A guide to the principal gold and silver coins of the ancients ...

72 PERIOD V. A.
V. A.
Plates 36-40.
platb 36. 1-4, Four tetradrachms with Alexander's types. No. 1
was struck at Cyzicus, probably in the time of Antiochus
II., about the middle of the third century.
Wt. 262 grs. No. 2 has the Carian double axe.
Wt. 264 grs. No. 3 cannot be attributed with certainty,
but probably belongs to the western part of
Asia Minor. Wt. 263 grs. No. 4 is of Aradus, in
Phoenicia, and bears the date 62 either of the era of
Aradus, which commenced in B.C. 259, or of the
Seleucid era, B.C. 312. wt. 264-7 grs.
5. Pontus. Mithradates II. JR. Obv. Portrait of king. Eev.
BAZIAEQZ MI0PAAATOY. Zeus Aetophoros, seated; in
front, a star and crescent. Wt. 264*7 gi's.
This Mithradates reigned from B.C. 240-190. The star
and crescent are emblems of the sun and moon, and
allude to the religion of the Persians, from whom the
kings of Pontus were descended.
6. Calchedon. M. Obv. Head of Demeter, veiled. Bev. KAAX.
Apollo, seated on omphalos. Wt. 215'6 grs.
Compare the obverse of this coin with Y. B. 3 and 32,
of Byzantium and Chalcis in Euboea; and the reverse
with V. A. 19, of Antiochus the Great. All these coins
may be assigned to the time of Antiochus III., B.C.
222-187.
7. Bithynia. Prusias I., B.C. 228-180. M. Obv. Head of
Prusias. Hev. BASIAEQZ HPOYZIOY. Zeus, standing,
holding wreath and sceptre. Wt. 265 grs.
Plate 37. 8. Pergamus. Philetaerus, B.C. 284-263. M. Obv. Head
of Seleucus I. diademed. i?6'y. IAETAIPOY. Athena seated, left,
holding a shield in front of her. Wt. 259*4 grs.
The coins of the kings of Pergamus can only be
arranged by style, as they all bear the name, and most
of them the portrait, of Philetaerus, the founder of the
dynasty. This coin is one of the earliest ; it bears the
portrait of Seleucus, who appears to have been recognised
by Philetaerus as his suzerain.
*r