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orion Languages/Coins addendum
A footnote to the footnote. I mentioned coin inscriptions in Hebrew and in
Greek (and both together). A closer look reveals that there are at least
three examples of coins issued by Alexander Jannaeus in which Aramaic MLKA
(the King) is found rather than Hebrew HMLK (the King). The Aramaic
wording is always in the formula "King Aleksandros" (repeated in Greek on
the other side in two of the three coins; the third with no Greek) while
the Hebrew is always "Jehonathan the King" (with the Greek "of King
Alexander" on the other side in two of the three; the third with no
Greek). I find no other evidence of Aramaic language (as distinct from
"Aramaic lettering") in these coins, most of which are of the same
denomination ("dilepton"; the Hebrew inscription without Greek is on a
more valuable "lepton").
Don't ask me to explain it. I'm only reporting.
Bob
--
Robert A. Kraft, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania
kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html