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.
THE FIRST JEWISH REVOLT AGAINST
THE ROMANS HAD NUMEROUS SIGNIFICANT RELIGIOUS
ELEMENTS LIKE THE BURNING OF
THE TEMPLE
HOWEVER TWO ROMAN LEGIONS STOPPED IT.
HOWEVER, THE SECOND JEWISH REVOLT INVOLVED A CRUSHING DEFEAT
BY TEN ROMAN LEGIONS
I BELIEVE THIS 2ND REVOLT TO BE SIGNIFICANT
AS WELL, IN THAT A CENTRAL MESSIANIC
FIGURE EXISTED THIS TIME AND PREPARATIONS SUCH AS
MINTING COINS, THE COIN FACES
HAD AN APPARENT LINKAGE OF KOCHBA AND THE TEMPLE TO THE GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER,
THE
END WAS MORE DEVASTATING AND FINAL,
TAKING TEN ROMAN LEGIONS TO STOP IT.
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 revolt and defeat of
Bar Kochba at Betar. The Romans too suffered such heavy losses that when
Hadrian sent a written report 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
Revoexcept 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)lt
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 did not join the rebels.
The Romans made every effort to suppress the Revolt. Two Roman legions, The Sixth and the 10th Legion which were already in
Israel were joined by lesions coming in from Syria, Arabia, 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 Romans breached the wall of the last fortress and
slaughtered the surviving defenders, including bar
Kokhba." pp. 193-197
It is rumored that Bar Kokhba was skinned alive.
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