Rains unearth rare Bar Kochba-era coin hailing ‘freedom of Israel’
One side of the coin has an image of a palm tree with seven branches
and two clusters of grapes above the name “Shimon” — Bar Kochba’s first
name — in ancient Hebrew. The flip side of the coin has a vine leaf with
a twig and around it an inscription meaning “the second year to the
freedom of Israel.” Coins of this type were minted during the Bar Kochba revolt from
132-135 CE, during which Jewish rebels managed to regain some autonomy
from Rome. The “second year” is either the year 133 or 134 CE.
