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Maresha in the Reign of Ptolemy Ii Philadelphus

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Maresha in the Reign of Ptolemy Ii Philadelphus MARESHA IN THE REIGN OF PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHUS Amos Kloner During the third century BCE Maresha (Marissa) was under Ptolemaic rule and became the main city of Idumaea. It is mentioned in several of the Zenon papyri dated 259–257 BCE, shedding light on intensive com- mercial activities and trade between the city and Egypt (Edgar 1925– 1931.P.Cairo 59006, 59015, 58537). Although there is ample evidence of third century BCE occupation at Maresha, the author has chosen to concentrate on only two areas: some economic-numismatic evidence and the tombs from the eastern necropolis presented below. The finds from Khirbet Za"aquqa reinforce this evidence and are also presented here. The Economic Numismatic Evidence Of the 950 coins found at Maresha, 135 are Ptolemaic. Of these, 116 coins date from between the time of Ptolemy I (305–283 BCE) and that of Ptolemy VIII (170–117 BCE). Of these, 78 coins were from the time of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (67.25 % of the total). Six of the 135 Ptolemaic coins are tetradrachms: three of Ptolemy II (one minted at Alexandria and two at Tyre); two of Ptolemy III (minted at Ioppe and Sidon); and one of Ptolemy VIII (most probably minted at Aradus). Two silver- plated tetradrachms of Ptolemy II were also found. These coins are clear evidence that in the third century BCE the local population of Maresha used Ptolemaic coins, about half of which were minted at Alexandria and the other half at Tyre. This may also indicate that almost all of their trade was conducted with Egypt and Egyptian- dominated lands. 172 amos kloner Distribution of Ptolemaic coins found at Maresha: Ruler No. of Coins Percentage Ptolemy I Soter (305–283 BCE) 12 10.35% Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BCE) 78 67.25% Ptolemy II or III 4 3.45% Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BCE) 16 13.80% Ptolemy IV Philopator (221–205 BCE) 4 3.45% Ptolemy V Epiphanes (205–180 BCE) 1 0.85% Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (170–117 BCE) 1 0.85% Although only two pre-Ptolemaic coins were found, there are historical and archaeological indications for an Idumaean settlement during the Persian period and the general impression from the excavations is of continuity from the Persian to the Ptolemaic period, especially indicated by finds from the Lower City. The total picture is of a settlement already begun under Ptolemy I, while according to the numismatic evidence as well as other finds from the excavation, the main floruit of the city was under Ptolemy II.1 The Evidence from the Necropoli of Maresha The caves in which the residents of Hellenistic Maresha buried their dead form a ring around and outside the city limits of the Lower City, arranged in three groups: the eastern necropolis, the south-western necropolis and the northern necropolis (Kloner 2003:21–30). In this study we will concentrate on the eastern necropolis, and will not use evidence from the south-western and northern necropoli. Besides these three Hellenistic necropoli, seven constructed trough burials, presumably Persian in date, were excavated in the 1994 season in Area 940 in the eastern area of Maresha; only one contained a complete skeleton; the remainder appeared to have been emptied in antiquity. 1 I would like to thank Dr. Rachel Barkai, the numismatist who worked on the coins from the Maresha excavations, who enabled me to use her study written here. The full numismatic report will be published in one of the coming volumes of the Maresha Excavation Final Report (in press). Secondly, I would like to thank Mrs. Sherry Whetstone for the English editing of the article..
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