A remarkable discovery of 97 Byzantine gold coins and exquisite jewelry has shed new light on the dramatic final chapter of an ancient Christian city near the Sea of Galilee. The extraordinary hoard, unearthed at Hippos (Sussita) by University of Haifa archaeologists, represents one of the largest Byzantine treasure finds ever discovered on dry land in Israel.
Emergency Hoard from Turbulent Times
The treasure was likely hidden around 614 AD as the Sassanid Persian army swept through Byzantine Palestine, according to expedition co-director Dr. Michael Eisenberg. The hoard includes coins spanning nearly a century, from Emperor Justin I (518-527 AD) to the early reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-613 AD). Most remarkably, archaeologists discovered remnants of the original cloth bag that once contained the precious items.
Among the coins is an exceptionally rare tremissis, likely minted in Cyprus during Heraclius’ revolt against Emperor Phocas in 610 AD. This represents only the second such coin ever found in Israel, making it a numismatic treasure of immense historical significance, reports Times of Israel.