Seleukid Coins

Antiochos XII

Bronze coins  •  References

Identification Number A12-AE-02
Mint:	Damaskos1
Period:	87/6 - 84/3 BC
Denomination:	AE Unit
Weight:
Diameter:	19 - 20 mm
Obverse:	Diademed and draped bust of bearded Antiochos XII right; fillet border
Reverse:	‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ’ right, ‘[Φ]ΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ [Κ]ΑΛΛΙΝΙΚΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, the Father-loving, the Nobly-victorious”); Zeus Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) standing and facing left, holding Nike in right hand and scepter in left hand; dotted (fillet ?) border
Die Position:	0º
References:	Houghton, CSE, 866; Newell, LSM, 137; SNG Spaer, 2884 - 2888

Identification Number A12-AE-04
Mint:	Damaskos1
Period:	87/6 - 84/3 BC
Denomination:	AE Unit
Weight:	7.08 g
Diameter:	20.0 - 21.5 mm
Obverse:	Diademed and draped bust of Antiochos XII right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘[ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ] ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ] ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ’ right, ‘ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ [Κ]ΑΛΛΙΝΙΚΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, the Father-loving, the Nobly-victorious”); turreted and draped Tyche standing left, holding palm branch with right hand and cornucopiae2 with left arm; ‘Π’ in outer left field; dotted border
Die Position:	0º
References:	Houghton, CSE, 871; Newell, LSM, 142; SNG Spaer, 2903 - 2906

Identification Number A12-AE-01
Mint:	Damaskos1
Period:	87/6 - 84/3 BC
Denomination:	AE Half Unit
Weight:	4.0 g
Diameter:	15 - 16 mm
Obverse:	Diademed, bearded head of Antiochos XII right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕ[ΩΣ] ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ] ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ’ right, ‘ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟ[Σ] ΚΑΛΛΙΝΙΚΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, the Father-loving, the Nobly-victorious”); Nike walking right, holding wreath in extended right hand and palm branch with left hand; control mark in outer left field; dotted border
Die Position:	0º
References:	Newell, LSM, 139; SNG Spaer, 2890 - 2894

Identification Number A12-AE-03
Mint:	Damaskos1
Period:	87/6 - 84/3 BC
Denomination:	AE Half Unit
Weight:	3.24 g
Diameter:	15 - 17 mm
Obverse:	Diademed, unbearded head of Antiochos XII right; dotted border, if any, off flan
Reverse:	‘[ΒΑΣΙΛ]ΕΩΣ [ΑΝΤ]ΙΟΧΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΝΟΥΣ (instead of the correct ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ)’ right, ‘[Φ]ΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡ[ΟΣ] [Κ]ΑΛΛΙ[ΝΙΚΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos, the Illustrious, the Father-loving, the Nobly-victorious”); Apollo standing left, holding palm branch in extended right hand and resting left elbow on tripod; control marks, if any, illegible or off flan; dotted border, if any, off flan
Die Position:	0º
References:	Houghton, CSE, 870; Newell, LSM, 138, 141, 143; SNG Spaer, 2907 - 2916

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

² 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)

References:

Bitner, John W.: The Cornucopia - A Horn of Plenty. The Celator, Vol. 14, No. 11 (November 2000), pp. 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16.

Houghton, Arthur: Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection of Arthur Houghton. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1983. (abbr. CSE)

Houghton, Arthur; Spaer, Arnold (with the assistance of Catharine Lorber): Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. Israel I. The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. Italo Vecchi Ltd., London, 1998. (abbr. SNG Spaer)

Newell, Edward T.: Late Seleucid Mints in Ake-Ptolemais and Damascus. The American Numismatic Society, Numismatic Notes and Monographs No. 84, New York, 1939. (abbr. LSM)