Ancient Phoenicia: Dor
- sulla80
- Apr 2
- 7 min read
Dora, also known as Dor, was an ancient port city on the Phoenician coast (modern Israel), situated north of Caesarea Maritima. It was a Canaanite stronghold as early as the 2nd millennium BCE and became the southern-most outpost of Phoenicia.
Today's coin is a rare one in nice condition from Dora. We will take a look at the history of Dora up to and including Trajan’s reign.
Early History of Dora
Dora’s origins trace back to the Bronze Age. Egyptian records from the reign of Ramses II (13th century BC) mention Dora, and by the late 2nd millennium BC the city had fallen to the Sea Peoples (specifically the Sikils/Tjekker). The Canaanites were the indigenous Semitic peoples of the southern Levant during the Bronze and early Iron Ages. The Bible lists Dor among the Canaanite city-states (allied with Hazor) and notes it was allotted to the tribe of Asher but not conquered by the Israelites .
Israelite Rule
Under Israelite rule, King Solomon (sirca 970 BCE to 931 BCE) later appointed an official (the “son of Abinadab”) over the region of Dor, indicating it was an administrative district of his kingdom (1 Kings 4:11).
"Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. These are their names: [skip]
Ben-Abinadab—in Naphoth Dor (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon)Josephus tells the same:
Solomon’s Provincial Governors
Now his generals and governors of the whole country were as follows’ over the territory of Ephraim was Urēs; and over the toparchy of Bithiemes was Dioklērose; the district of Dor and the coast were under Abinadab who had married Solomon’s daughter;
Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, VIII.35From the 9th–8th centuries BC, Dor was drawn into the orbit of Near Eastern empires. After Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III’s campaign in 732 BC, an Assyrian province named Du’ru was established in the area.
Persian Rule
During the Persian period (6th–4th centuries BC), coastal cities like Dor were allowed local autonomy; Dor became a Sidonian colony at this time. Phoenician inscription on the sarcophagus of Eshmun’azar, king of Sidon, records that the Persian emperor granted Sidon control of “Dor and Joppa, the mighty lands of Dagon, which are in the Plain of Sharon.
Ptolemaic Rule
Dor came under Ptolemaic control after Alexander’s conquests (4th–3rd centuries BC) and was later contested by the Seleucids. Around 138 BC, the city was besieged by Seleucid king Antiochus VII Sidetes while the rebel Tryphon took refuge there – Josephus (Antiquities XIII.2) describes Dora at this time as “a fortress hard to be taken”.
Phoenicia, Dora, Trajan, 98-117 CE, AE (25mm, 11.09g, 11h), dated POE (175) = 111/112
Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙC ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟC CΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚ, laureate head of Trajan to right, with traces of drapery on left shoulder; before, star
Rev: ΔωΡ(Ι) (Dora) / ΡΟΕ (date 175 Pompeian Era) draped, veiled and turreted bust of Tyche to right; all within oak wreath
Ref: De Saulcy 4. Meshorer 34. Rouvier 770. RPC III, 3916. Rare, only 11 known to RPC. BMC Phoenicia (Plate XIV.14). "adjustment marks" obverse. From a North American collection, ex Agora Auction 83 Lot 112 2019, ex the collection of Dr. Tom Buggey.
Under Trajan, Dora experienced a brief numismatic renaissance centered in year 175 of the Pompeian era (CE 111/112). The city received and publicized an elevated civic status through its coin inscriptions and iconography. This minting peak likely reflects increased economic or strategic importance, possibly tied to naval infrastructure.
Roman Rule
By the late 2nd century BCE, a local tyrant Zoilus ruled Dora (and the neighboring Strato’s Tower) independently. The Judean king Alexander Jannaeus acquired Dora by negotiation, but soon Rome intervened: in 64/63 BCE Pompey conquered the region and restored Dora’s freedom. Josephus notes that Pompey removed coastal cities like Dora from Hasmonean Jewish control and made them autonomous (liberae) . Thereafter, Dora was annexed to the Roman province of Syria but enjoyed self-governing status as a free city.
In the early Roman period, Dora retained a degree of autonomy under Roman oversight. It was never refounded as a Roman colony, but functioned as a polis with its own council and magistrates. King Herod the Great received control of Dora in 32 BCE, yet he soon realized Dor’s small harbor was inadequate for large ships. Herod built the new grand port of Caesarea just to the south, which drew away much of Dora’s maritime trade.
He (Herod) also rebuilt Gadara,a which had been demolished a little while before, to please Demetrius the Gadarene, his freedman; and the other cities, Hippus, Scythopolis, Pella, Dium, Samaria, as well as Marisa, Azotus, Jamneia and Arethusa,c he restored to their own inhabitants.d And not only these cities in the interior, in addition to those that had been demolished, but also the coast cities of Gaza, Joppa, Dora and Straton’s Tower—this last city, which Herod refounded magnificently and adorned with harbours and temples, was later renamed Caesareae—all these Pompey set free and annexed them to the province.
-Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVI.4Around 30 BCE, Mark Antony temporarily gave Dora (along with other Phoenician cities) to Cleopatra VII, but after Augustus’ victory, Dora reverted to Herod and then to direct Roman administration. The city kept its nominal freedom under Herod’s dynasty and the early emperors.
By the 1st century CE, Dora was culturally and administratively part of the Roman Levant. Josephus refers to Caesarea as being midway between Dor and Joppa, reflecting that contemporaries viewed Dora as a Phoenician city in the geographic sense.
"His [Herod's] notice was attracted by a town on the Caesarea and its harbour coast, called Strato’s Tower, which, though then dilapidated, was, from its advantageous situation, suited for the exercise of his liberality. This he entirely rebuilt with white stone, and adorned with the most magnificent palaces, displaying here, as nowhere else, the innate grandeur of his character. For the whole sea-board from Dora to Joppa, midway between which the city lies, was without a harbour, so that vessels bound for Egypt along the coast of Phoenicia had to ride at anchor in the open when menaced by the south-west wind; for even a moderate breeze from this quarter dashes the waves to such a height against the cliffs, that their reflux spreads a wild commotion far out to sea. However, by dint of expenditure and enterprise, the king triumphed over nature and constructed a harbour larger than the Piraeus, including other deep roadsteads within its recesses."
-Josephus, Jewish War, I.5A small Jewish community existed there: Josephus recounts an incident during Emperor Claudius’ reign (41–54 CE) in which non-Jewish youths in Dora placed a statue of the emperor in the local synagogue, sparking a disturbance. This event (circa 41 AD, under King Agrippa I) prompted imperial letters affirming Jewish rights in the diaspora. It also confirms that a synagogue stood in Dora before the Jewish War, although after that episode there is no further evidence of a Jewish presence.
Dora in the time of Trajan
Under Roman rule – particularly during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98–117 CE) – Dora continued as a semi-autonomous city with a rich cultural life, active trade, and significant urban development. During Trajan’s reign (98–117 CE), Dora appears to have been prosperous enough to warrant local civic activity and imperial patronage. The city was still known for its ancient temple and sanctuary: coins from Trajan’s time give Dora honorific titles such as “Sacred Dora, City of Asylum, Autonomous, Ruler of the Seas”.
Epigraphic evidence from Trajan’s period reinforces this picture of an active city. A Greek inscription from Dora records a public dedication for the well-being of Emperor Trajan (and later, one for Emperor Antoninus Pius), erected by the city’s boule (council) and demos (people).
Archaeological Discoveries of Ancient Dora
The site of Dora is identified with Tel Dor, a large mound and surrounding lower city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Its ruins (near modern Tantura and kibbutz Nahsholim) have been known for centuries – early explorers like the Survey of Western Palestine (1870s) documented the site, and it was never fully “lost” due to visible remains. The first archaeological excavations were carried out in 1923–24 by John Garstang on behalf of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem.
Provenance
This coin came from the collection of Dr. Tom Buggey, a distinguished academic and educator specializing in early childhood special education, particularly renowned for his work in Video Self-Modeling (VSM) for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. He held the Siskin Children's Institute's Chair of Excellence in Early Childhood Special Education and served as a professor in the School of Education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Before his tenure at Chattanooga, Dr. Buggey was a professor at the University of Memphis from 1993 to 2007. Throughout his career, he conducted extensive research on VSM, publishing numerous papers and authoring the book "Seeing Is Believing: Video Self-Modeling for People with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities" in 2009.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr. Buggey was an avid collector of ancient coins. He maintained a website titled "Ancient Coins: In Praise of the Celators!" which focused on Greek and Roman coins, especially those depicting emperors Trajan and Hadrian. The site featured images, descriptions, and discussions on the artistry of ancient coin engravers, known as celators. Dr. Buggey also engaged in scholarly discussions about ancient coin technology, contributing to forums such as the
LinkedIn has the most recent information on Dr. Buggey mentions that he retired in December 2014 to focus on advancing VSM techniques and resided in Hixson, Tennessee, with his wife Ann, remaining active in both his professional and personal interests. This coin was in a sale of coins from his collection in 2019.
References
Y. Meshorer, "The Coins of Dora," INJ 9 (1986-7), pg. 70, 34 var. (same) [see here as well]
The Bible references Dor in Joshua 11:2, Judges 1:27, and 1 Kings 4:11
Inscriptions: 2nd-century dedications: one inscription (SEG 1973, 551) is a prayer for Trajan’s safety by the city, and another honors C. Gargilius Antiquus (likely governor of Syria Phoenicia circa AD 120) with a statue base (Tel Dor Excavatio Site)
Stern’s “Dor, Ruler of the Seas: Twenty Years of Excavations at Dor” (2000) which provides an overview of findings
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