Emperor Nero gold coin discovered in Jerusalem

Emperor Nero gold coin from Jerusalem

Gold coin, 2000 years old, has been found in Jerusalem

Today, 21:48

In Jerusalem, archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery. They found a rare gold coin, which is about 2000 years old.

The coin was probably made in the year 56 or 57 AD, CNN reports. The Romans had conquered Jerusalem more than a century earlier . “The coin is noteworthy because it is the first time that such a coin has been found at an excavation,” says archaeologist Shimon Gibson. “Coins like this are usually found in private collections and it is unclear then where the money originated.”

One side of the coin features a portrait of the Roman emperor Nero. Around the portrait it says “Nero Caesar AVG Imp.” At that time, Roman rulers called themselves Caesar in order to indicate that they were emperors. On the side of the coin is ‘EX S C’ and ‘Pontif Max TR P III’. Based on these letters archaeologists were able to determine how old the coin is.

24K

“Because it is a gold coin, there is no rust. Therefore, you can still see everything very well,” said a professor of archeology. “The gold is also of very good quality. We are talking about 24 carats. 99 percent of that coin is gold.”

The location of the find, south of the old town of Jerusalem, suggests that rich people lived in that place at the time of the Roman occupation.