17 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A spectacular rare ancient Roman bronze coin depicting the moon goddess was discovered off the coast of Israel

A rare 1850-year-old exceptionally well-preserved bronze coin depicting the Roman moon goddess Luna has been found off the coast of Carmel in Haifa, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Monday.

The coin was struck at Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE). The reverse depicts Luna over a representation of the zodiacal sign Cancer. The coin carries the date ‘Year eight,’ which corresponds to the eighth year of Antoninus Pius’ reign, approximately 144/145 CE.

While the IAA did not say exactly when the coin was recovered, the Marine Archeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority found the coin on the seafloor during a search to protect the artifacts from coastal development.

Portrait of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. Photo: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority

Find belongs to a series of thirteen coins, twelve depicting the different signs of the zodiac and another the complete zodiac wheel.

Israel Antiquities Authority Maritime Archaeology Unit director Jacob Sharvit said it was the first time such a coin has been found off Israel’s coast.

Sharvit said that “it is a rare addition to the National Treasures collection”.

“Israel’s Mediterranean shores and waters have yielded many archaeological sites and finds that attest to connections in antiquity between Mediterranean ports and the countries along it. These finds, which were lost at sea and disappeared from sight for hundreds and thousands of years, have been remarkably well preserved; some are extremely rare and their discovery completes parts of the historical puzzle of the country’s past,” he said.

A 1,850-year-old coin bearing the image of Luna, the goddess of the moon. found off the Carmel Coast. Photo: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority

According to the IAA, Antoninus’ reign was the quietest of the Roman Empire, occurring at the height of the Pax Romana, or Roman calm, and Antoninus himself was not from the military, was never in a war, and never even left Rome.

“During his rule, the empire’s relations with the Jews were greatly improved, the decrees of Hadrian were revoked, and Jews were allowed to practice circumcision, the IAA said.

IAA

Cover Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority

Related Articles

A Large Roman Pottery Production Center was Found in Poland

2 April 2021

2 April 2021

A large Roman pottery production center was found in Poland. The production center was discovered near the village of Wrzepia,...

The Largest Ancient Floor Mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region Uncovered -600 square meters-

12 November 2023

12 November 2023

The structure with the largest floor mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region was unearthed during the excavations carried out...

An Anthropologist’s life work uncovers the first ancient DNA from the Swahili Civilization

2 April 2023

2 April 2023

Chapurukha Kusimba, an anthropologist at the University of South Florida, has uncovered the first ancient DNA from the Swahili Civilization,...

Archaeologists reveal largest paleolithic cave art site in Eastern Iberia

17 September 2023

17 September 2023

More than 100 ancient paintings and engravings thought to be at least 24,000 years old were found in the cave...

In northern Iran, a hand-dug passageway was discovered used for military purposes during the Qajar era

1 August 2021

1 August 2021

A hand-dug underground passage dating from the Qajar era (1794-1925), once believed to have served military purposes, has been discovered...

Europe’s Oldest Boomerang: A 40,000-Year-Old Mammoth Ivory Artifact Discovered in Poland

27 June 2025

27 June 2025

An international team of scientists has uncovered the oldest known boomerang in Europe, a 72-centimeter tool meticulously carved from mammoth...

An amateur archeologist has discovered a Roman war site

1 November 2021

1 November 2021

Thanks to the insistence of an amateur archaeologist, a Roman battlefield in Switzerland has been identified. Shortly before the birth...

A Forgotten Capital in Anatolia: 2,000-Year-Old Bone Pen Unearthed at Türkmen-Karahöyük

19 August 2025

19 August 2025

The unearthing of a 2,000-year-old bone pen at Türkmen-Karahöyük offers a rare glimpse into the sophisticated bureaucracy and daily life...

Israeli researchers uncover earliest evidence silver used as currency in Levant

9 January 2023

9 January 2023

On Sunday, Israeli archaeologists revealed that they had found the earliest proof of silver being used as money in the...

Archaeologists Find Mysterious 2,800-year-old Channels in Jerusalem

30 August 2023

30 August 2023

Archaeologists excavating in Jerusalem have uncovered a network of mysterious channels dating back to the days of King Joash and...

Golden Tongues and Nails discovered on mummies from the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt

18 December 2024

18 December 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered tombs decorated with colorful inscriptions and ritual scenes, as well as unusual mummies and unique funerary objects,...

Archaeologists find new clues about North Carolina’s ‘Lost Colony’ from the 16th century

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists from The First Colony Foundation have yielded a tantalizing clue about the fate of the Lost Colony, the settlers...

Oldest Aboriginal pottery discovered in Far North Queensland

10 April 2024

10 April 2024

More than 2000 years ago, Aboriginal Australians were producing ceramics on a secluded island about 35 kilometers off the coast...

The oldest grave in northern Germany 10,500 years old

14 October 2022

14 October 2022

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known human remains in northern Germany in a 10,500-year-old cremation grave in Lüchow, Schleswig-Holstein. The...

New evidence for early regional exchanges in Eurasia: Ice skates made of animal bones over 3,000 years old

9 March 2023

9 March 2023

Chinese archaeologists have discovered ancient ice skates made of animal bones at the Gaotai Ruins in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous...