A rare gold solidus dating back 1,600 years has been found by a group of Israeli students in the Galilee region.

"The gold coin is a solidus minted by the emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople around 420-423 CE," said Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky, a numismaticexpert at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

"Similar coins are known from the Eastern Byzantine empire, but this is the first of its type discovered in Israel."

"One side depicts the image of the emperor and the other shows the image of the Goddess Victory holding the Staff of the Cross."

"It is symbolic that the gold coin discovered adjacent to the Sanhedrin trail reflects the period of dramatic events when the Sanhedrin ceased tofunction in the Galilee, and the center of Jewish life transferred from the Galilee to Babylon."

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Rare Byzantine Gold Coin Found in Israel(http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/byzantine-gold-coin-israel-07350.html)