Crusader's Gold found

[Rocky_Shorz]

Many of the coins — which were discovered by one of Tal’s students in a fortress known as Apollonia about 15 miles north of Tel Aviv — were minted around 1000 A.D., according to the Jerusalem Post. How the roughly 400 grams of gold made its way to Israel is still unknown, but the currency will be studied over the next six months, Tal said.

The castle of Apollonia, which was then called Arsur, belonged to the Christian Order of the Knights Hospitaller during the time in which researches believe the cache was hidden. It first came under Crusader control after England’s King Richard the Lionheart defeated Muslim leader Saladin there in the 12th Century.

According to legend, the fort was retaken by Muslim forces around 1265 after what records indicate was a protracted battle. The recent discovery corroborates this story according to researchers.

“The findings indicate a prolonged siege and a harsh battle that took place at the site,” Tal told the Post.