Gold coins discovered in Caesarea

The discovery

A rare treasure of 24 gold coins and an earring has been unearthed in the ancient port of Caesarea in northern Israel, probably buried by its owner to save it from the Crusader conquest of the city 900 years ago. © AFP.

The story

Caesarea, on the shores of the Mediterranean, was built in the second half of the 1st century B.C. by the Judean king Herod I. Significant remains from Roman and medieval times make Caesarea one of Israel's most attractive cities. Significant remains from Roman and medieval times make Caesarea one of Israel's top attractions.
The site is also the site of numerous discoveries: as long ago as 2015, 2,000 gold coins dating back 1,000 years were found off the port by divers, the largest numismatic treasure unearthed in Israel according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Image opposite: The pot of gold coins and an earring discovered during archaeological excavations in Caesarea. Caesarea Development Corporation.

In December 2018, the Israel Antiquities Authority and other organizations involved in this research announced that archaeological excavations had uncovered a small bronze pot, containing 24 gold coins and an earring. The pot was hidden between two stones near the well of a very old house.

Image opposite: The pot of gold coins and an earring discovered during archaeological excavations in Caesarea. Caesarea Development Corporation.

According to an analysis of the gold coins, presented to the press by Peter Gendelman and Mohammed Hatar, they date from the late 11th century and link the treasure to the Crusaders' conquest of the city in 1101. That year represents one of the most dramatic episodes in the city's medieval history.
According to historical sources, most of Caesarea's inhabitants were massacred by the army of Baldwin I, then King of Jerusalem. It is likely that the owner of the treasure and his family perished in the massacre, or were sold into slavery, never to recover their property.
According to Robert Kool, numismatic expert for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the treasure contains rare coins linked to the reign of Byzantine emperor Michael VII. These coins did not circulate only locally, and suggest contacts or possible trade relations between Caesarea and Constantinople (Byzantium) at that time.
One or two of these gold coins were equivalent to a farmer's annual salary, so it's likely that the person who hid the treasure came from a wealthy background or was a tradesman.