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El-Jai cave

Archaeological sites in the West BankBar Kokhba refuge cavesBar Kokhba revoltJewish refugeesJews and Judaism in the Roman Empire
Judaean Desert
NahalMichmas1531
NahalMichmas1531

El-Jai cave is a sizable karstic cave located in a cliff within the northern Judaean Desert, in the modern-day West Bank. The El-Jai cave served as a refuge cave for Jewish rebels during the late phase of the Bar Kokhba revolt, around 135 CE. A collection of 16 coins was discovered within the cave, with most seem to have been deposited towards the end of the revolt. Among these, were four Bar Kokhba coins and two Aelia Capitolina coins featuring Hadrian and Sabina. This discovery supported Cassius Dio's historical timeline over Eusebius's, affirming that the Romans established the colony of Aelia Capitolina over the ruins of Jerusalem prior to the revolt, rather than afterward. Additionally, it suggested that coin minting in the new colony commenced before the end of the revolt.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article El-Jai cave (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

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Latitude Longitude
N 31.848333333333 ° E 35.304722222222 °
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Judea and Samaria, Palestinian Territories
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NahalMichmas1531
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