Ma’ah

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The maah was a unit of coinage used in the ancient Near East, particularly during the early periods of coinage in regions such as Persia and Israel. While not as widely known or utilized as some other coin denominations from ancient civilizations, the maah offers an interesting glimpse into the economic systems and trade practices of the time. The term “maah” is often associated with the ancient Hebrew monetary system, where it was used in various forms of currency exchange and trade.

The maah denomination is believed to have been used during the Persian period in the Achaemenid Empire as a form of small, standard currency. It is often cited in historical texts and inscriptions, particularly those from the time of Darius I and other Persian kings. In some cases, the term maah may also have been used to refer to a particular weight or value of silver or copper. Coins bearing this denomination would have been used for everyday transactions, much like modern-day small change.

In ancient Israel, the maah was also an important monetary unit. It appears in the Hebrew Bible in the context of various offerings and transactions. The maah was sometimes used as a unit of weight, typically in reference to precious metals like silver. This weight was then used to determine the value of coins or bullion. It was an important standard in early Hebrew commerce and would have been in circulation during the Second Temple period (516 BCE–70 CE), during which Israel was under Persian and later Roman control.