A well-preserved Roman coin dating from the 2nd century has been found by an Israeli soldier on a training exercise.
The coin bares the head of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius on one side and its inscription dates to between 158 and 159 AD.
The rare piece’s inscription also suggests it was minted in the town of Geva Philippi, located at the site of Tel Shush in northern Israel.
The coin’s reverse displays the deity Men, a lunar god worshipped in parts of Anatolia. It is believed to be only the twelfth of its type to be found.
Nir Distelfeld of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) told local media: “The coin was probably lost by its owner on one of the roads that cross this area, until the soldier spotted it almost 2,000 years later.”
Soldier Ido Gardi, who made the find, received an appreciation certificate from the IAA, which encourages members of the public to report artefacts they find to the authorities.
The reign of Antoninus Pius (138 to 161) is known for being a relatively peaceful time during the Roman Empire. He was classed as one of the ‘Five Good Emperors’ by philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli.
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