mobilized all possible inhabitants. Unified command
was set up, and it remained in
control from the
beginning of the revolt to its and....
The
documents reveal that Bar Kokhba was the same man as "Simeon Prince of
Israel" mentioned on Jewish coins from the time of the Revolt, and that
his full title was "Simeon son of Kosiba Prince of Israel." It may
be assumed that this Simeon,
who was regarded as
the "Messiah" was descended from the Davidic line.
The Revolt broke out in the fall of A D 131... The careful preparations more
fruit: the people of Judea rallied around Jerusalem, where the 10th Legion was
stationed. The Revolt included all of Judea down to the coastal plain. There
is evidence that
some Samaritans
joined the BarKokhba rebels, and there was also indications that Gentiles,
mainly from among the
oppressed
local inhabitants, also found a way to the rebel camp and joined the brotherhood
of lawyers. The new
leader, who was
supported by the Sanhedrin and mainly by Rabbi Akiha, saw his government as a
sole legal authority in the land, those who opposed him, such as the
Christians of Jewish extraction, who obviously could not see Bar Kokhba, as
the
"Messiah,"
were persecuted by the rebel authorities.
The
suddenness of the outbreak in the defensive preparations of the rebels were
such that the Roman governor,
Tinius Rufus, had
no alternative but to order the evacuation of Jerusalem.
The 10th Legion and the non-Jewish inhabitants left for Caesarea, and the
Jews were once again took control of their ancient capital. An orderly
administration was set up in a new reckoning of the calendar was instituted.
The first year of the
Revolt (A.D.
131-132) was declared "The Year One of the Redemption of Israel,"
in the following years the same.
District
commanders were appointed in the new government issued silver and bronze
coinage, struck over Imperial
Roman and
provincial city coins.
The
Jews attempted to extend the uprising to Galilee, however it is clear that
most of the Galileans did
not join the
rebels. The Romans made every effort to suppress the Revolt. The two Roman
legions, The
Sixth and the 10th
Legion which were already in Israel were joined by lesions coming in from
Syria,
Arabia, might see a
on the Danube, and Egypt, in addition to the smaller Calvary and infantry
units from
Panonia.
The 22nd Legion advanced too far and was completely wiped out.
In the
last year of the Revolt, A.D. 135, the Roman breach the wall of the last
fortress and slaughtered
their
surviving defenders, including bar Kokhba." pp. 193-197
It is rumored that Bar Kokhba was skinned alive.
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