Judaea, John Hyrcanus I. (135-104 BCE) Scarce Bronze Prutah Coin. NGC VF 5/3!

Mint Place: Jerusalem
Denomination: Æ Prutah
Mint Periodr: 135-104 BCE
References: Hendin 6168 var..
Ruler: John Hyrcanus I. (135-104 BCE)
Condition: Certified and graded by NGC as VF 5/5, 3/5!
Diameter: 14mm
Weight: 1.76gm
Material: Silver

Obverse: Pomegrenade, flanked by cornucopia adorned with ribbons.

Reverse:Paleo-Hebrew inscription "Yehohanan the high priest and the council of the Jews." within wreath.

The Hasmonean dynasty (Hebrew: חַשְׁמוֹנָאִים‎ Ḥašmōnaʾīm) was a ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during the Hellenistic times of the Second Temple period (part of classical antiquity), from c. 140 BCE to 37 BCE. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE the dynasty ruled Judea semi-autonomously in the Seleucid Empire, and from roughly 110 BCE, with the empire disintegrating, Judea gained further autonomy and expanded into the neighboring regions of Perea, Samaria, Idumea, Galilee, and Iturea. The Hasmonean rulers took the Greek title basileus ("king") as the kingdom became a regional power for several decades. Forces of the Roman Republic intervened in the Hasmonean Civil War in 63 BCE and made it into a client state, marking the decline of Hasmonean dynasty; Herod the Great displaced the last reigning Hasmonean client-ruler in 37 BCE.

John Hyrcanus (/hərˈkeɪnəs/; יוחנן הרקנוס‎ Yōḥānān Hurqanōs; Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης Ὑρκανός, romanized: Iōánnēs Hurkanós) was a Hasmonean (Maccabean) leader and Jewish high priest of the 2nd century BCE (born 164 BCE, reigned from 134 BCE until his death in 104 BCE). In rabbinic literature he is often referred to as Yoḥanan Cohen Gadol (יוחנן כהן גדול‎), "John the High Priest".