Port of Caesarea

The Port of Caesarea - Two Millennia, 1995 5755
Special Coin

Two thousand years ago, Herod built the most magnificent, advanced port in the ancient world and called it "Caesarea" after the Emperor Augustus Caesar. In honor of the Port, a bronze Prutah Coin was struck, depicting on one side a typical boat of the period and on the other, an anchor and Greek inscription "Of King Herod". Dating from 10 BCE, this coin served as the inspiration for the Commemorative Coin issued by the Bank of Israel to mark the 2000th Anniversaryof the Port of Caesarea.

Towards the end of the Second Temple Period, Caesarea was considered the most beautiful of cities in the Land of Israel. Many Jews had settled in the city and were among the first to be massacred during the revolt against the Romans. The 2nd Century B.C.E. was witness to the renewal of the Jewish community in Caesarea until the destruction of the city in 639. The Crusaders conquered the city in 1102, fortifying it with surrounding walls and a secure fortress, but were defeated by the Mamluks in 1265. This marked the beginning of the end of Caesarea, left to be buried under mounds of sand.

The splendor of Caesarea was rediscovered by archeological excavations that uncovered remnants of its glorious past, including synagogues from the 4th through 7th centuries.

Obverse: Face value in Hebrew and in English, Israel State Emblem, "Israel" in English, Hebrew and Arabic, the mint year and anchor

Reverse: An ancient boat typical of the Herodian period and representing the motif on a bronze Prutah Coin issued in the Herodian period, inscription "THE PORT OF CAESAREA – TWO MILLENNIA" in Hebrew and English

Edge: Silver B.U. Coin – Smooth, Silver Proof and Gold Coin – Milled

Mint Marks: Silver B.U. Coin – Star of David, Silver Proof and Gold Coins – Hebrew letter "מ" (Mem)

Designer: Gideon Keich

Plaster Reliefs: Tidhar Dagan

Mint: Silver B.U. Coin and Silver Proof Coin – Mint of Stuttgart, Gold Coin – Royal Canadian Mint