each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judaea,
to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child." (Luke 2:1-5 RSV). The general
consensus amongst Biblical scholars dates the birth of Christ in 4 B.C. since Herod the Great was
still alive.
of the Empire, as it faced the powerful Armenian and aggressive Parthian kingdoms. It was the
western terminal of the land routes to far Asia, as well as being on the Orontes River, which
provided water for the city and surrounding farmlands, a protected harbor for shipping, and a short
water route to the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Vast numbers of caravans from the Parthian and
other empires to the Far East all ended in Antioch, making it a highly important commercial center.
Antioch was also one of the most important cities for the early Christian church. "In Antioch the
disciples were for the first time called Christians." (Acts 11:26 RSV). Antioch had thrived for
hundreds of years under the Greek Seloukid Empire and was destined for greatness as part of the
Roman Empire. In 48 R.C., after Julius defeated Pompey the Great, he spent 9 days in Antioch
dedicating public buildings and granting the city its "freedom." Antioch was still ruled by the
Romans, but it was allowed more discretion in municipal affairs. It was one of the top ten ancient
cities for a thousand years. Today its ruins lay just north of modern Syria in Turkey.
including Cilicia, Syria, Phoenecia, and the Holy Land. The obverse of these big Silver
Tetradrachms feature a fine style, High Relief portrait of Augustus, born Octavianus, the second of
the Twelve Caesars, and the first absolute ruler of the Roman world. "Augustus" was the title he
adopted to designate this supreme kingship, and the title "Caesar" became used for the designated
heirs to the "Augustus." The obverse legend reads Augustus Caesar in Greek, which was the
language of the educated and merchant class in the East. These Tetradrachms are dated by the
Actian Era, beginning in 31 B.C. when Augustus defeated Marc Anthony and Cleopatra VII at the
battle of Actium, ending over 15 years of civil war. For instance, the reverse reads also in Greek,
"year 26 after victory," dating this coin to 5 B.C. The reverse design is modeled after a famous
bronze sculpture by Eulychides of Sikyon commissioned about 296 B.C. on the occasion of the
founding of this great city of Seleukos I Nikator. The goddess of good fortune for the city of Antioch
is shown enthroned, holding a wheat stalk for abundance, and wearing a crown in the shape of the
turreted city walls, signifying the security of the well fortified metropolis. One foot rests on a
swimming youth, who is the personification of the river god Orontes.
of these Tetradrachms, and is probably why Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver. In terms of modern
purchasing power a Silver Tetradrachms was roughly equivalent to $200. These Antioch
Tetradrachms circulated widely through the Holy Land, and the money changers in the Temple
were available to exchange them for the "good Tyrian Silver" needed to pay the Temple dues.
guaranteed!
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