20230925

GREEK/Seleucid; Petr Vesely's Antiochos VIII Philometor; The coins reposted and updated from Seleukid Traces.info

 On the total majority of royal coins issued during the sole reign of Antiochos VIII,1 either the epithet Epiphanes (“Illustrious” or “[God] Manifest”) is attached to his name or his name is stated without any epithet. His coins therefore bear either the inscription ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ’ or simply ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’.2 There is only one exception, a small issue of bronze coins minted at Antioch on the Orontes which bear the epithet Philometor (“Mother-loving”):3

Obverse:

Radiate, diademed head of Antiochos VIII right; dotted border

Reverse:

‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ in two lines on right, ‘ΦΙΛΟΜΗΤΟΡΟΣ’ on left (“of King Antiochos the Mother-loving”); eagle standing left, scepter behind shoulder; control mark in outer left field;4 Seleukid date ΒΣ (year 202 of the Seleukid Era, i.e. 111/10 BC) in exergue

This small issue is a part of an extensive series of bronze coins which was minted at Antioch mint from 121/0 BC (SE 192, i.e. year 192 of the Seleukid era) to 111/10 BC (SE 202). Coins of this series have the same design as the coins with the epithet Philometor, but they bear the standard epithet Epiphanes and they are dated SE 192, ... , SE 200 and SE 202 (coins of this series dated SE 201 are not known).5 Whereas coins of this series with the epithet Epiphanes are abundant, the coins bearing the epithet Philometor are rare and they are known from the year SE 202 only. Moreover, this epithet is not found elsewhere on Antiochos VIII’s coins.

The epithet Philometor in itself is strange considering the role of Antiochos VIII in the death of his mother, Kleopatra Thea:6

Justin, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus, 39.2: Grypus (Antiochos VIII), having thus recovered his father’s throne, and being freed from foreign perils, found his life endangered by a plot of his own mother (Kleopatra Thea); who, after betraying, from desire of power, her husband Demetrius (Demetrios II), and putting to death her other son (Seleukos V, the oldest son of Demetrios II), was discontented at her dignity being eclipsed by the victory of Grypus, and presented him with a cup of poison as he was returning home from taking exercise. But Grypus, having received notice of her treacherous intention, desired her (as if to show as much respect for his mother as she showed for him) to drink herself first, and, when she refused, pressed her earnestly, and at last, producing his informant, charged her with the fact, telling her, “that the only way left to clear herself from guilt, was, that she should drink what she had offered to her son.” The queen, being thus disconcerted, and her wickedness turned upon herself, was killed with the poison which she had prepared for another.

Appian, Roman History, 11.69: After Seleucus (Seleukos V, the oldest son of Demetrios II), Grypus (Antiochos VIII) became king, and he compelled his mother (Kleopatra Thea) to drink poison that she had mixed for himself. So justice overtook her at last.

However, as Houghton, Lorber and Hoover mention in SC II (Vol. 1, p. 502), this epithet was born apparently without any irony. It is also attested by Eusebius of Caesarea7 and by an inscription from Delos (ibid, p. 487).

List of known specimens

The following table shows all specimens known to Petr, et al. 

The abbreviations A and P stand for Anvil (obverse) and Punch (reverse) dies but the die identification is tentative because details are not clearly visible on some coins.


1. A1/P1, 6.18g, 20mm, control mark in outer l. field, date ΒΣ in exergue, Reference: CNG EA 200,

03 Dec 2008, Lot 160. 

2. A1/P1, 5.02 g, ---mm, control mark in outer l. field, date ΒΣ in exergue, Reference: Collection of the ANS, 1992.54.2162, Houghton, Lorber, Hoover, SC II 2308 (this coin). 


3. A1/P2, 6.61 g, c. 19mm, s/a/a, Reference: Hunterian Coll. III, p. 103, No. 39 (Plate LXX,2)

(c) Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow. 




4. A1/P3, 6.12 g, c. 19mm, s/a/a, Reference: Hunterian Coll. III, p. 103, No. 41.

(c) Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow.

5. A1/P4, 5.6 g, 19 mm, s/a/a, Reference: Forvm Ancient Coins, FPL stock No. BB49012 (recorded January 2011). 


A

6. A2/P4, 6.35 g, c. 19 mm, control mark and date off flan, Reference: Hunterian Coll. III, p. 103, No. 40.

(c) Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow.



7. A3/P4, 5.34 g, 18-19 mm, control mark in outer l. field, date off flan Reference: Daniel Kearney's Collection (photo courtesy of).


8. A4/P5, 6.3g, 19 mm, control mark in outer l. field, date ΒΣ in exergue, Reference:  Tom Kirby Collection (photo courtesy of).


9. A4/P6, 5.74g, 20 mm, control mark in outer l. field, date Β[Σ] in exergue, Reference: Tom Kirby Collection (photo courtesy of).


10. A5/P7, 5.54 g, 18-20 mm, control mark in outer l. field, unclear date in exergue, Reference: Petr Vesely Collection (A08-AE-02).


11. A5/P8, 5.18 g, 17.5-19 mm, control mark in outer l. field, date ΒΣ in exergue, Reference:  Petr Vesely Collection (A08-AE-01). 


12. A5/P8, 4.64g, 16-18mm, s/a/a, Reference: Tom Kirby Collection (photo courtesy of). 


13. A6/P9, 5.61 g, 18 mm, s/a/a, Reference: This collection and ex: Zurqieh UAE.


14. A7/P9, 6.41g, 17-18 mm, s/a/a, Reference: Petr Vesely Collection (A08-AE-03),


15.  A7/P10, 5.5g, 19mm, s/a/a, Reference: Münzen & Medaillen GmbH, Auction 17 (4 Oct0ber 2005), Lot 1046 (photo courtesy of).


16. A8/P11, 5.47g, 18mm, control mark in l. field, date off flan, Reference: Tom Kirby Collection (photo courtesy of).


17. A8/P12, 5.91g, 17-18mm, unclear control mark in outer l. field, unclear date, Reference: Petr Vesely Collection (A08-AE-04).



18. A-/P-, 5.45g, 18m, unclear control mark in outer l. field, unclear date. Reference: this collection ex: Zurqieh UAE via VCoins. 


 

19. A-/P-, 5.96g, 18mm, clear control in outer l. field, clear date. Reference: Tom Kirby Collection ex: Obolos Web Auction 24, (21 August 2022) Lot 414. 


Last update 24 September 2023. 
The coins designated as belonging to the Petr Vesely Collection are now part of the Collection of the National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic. All permissions to repost this information was provided by Petr Vesely in December 2022. All errors noted in the reposted information are mine, and as this information is now available for regular updates, this post will be updated as new information etc., becomes available. 


20230914

LUXEMBOURG/EU-2 Euro Commemorative for the 175th Anniversary of the Chamber of Deputies


 €2 Commemorative, minted in Paris, 120,000 examples minted. 


                                  Photo of the Chambre des Deputies de Luxembourg (fair use photo)

20230903

ROMAN/Diocletian CE 284-305 Tripolis Mint


 AE Antoninianus; 20 mm, 3.39 g, 6h, Tripolis mint c. CE 284-286

RIC 330 variety

RCV 12670 variety

O: rad, drap, cuir bust r. IMP C G VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG

R: Jupiter r holding orb and spear receiving wreath from Victory, IOVI CON-SERVATOR-IAVG

in ex XXI (possible palm to left?) TR above in field. 

slightly different from the types described by Esty Tripolis mint, Roman Empire (augustuscoins.com)


Ex W Esty

ROMAN/Probus CE 276-282 Tripolis mint


 AE Antoninianus; 22mm, 3.86 g, 11h, Tripolis mint c. CE 280-281

RIC 928

Hunter 349-350

O: rad cuir bust r IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG

R: Probus with scepter receiving orb from Jupiter, CLEME-NTIAT-EMP in ex. KA in lower field a crescent.


ex: W. Esty