A bronze prutah of Herod Archelaus, mint of Jerusalem

A bronze prutah of Herod Archelaus, mint of Jerusalem
Obv.: Anchor with curved arms, surrounded by Greek inscription HPWΔOY (of Herod). Rev.: An inscription in wreath EΘ/AN, abbreviation of EΘNAPXOY (of the Ethnarch). The bottom line is written boustrophedon (as the ox ploughs), left to right then right to left. 4 B.C.E. – 6 C.E. 1.33 grams, 16 mm, axis 12. Cf. Ya’akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 47, no. 69b. The Herodian dynasty founded by Herod the Great the ultimate political animal had a number of rulers, the most Jewish of them being Agrippa I. The coins struck by Herod himself were in accordance with Jewish religious sensitivities. Likewise his son Archelaus and his grandson Agrippa struck coins with symbols compatible with Judaism. By way of contrast Agrippa like his brother Antipas and son Agrippa II struck coins with portraits and pagan motifs for his gentile subjects.