Denarius of Bar Kokhba, year 2 c. 133 - 134

Editor: This is a Denarius of Bar Kokhba, from year two of his revolt. It's a small silver coin, but it feels heavy with history. What can you tell me about its significance? Curator: Well, this coin is more than just currency; it's a powerful statement of political defiance. Bar Kokhba led a major Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Consider the act of minting its own coinage, wresting control of imagery from Rome. Editor: So, the very existence of this coin is a form of resistance? Curator: Precisely! It signifies independence and self-governance. The symbols chosen – a bunch of grapes, a palm tree – likely represented the prosperity and hope Bar Kokhba wanted to project for a liberated Judea. It highlights the politics of imagery. Editor: I hadn't thought about coins as tools of political messaging. That really changes how I see it. Curator: Indeed. Objects like this coin can tell us so much about how people fought for their beliefs and how they wanted to be seen by others and by history.