1 One of the most important cities of Syria and probably the oldest city in the world.

2 Antiochos XII’s dated tetradrachms show him clean shaven in the first two years of his reign (SE 226 = 87/6 BC and SE 227 = 86/5 BC), but he is shown wearing a short, curly beard in the manner of his elder brother Demetrios III in the last three years of his reign (SE 228 = 85/4 BC, SE 229 = 84/3 BC and SE 230 = 83/2 BC), see Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2471, 2472 and 2472A. Tetradrachms dated SE 226-229 bear epithets Epiphanes Philopator Kallinikos, whereas tetradrachms from the year SE 230 bear a longer version Dionysos Epiphanes Philopator Kallinikos.

3 The border is described as dotted in Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II.

4 The short lines between dots are not mentioned in Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2478.

5 Based on dated tetradrachms, see footnote 2. Note that bronze coins from this last period are distinguished not only by the extra epithet but also by the realocation of their controls from the left field to the exergue.

6 According to Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, Vol. 1, p. 608, the name Dionysos may be less a new epithet than an explanatory expansion of the original epithets. It is the only one of these epithets cited by Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, 13.387, and The Wars of the Jews, Book I, 99).

7 Based on dated tetradrachms, see footnote 2.

8 The horn of plenty signifying prosperity and unlimited abundance. Its origin is connected with the events surrounding the birth of Zeus. According to ancient authors, Zeus was cared for by nymphs who fed him milk and honey. A nymph named Amaltheia owned a bull’s horn that could magically produce food or drink in limitless supply. According to another version of the myth, her goat named Aix (whose milk she fed the infant Zeus) accidentally broke off one of its horns and this became the cornucopiae. According to yet another version, Amaltheia was the goat from whom Zeus suckled milk and one of Amaltheia’s horns flowed with nectar and the other with ambrosia. After Zeus had matured, he honored Amaltheia by placing her in the sky as a constellation. In gratitude to the nymphs who had nurtured him, he presented them with a horn from Amaltheia that had the power to provide food and drink in limitless supply. (Bitner, The Cornucopia - A Horn of Plenty)

The cornucopiae is usually depicted overflowing with fruits and other agricultural produces. The depicted horns belonged to an ancient breed of wild goats known for their large horns. The word cornucopiae (plural cornuacopiae) is a combination of two Latin words, cornu (horn) and copiae (plenty). (Bitner, The Cornucopia - A Horn of Plenty)

9 This type was issued in the period 85/4 - 84/3 BC without the epithet Dionysos and in 83/2 BC with the epithet Dionysos. For both issues, the object in Hermes’s right hand is described as palm branch in the majority of references: Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 2480 and 2483; Houghton, CSE, 865; Hoover, CSE 2, 823; Newell, LSM, 136; SNG Spaer, 2917-2918; Hoover, HSC, 1335-1336. However, it seems to me that the palm branch is not recognizable on any specimen plated in these references. On the contrary, a small rounded object in Hermes’s right hand is visible on some coins (particularly clearly on SNG Spaer, 2917).

In MacDonald’s catalogue of the Hunterian collection (Hunterian Coll. III, p. 116, No. 10), this object is described as purse with a question mark. The money purse is compatible with this god (see, e.g., Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities - Hermes: In art he is represented in the widely varying characters which he assumed, as a shepherd with a single animal from his flock, as a mischievous little thief, as the god of gain with a purse in his hand, with a strigil as patron of the gymnasia, at other times with a lyre, but oftenest of all as the messenger of the gods.). Nevertheless, the purse is also unlikely because Hermes’s purse usually hangs down from his hand like pouch for coins. So, in my opinion, this object remains unidentified.

10 The staff carried by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, as a symbol of peace. It was carried by Greek ambassadors and heralds in time of war signifying their inviolability. It was originally depicted as a rod or olive branch ending in two shoots and decorated with garlands or ribbons; in later iconography the garlands became two snakes and a pair of wings was attached to the staff to represent Hermes’ speed. Caduceus is the Latin form of Greek κηρυκειον, which means a herald’s wand (κηρυξ = a herald). (Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities - Caduceus; Britannica Concise Encyclopedia from Encyclopedia Britannica - Caduceus)