When we recognize the Bible as a product of the ancient world, we can look for subtle ways that biblical authors incorporated elements of everyday life — including coins! We spoke with historian Michael Theophilos about everything we can learn from ancient coins (politics, economics, visual culture, propaganda), and then we found some fascinating examples of how language and symbols from coins made their way into the Bible. If you want to dive deeper into coins and the New Testament, check out Michael's book, Numismatics and Greek Lexicography. Here are some cool images of coins Michael described in the episode:A denarius minted by Caesar Augustus with the image of the comet or bright starAn ancient coin from Yehud (Persian-ruled Judaea) featuring a disembodied earAlso, the newly redesigned Bible Odyssey website has some great articles about coins, taxes and the Temple in the 1st Century:MoneyCommerce and the Temple in First-Century JerusalemTaxes in First-Century PalestineSupport the showJoin the Time Travelers Club!Join our Patreon to support the podcast and get special perks like bonus content and direct messaging with the hosts. Learn more and subscribe at the Time Travelers Club. Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos