An Unusual Aramaic Graffito on an Athenian Tetradrachm

Abstract

An Athenian tetradrachm with an unusual graffito was discovered recently; it appears to be of
local provenance. The Aramaic graffito should be read as zbwb b`al ( זבוב בעל ). It is suggested that
this coin was paid as a tax or a gift for the temple of Ba‘al Zebub in the Philistian city of Ekron.