Numismatic

Governors of Judaea AE Prutah 26-36 AD Pontius Pilate Genuine NGC

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This ancient bronze prutah, minted between 26 and 36 AD, offers a direct physical connection to the Roman Empire's administration of Judaea. Issued under the authority of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, this small copper-alloy coin was struck during the imperial reign of Tiberius. Because of its precise era of production, this currency was actively circulating in the region during the lifetime of Jesus Christ. The design of the coin features distinct symbols of the era. On one side, viewers can discern ears of grain alongside a date nestled within a decorative wreath. The opposite side displays a simpulum, a ritual ladle used in Roman libations, paired with a lituus, a curved staff used by augurs. Together, these elements reflect the blending of local agricultural motifs and official Roman religious imagery on the everyday coinage of the province.