Shekel

Shekel or sheqel (Akkadian: šiqlu or siqlu; Hebrew: שקל‎, pl. shekels or sheqalim) is any of several ancient units of weight or of currency. Initially, it may have referred to a weight of barley. This shekel was about 180 grains (11 grams or .35 troy ounces).

Name

The Hebrew word shekel is based on the verbal root for "weighing" (ŠQL), cognate to the Akkadian šiqlu or siqlu, a unit of weight equivalent to the Sumerian gin2. Use of the word was first attested in c. 2150 BC during the Akkadian Empire under the reign of Naram-Sin, and later in c. 1700 BC in the Code of Hammurabi. The ŠQL root is found in the Hebrew words for "to weigh" (shaqal), "weight" (mishqal) and "consideration" (shiqqul), and is related to the TQL root in Aramaic and the ΘQL root in Arabic, such as the words thiqal (the weight) or Mithqal (unit of weight). The famous writing on the wall in the Biblical Book of Daniel includes a cryptic use of the word in Aramaic: "Mene, mene, teqel, u-farsin". The word "shekel" came in to the English language via the Hebrew Bible, where it is first used in the Book of Genesis.

Carthaginian currency

Carthaginian or Punic currency refers to the coins of ancient Carthage, a Phoenician city-state located near present-day Tunis, Tunisia.

Name

The base currency was the shekel, although its Punic pronunciation was probably /səˈḳel/.

History

The Phoenicians, despite their extensive trading empires, began minting coins relatively late. Siculo-Carthaginian currency began to be issued in the mid-4th century and probably preceded Phoenicia's own Tyrian shekels, which developed c. 300 BC.

Carthage issued ½-shekel,shekel (7.20 g), 1⅔-shekel, double shekel, and triple shekel coins. 5-shekel pieces were issued in Sicily. It used gold, silver, electrum, bronze, and billon for its coins but did not make great use of them in North Africa. Instead, many of the surviving caches come from Carthage's holdings on Sardinia and Sicily. On Sardinia, a substantial amount of bronze coinage was struck during the First Punic War and again during the attempt to recover the island amid the Second. A large mass of bronze and silver coins and smaller issues in gold and electrum were struck on Sicily under administrators described as MHSBM. The Siculo-Carthaginian issues of the First Punic War include one series featuring Melqart ("Hercules") obverse and a horse's head reverse. More commonly, Carthaginian currency featured a female head identified as the goddess Tanit. One issue of bronze coins in two denominations—Tanit on the obverse and a galloping horse reverse—was coined at Kerkouane on Cape Bon during the resistance to the invasion of Regulus amid the First Punic War. A great deal of highly debased coins were struck at the end of the First Punic War, however, to deal with the empire's revolting mercenaries.

Aviad Cohen

Aviad Cohen (born March 11, 1975 in Tel Aviv, Israel and raised in Brooklyn, New York) is an American singer and songwriter best known for his song "In Da Shul" (a parody of 50 Cent's song "In Da Club") while performing under the moniker "50 Shekel". He came to believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah in 2004 and subsequently recorded Christian/Messianic techno and instrumental music under his given name. He currently runs a web design business catering to those in the entertainment industry.

Biography

Aviad Cohen was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to parents of Persian-Jewish and Polish-Jewish descent. His family emigrated to the United States in 1977. Cohen was raised both in Brooklyn (NY) and Teaneck (NJ).

Cohen began his recording career under the moniker "50 Shekel", inspired by 50 Cent.

Discography

References

External links