The Jerusalem Mint of Herod the Great: A Relative Chronology DONALD T. ARIEL THANKS to the preservation of the works of Josephus Flavius, Herod son of Anti pater (reigned 40(37]-4 B.C.E.) has been the subject of much scholarship.' Like the famed Alexander (III) of Macedonia before him, Herod has been described as "the Great". However, this epithet is more a way to distinguish the first Herod from his progeny who are known by the same name. 2 AlexandertheGreatisbestknownforhisconquests, while Herod the Great is perhaps most famous for his purported role in the life of Jesus ofN azareth. While Alexander was best at empire building, it may be said that Herod was best at public building. There are many ways to gauge greatness. Though not most famous for his coinage, Alexander the Great produced an exemplary coinage, in gold, silver and bronze. On the contrary, Herod's numismatic legacy is disappointing, to say the least. Excluding the dated series (below), Herod's coinage is particularly unimpressive. Nevertheless, because of the interest in the historical figure, there has been a great deal written on Herod's coinage. Through the coins, it was hoped, one could penetrate the fagade presented by Josephus and his sources, particularly Nicolaus of Damascus. Richardson believes he succeeded in just that. 3 The contrast between the great deal of contemporary and near-contemporary sources and Herod's numismatic record has even brought suggestions to identify gold and silver imperial coins minted by him. 4 Another group of numismatic anomalies has brought about another proposal to 1 This interest continues until the present. See P. Richardson: Herod: King of the Jews and Friend of the Romans, Columbia, SC, 1996, N. Kokkinos: The Herodian Dynasty. Origins, Role in Society and Eclipse, Sheffield (Journal for d1e Study of the Pseudepigrapha, Supplement Series 30), 1998, D. W. Roller: The Building Program of Herod the Great, Berkeley, 1998, and A. Lichtenberger, Die Baupolitik Herodes des Grossen, Wiesbaden, 1999. Our thanks to Peter Richardson and Alla Stein for their many helpful comments on a earlier draft of this article. 2 Exceptionally, Herod is styled as "the Great" (6 in only one passage in Josephus (Ant. XVIII. 130, 133 and 136). · 3 Richardson (above, n. 1), p. 215. 4 H. Mattingly: Coinage of the Roman Empire in the British Museum. Volume I. Augustus to Vitellius, London, 1923:cxxvii-cxxviii, pp. 110-111, Nos. 683-685. See C.H. V. Sutherland: The Roman Imperial