Coinage at the Crossroads: A Numismatic Profile of Tel ‘Azeqah from the Persian, Macedonian and Ptolemaic Periods

Abstract

This paper presents an assemblage of 74 foreign and locally minted coins from Tel ‘Azeqah, dating from the Persian to the Ptolemaic periods. It includes Athenian, Sidonian, Philistian, Judean and Edomite issues, Macedonian-period coins, Babylonian fractions and Ptolemaic coins. These finds reflect distinct stages in the local monetization process and patterns of monetary circulation in the Judean foothills, a region bridging coastal and inland economic zones. Located at the crossroads of the provincial administrative regions of Judah, Philistia and Edom, ‘Azeqah serves as a point of convergence for diverse currencies, offering insights into broader economic transformations in the southern Levant.