That Other Long Issued Tetradrachm, Antioch

[kevikens]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a blurb on the long minted tetradrachms of Alexandria, something like 600 years. There is another long issued tetradrachm series, about 500 years, which is interesting to compare with its Alexandrine cousin, namely the tetradrachm of Seleucid and Roman minting out of Antioch. The similarities and differences are fascinating. Both mints were named after  early rulers of the Greeks following the demise of Alexander, the Ptolemies continuing the Alexandria name with the Seleucid monarchs giving the name of  Antiochus I to their new Seleucid foundation. Both cities initiated a series of tetradrachms which lasted almost 300 years as Greek coins and then an almost another 300 years as coinage of Imperial Rome.

The Seleucid mint of Antioch issued tetradrachms mostly on the Attic standard of about 16-17 grams of a very fine silver but like the tetras of Alexandria they began to be debased for the same reason, problems with an expanding Rome. One major difference between the two coinages was that the Alexandrian tetradrachms always used the image of Ptolemy 1 whereas the Seleucids commonly placed the image of the different reigning monarchs on their silver coinage. I would also venture the opinion that fabric and design of the Antiochene coinage was consistently higher than the Ptolemaic issues.

Both cities fell under Roman control by the mid First Century BC, Antioch to Pompey and Alexandria to Octavian. Both cities had their mints taken over by the Romans who began to issue their own imperial versions with the head of the current Caesar on them. Both series also began the inevitable being debased process, though the Antioch coins held their silver fineness consistently higher than their Alexandrine counterpart. The Alexandrian coinage continued until the great coinage reforms of Diocletian circa 290's AD while the Antiochene coinage was ended abruptly by the Sassanian Persian invasion of the mid 250's AD. Still, not a bad run considering how briefly some coinages of other civilizations have lasted less than one century before collapsing. 

I have a few coins from Antioch posted here, though some of these coins may have been issued at mints outside of Antioch itself. From left to right and top to bottom they are first, a tetradrachm of Demitrios I of excellent style weighing a respectable 16.14 grams with Tyche (Fortuna) on the reverse minted about 160 BC It is Sear 7014 sim. Second, to its right is a well struck issue of Antilochus VIII with a standing Zeus. It weighs 15.96 grams and is Sear 7143 and was minted about 115 BC. The third coin is of King Philip who was the last Seleucid monarch. The inscription on the reverse is stylized and difficult to read, perhaps by design, as Roman authorities continued minting this coin well after Phillip had died as a kind of familiar trade coin. The Maria Theresa taler of the ancient Levant being found in hoards even a bit after 200 AD.. It weighs 15.89 grams. The next five coins were issued under the authority of the Roman Empire and used Greek instead of Latin in the inscriptions. The first of these Imperial tetradrachms is of Galba, next is one of Domitian, and then Nerva. They are slightly debased silver (averaging about 85% fine silver) and weighing on average about 14.5 grams They probably passed as three denarii in the market place. The next to the last Imperial tetradrachm is of Caracalla and by this time (as was also the case of his denarii) was well debased to about 35% fine silver and were issued in enormous quantities to pay for his campaign against Parthia. They are often found in today's market at reasonable prices, in somewhat of a rough form and, in my opinion, were carelessly struck. One interesting note about these coins is that they may not usually have been issued directly to the troops but were more likely issued to contractors and suppliers as they are found in only small numbers in what seem to be soldier hoards but form a very high percentage of large caches. Perhaps. Lastly, is a tetra of Trajan Decius by which time the coin was  heavily debased to about 10-12 % fine silver, though the weight is a not so terrible 12.4 grams. In order, these last five Roman issues are Sear Geek Imperial 680, Prieur 143, Prieur 149, Sear Greek Imperial 2676 Astarte Mint of Sidon, and lastly Sear Greek Imperial 4209.

For those interested in these coins, the Roman versions, anyway I highly recommend the Sear Greek Imperial book and for the information on the metrology of the Roman coins I recommend Harl, pp 137-200 and Butcher p 576 ff. 

I hope readers enjoy this post and will contribute images of their own and commentary about this issue of interesting coinage.

Edited June 12 by kevikens
Grammar mistakes

[expat]

Nice write up and a selection of coinage to get the mouth watering.

One of my recent purchases

RPC Volume: IX №: 1701
Reign: Trajan Decius Persons: Trajan Decius (Augustus)
City: Antioch  Region: Syria Province: Syria Coele
Denomination: Tetradrachm Average weight: 11.69 g. Issue: Group 3, officina 2
Obverse: ΑΥΤ Κ Γ ΜΕ ΚΥ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΔΕΚΙΟϹ ϹΕΒ; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Decius, right, seen from rear; below bust: •• (Officina 2)
Reverse: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ, S C; eagle standing on palm, left, spreading wings, holding wreath in beak
Reference: Prieur 578, McAlee 1126b. Known specimens: 16

26mm, 11.48g

[kevikens]

2 hours ago, expat said:

Nice write up and a selection of coinage to get the mouth watering.

One of my recent purchases

RPC Volume: IX №: 1701
Reign: Trajan Decius Persons: Trajan Decius (Augustus)
City: Antioch  Region: Syria Province: Syria Coele
Denomination: Tetradrachm Average weight: 11.69 g. Issue: Group 3, officina 2
Obverse: ΑΥΤ Κ Γ ΜΕ ΚΥ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΔΕΚΙΟϹ ϹΕΒ; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Decius, right, seen from rear; below bust: •• (Officina 2)
Reverse: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ, S C; eagle standing on palm, left, spreading wings, holding wreath in beak
Reference: Prieur 578, McAlee 1126b. Known specimens: 16

26mm, 11.48g

On both of our coins Trajan Decius looks like he drinks nothing but posca for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[shanxi]

Nice topic, here are two examples, roman and greek

 

Antiochos VII. Euergetes
year -138 to year -129
AR Tetradrachm,
Obv: Head, diadem
Rev: ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ / ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ, Athena holding nike
Ref.: SC 2061.2, HGC 9 #1067d, Antioch.
Ag, 28.5mm, 16.27g

 

Elagabalus
Syria, Antiochia
Billon tetradrachm
Obv.: AVT K M A ANTWNEINOC, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: ΔHMAPX EΞYΠATOC TOB, Eagle standing facing, head and tail left, holding wreath in beak, Δ Є above wings, star between legs.
Billon, 13.10g, 24-27mm
Ref.: Prieur 264

 

[MrMonkeySwag96]

I’d love to own an Antioch tetradrachm of Vespasian someday. My only tetradrachm from that city is this Hellenistic issue of Antiochos VIII: 

SELEUKID, Antiochos VIII, 121-96 BC, tetradrachm, no date, Obverse: his head R, Reverse: Zeus standing L, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥ, IE A on left, P below, silver, 30mm, 16.5g, SG7143v, scratches on neck, VF

 

Edited June 13 by MrMonkeySwag96

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Another example of the odd character Severan

Elagabalus, 218-222 A.D. AR Tetradrachm, struck 218-220 A.D., 25mm 12.02 grams

Obverse: Laureate head of Elagabalus right AVT K M A ANTONEINOC CEB

Reverse: Eagle standing left, wreath in beak, star between legs, delta epsilon in field DH MARC EX UPATOC TO B

Reference: Prieur 249A; McAlee 760 

[kevikens]

I have found that the tetras of Elagabalus seem to be a bit better in fabric and appearance. These examples here look a lot better to me than most of the ones I have seen of Caracalla.

 

[Ten-Speed]

Intriguing history 

[Bailathacl]

Here’s my Antioch Tet of Caracalla, picked up in today’s Steve Album auction.  (Auction photos and description follow.)

[Ten-Speed]

A good addition to your collection. Where is the verdigris..maybe my eyes don't pick up on it anymore?

[Bailathacl]

Thanks.   don’t see telltale signs of verdigris either — perhaps on the lower obverse rim area?  I will let you know when I have it in hand.