The "Quarter Shekel" coin from the days of the Great Revolt has been returned to Israel (Photo: Miri Bar, Antiquities Authority)
An ancient coin of Antiochus IV (identified as "the evil Antiochus"), dating from 169 to 164 BC, was discovered today (Tuesday) in the house of a suspect, after he was caught "red handed" this morning while walking around Ramot Menashe with a metal detector.
During an operation by the Magazin soldiers this morning northwest of Kibbutz Ramat Hasofet, the soldiers identified the suspect - a 33-year-old resident of Kiryat Shmona, as he was operating the metal detector at the Mochraz Antiquities site. He was detained for questioning, and ancient coins, digging tools and various metal detectors were found in his bag
. The members of the Antiquities Authority's Robbery Prevention Unit were called, who conducted a search of the suspect's house and then detained him for questioning. During the search, they found many findings that he had found in illegal land searches throughout the north, including arrowheads, rings, make-up tools, buckles, lead objects, buttons, and more.
"of King Antiochus" and "of the Syrians".
Coin of Antiochus IV ("Evil Antiochus") that was discovered in the house of the suspect (photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
The suspect claimed to be a "geology enthusiast".
The other side of the coin (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
Additional coins found in the house of the suspect (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
"Mad Antiochus"
One of the interesting findings found in the suspect's house is a coin of Antiochus IV.
"Antiochus, the king of the Seleucid Kingdom, was officially called 'Epiphanes' - the face of God, but behind his back his subjects called him Epimanes - Antiochus the Mad," says Dr. Danny Shion, coin researcher and retired Antiquities Authority. "Antiochus IV was indeed notorious as a bully The decrees on the Jews and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and during his time the Hasmonean rebellion broke out, but economically, he also did good things for his empire: he granted special rights to 19 cities in the Seleucid kingdom, which included, among other things, minting special coins for each city.
The coin found in the suspect's house was minted in the city of Tzur, and it was common in Israel at that time."
Ancient coins, digging tools and various metal detectors were found (photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
Spearheads found in the suspect's house (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
Ancient coins were found in the house of an antiquities thief from Kiryat Shmona (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Nir Distelfeld)
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Searching for antiquities using a metal detector - prohibited by law
According to Nir Distelfeld, the inspector of the robbery prevention unit at the Antiquities Authority in the northern region, "Although the find is beautiful and the timing of its discovery, before the Hanukkah holiday, is exciting, we must not forget that the suspect broke the law. Many looted finds were found in his house. The suspect claimed to be a geology enthusiast, and was looking for quartz crystals and metals, but "on the way", he also collected coins and ancient findings".
The Antiquities Authority stated that searching for antiquities using metal detectors at antiquities sites in Israel, and even collecting antiquities, is prohibited by law.
The fixed penalty for committing these offenses is three years in prison.
At the end of his investigation, the suspect was released.
The metal detector is seen as a legal exhibit and in the coming days it will be decided by the Antiquities Authority whether the suspect will be prosecuted.
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