Submitted by Petr Vesely on
Founded 20-Jan-2009
Last update 30-Jul-2009
Identification Number A11-AE-01
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes1 |
| Period: | c. 94/3 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
Detail
| Weight: | 8.21 g |
| Diameter: | 19 - 20 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed, bearded head of Antiochos XI right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑ[ΝΟΥΣ] ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛ[ΦΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, Brother-Loving”); Athena Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) standing and facing left, holding Nike in right hand who faces left, and resting left hand on grounded shield, spear propped against her left arm; control marks, if any, unrecognizable or off flan2 |
| Die axis: | 0º |
| References: | Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2442; BMC 4, p. 99, No. 15 (Plate XXVI, 8); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 111, Nos. 1-3; Jean ELSEN & ses Fils s.a., Auction 93 (September 15, 2007), Lot 385; Jay Guberman’s collection; Tom Kirby’s collection |
| Note: | The bronze coinage of Antiochos XI comprises only two different types of the same denomination (Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2442 and 2443). The only difference between them is that the king is shown bearded on SC II, 2442, and clean shaven on SC II, 2443. According to Houghton, Lorber and Hoover (ibid, p. 579), the sideburn probably represents a campaign beard, grown as the outward mark of a vow to avenge the dethroning and death of Seleukos VI, whereas the clean-shaven likeness is presumed to be the iconographic representation of a king at ease in his rightful domain, his wov of vengeance discharged. |
Cited coins:
Jean ELSEN & ses Fils s.a., Auction 93, Lot 385
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes |
| Period: | c. 94/3 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 7.87 g |
| Diameter: | |
| Obverse: | Diademed, bearded head of Antiochos XI right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, Brother-Loving”); Athena Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) standing and facing left, holding Nike in right hand who faces left, and resting left hand on grounded shield, spear propped against her left arm; Φ above Τ in outer left field (the second control mark, bunch of grapes, unrecognizable or off flan) |
| Die axis: | c. -20º |
| References: | Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2442; BMC 4, p. 99, No. 15 (Plate XXVI, 8); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 111, Nos. 1-3 |
| Source: | Photo courtesy of Jean ELSEN & ses Fils s.a. – Auction 93 (September 15, 2007), Lot 385 |
Jay Guberman’s collection
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes |
| Period: | c. 94/3 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 8.29 g |
| Diameter: | 21 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed, bearded head of Antiochos XI right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ]’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦ[ΑΝΟΥΣ] ΦΙΛΑ[ΔΕ]ΛΦ[ΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, Brother-Loving”); Athena Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) standing and facing left, holding Nike in right hand who faces left, and resting left hand on grounded shield, spear propped against her left arm; Φ above Τ in outer left field (the second control mark, bunch of grapes, off flan) |
| Die axis: | c. 120º |
| References: | Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2442; BMC 4, p. 99, No. 15 (Plate XXVI, 8); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 111, Nos. 1-3 |
| Source: | Photo courtesy of Jay Guberman – Jay Guberman’s collection (July 2009) |
Tom Kirby’s collection
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes |
| Period: | c. 94/3 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 8.28 g |
| Diameter: | 20 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed, bearded head of Antiochos XI right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] [Α]ΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ]’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥ[Σ] [Φ]ΙΛΑΔΕΛ[ΦΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, Brother-Loving”); Athena Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) standing and facing left, holding Nike in right hand who faces left, and resting left hand on grounded shield, spear propped against her left arm; control marks, if any, unrecognizable or off flan |
| Die axis: | c. -20º |
| References: | Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2442; BMC 4, p. 99, No. 15 (Plate XXVI, 8); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 111, Nos. 1-3 |
| Source: | Photo courtesy of Tom Kirby – Tom Kirby’s collection (December 2006) |
1 Antioch was founded about 300 BC by Seleukos I Nikator, the founder of the Seleukid Dynasty, and it became the principal capital of the Seleukid Empire. The city was named after a family name Antiochos, passed from his father to his son (Antiochos I Soter). There were a number of other cities by the same name and this Antioch was known as Antioch on the Orontes (i.e. the Orontes River, along which it was located).
2 This type has a combination of letters Φ and Τ above bunch of grapes in outer left field.
References:
- Gardner, Percy:Catalogue of the Greek coins in the British Museum, Volume 4: The Seleucid Kings of Syria. London, 1878 (reprint, Arnaldo Forni, Bologna, 1963). (abbr. BMC 4)
- Houghton, Arthur; Lorber, Catharine; Hoover, Oliver:Seleucid Coins, A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part II, Volumes 1 and 2. The American Numismatic Society, New York, in association with Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Lancaster/London, 2008. (abbr. SC II)
- MacDonald, George:Catalogue of Greek Coins in the Hunterian Collection, University of Glasgow. Volume 3. Further Asia, Northern Africa, Western Europe. Elibron Classics, Adamant Media Corporation, 2003. Replica edition of the edition published by James Maclehose and Sons, Glasgow, 1905. (abbr. Hunterian Coll. III)