Trove of 11th century gold coins in ancient Caesarea

In 2018 six rare Byzantine gold coins and 18 Fatimid-era coins testified to a wealthy family fleeing conquest on the eve of the bloody 1101 crusade. 24 gold coins and a gold earring was discovered in a well-hidden bronze pot during excavations in the ancient harbor of Caesarea. The dinars were all 24k gold, whereas the Byzantine coins were 22k. The treasure was likely hidden during flight from the bloody Crusader battle of 1101 at the seaside stronghold, in which the ruling Fatimid empire was routed and its people massacred or taken as slaves. The hoard was immensely valuable. One or two of the gold coins were the equivalent of the annual salary of a farmer.

Baldwin I of Jerusalem was behind the Crusader conquest of Caesarea in 1101. After his coronation on Dec 25, 1100, he captured a series of port cities from the Egypt-based Fatimid empire.

Five of the six rare 'Christian' coins belong to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Michael VII Doukas (1071–1079).

Caesarea was the capital of the Roman province of Judaea in 6 ce. It was a centre of early Christianity. The Jewish revolt against Rome was touched off at Caesarea in 66 ce. Caesarea was the capital of the province renamed Syria-Palaestina by Hadrian.

Under the Byzantines it was capital of the province of Palaestina Prima. The city declined under later Byzantine and Arab rule. Its port and part of the ancient citadel were rebuilt by the crusaders; the city was successively taken and retaken by Muslim and crusader forces.