Judaea. Jerusalem. Bar Kochba Revolt AD 132-135. Attributed to year 3=AD 134/5
Bronze Æ

26 mm, 8,43 g

Paleo-Hebrew: 'for the freedom of Jerusalem', vine leaf on tendril / Paleo-Hebrew: 'Simon', seven-branched palm tree.

very fine

Mildenberg 94-146; TJC 291; Hendin GBC 6, 6464.

The Bar Kochba Revolt, which occurred between AD 132 and 135, was the third major Jewish uprising against Roman rule in Judea. Led by Simon Bar Kochba, the revolt is named after its leader, who was regarded by many Jews as a messianic figure. This revolt followed the First Jewish War (AD 66-70) and the Kitos War (AD 115-117) and resulted in severe consequences for the Jewish people under Roman rule. The causes of the Bar Kochba Revolt were rooted in religious and political tensions. One key trigger was the decision by the Roman emperor Hadrian to rebuild Jerusalem as a Roman city, Aelia Capitolina, and to construct a temple to Jupiter on the site of the destroyed Jewish Temple. This, combined with Hadrian’s ban on circumcision, deeply angered the Jewish population, who saw these actions as direct threats to their religion and identity. Simon Bar Kochba became the leader of the revolt, and many, including the influential Rabbi Akiva, hailed him as the messiah who would free the Jewish people from Roman rule. The revolt was well-organized, and the rebels took control of large parts of Judea, even minting their own coins and establishing a provisional government. At first, Bar Kochba’s forces achieved significant successes, including taking control of Jerusalem and defeating Roman forces in several battles. However, the Romans soon responded with overwhelming force. Emperor Hadrian dispatched his top general, Julius Severus, to suppress the rebellion. The Roman campaign was methodical and ruthless, resulting in widespread destruction and heavy casualties among the rebels. The revolt reached its final stage with the siege of Betar, Bar Kochba’s last stronghold. After a long and bloody siege, the Romans captured Betar in AD 135, effectively ending the revolt. The aftermath was catastrophic for the Jewish population. Hundreds of thousands were killed, with many more sold into slavery or exiled. Hadrian sought to erase Jewish identity in Judea, renaming the region Syria Palaestina and barring Jews from entering Jerusalem, except on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction. The Bar Kochba Revolt was the last major Jewish rebellion against Roman rule, and its failure had long-lasting consequences. The Jewish people were further scattered across the Roman Empire, deepening the Jewish Diaspora. The revolt also accelerated the transition from Temple-based Judaism to Rabbinic Judaism, which became centered on synagogues and the study of Jewish law, shaping Jewish religious life for centuries to come.