GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos VIII “Philometor” BCE 121-96

AE 18 mm, 5.61 g, 12h, Antioch mint SE 202/BCE 111-110

SC 2308 (R, 17 known examples)

O: radiate hd of Antiochos r dotted border

R: [ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ] /A]NTIOXOY on right, [ΦI]ΛOMHTOPOΣ on l., Eagle stg l., BΣ underneath for SE date.

Control on outer left.

  
This is an example of the rare and elusive PHILOMETOR bronze of Antiochos VIII issued for a short time during SE 202. SC remarks that the epithet is used without irony despite his having killed his mother a decade before.

Petr Vesely has discussed this issue and the known examples on his website found http://seleukidtraces.info/information/ni_antiochos_philometor.html.

 Knowledge that this epithet was utilized by Antiochos VIII also is noted on an inscription found on Delos that said:

1	βασιλεὺ[ς Ἀντίοχος Ἐ]πιφανὴς
	Φιλομήτωρ [Καλλίνικος ὁ ἐγ] βασιλέως
	Δημητρίου [καὶ βασιλίσσης] Κ̣λεοπάτρας
	Γναῖον Παπ̣[ίριον Γαίου Κά]ρ̣βωνα
5	στρατη̣[γὸν ἀνθύπατον? Ῥωμαίω]ν ἀρετῆς
	ἕνεκ[εν καὶ εὐνοίας τῆς εἰς ἑαυ]τόν.

(translation and background below)

A STATUE OF CARBO DEDICATED BY ANTIOCHOS VIII AT DELOS Greek text:   IDelos_1550
Date:   116/5 B.C.
Format:   see key to translations

Carbo, who was Roman consul in 113 B.C., was probably acting as governor of the province of Asia when this statue was set up, but the reason that he was honoured in this way is unknown; see R.Kallet-Marx, "Hegemony to Empire", page 228 ( UC press e-books ).

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King [Antiochos] Epiphanes Philometor [Kallinikos, the son] of king Demetrios [and queen] Kleopatra, dedicated this statue of Gnaeus Papirius Carbo, [the son of Gaius], the praetor [and (?) proconsul of the Romans], on account of his virtue [and his goodwill towards] the king.

http://www.attalus.org/docs/ogis/s260.html

This example is ex Zurqieh (Dubai) 2018.