The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has revealed the discovery of a “very well preserved” 1,850-year-old bronze coin depicting the Roman goddess of the moon Luna in the Israeli sea.
The artifact, found during excavations in the northern coastal city of Haifa, has an image of the goddess Luna above the symbol of the sign of Cancer on one side, and the head of Roman Emperor Anthony Pius on the other.
“This is the first time that such an artifact has been found off the coast of Israel,” Jacob Sharvitt, director of the Marine Archeology Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a statement.
Charvet explained to AFP (AFP) that the coin was in a “little treasure” along with other pieces, adding that the circumstances of the discovery indicated that there was a shipwreck nearby.
These pieces are “very well preserved” and some are “really very rare”.
“Its discovery completes parts of the historical puzzle of the country’s past,” he added.
The Roman goddess coin was minted during the reign of Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD, in Alexandria, Egypt, according to the IAA.
The inscription “Eighth Year”, corresponds to the eighth year of the emperor’s reign, which occurred during the “Pax Romana”, a period that was considered a golden age and a relative calm for the Roman Empire.
He emphasized that, unlike his predecessors, Antonino Pio was not a soldier and never participated in battles.
“She built magnificent temples, theaters, and shrines, and promoted science and philosophy,” he added.
