The tetradrachms from Tyros were known as shekel in vernacular. They bore the laureate head of Melqart, the city's main god and patron of navigation. The reverse, in turn, was geared after the Egyptian tetradrachms. This is not surprising, since Tyros maintained close commercial relations to Egypt. Coins from Tyros were also popular in Israel; the temple duty in the temple of Jerusalem had to be paid in Tyrian coins. The reason was simple: the silver content of the Tyrian tetradrachms did not fluctuate. The coins value was constant, and with that calculable. As a result, every Jew who wanted to pay the temple tax had to go to one of the moneychangers in the temple court and change his money into Tyrian currency. This is wad made a man called Jesus so furious, that he got rough against the ubiquitous moneychangers.