Catalog
Æ28–29 - Kleopatra VII Cyprus
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 47 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 14.77 g |
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| Obverse description | Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII facing right, assimilated to Aphrodite, her hair elaborately coiffed beneath a royal diadem. The queen cradles the winged infant Ptolemy XV Caesarion, depicted as Eros, in her arms. A scepter rises vertically to the left of the bust, serving as an attribute of royal authority. The portrait is rendered in the Hellenistic court style, combining divine and regal iconography characteristic of late Ptolemaic royal portraiture. A circular legend frames the design in the outer field. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Two cornucopias crossed and bound together at their bases with a fillet, their mouths spilling upward and outward in a symmetrical composition emblematic of royal abundance and prosperity. The ΚΥΠΡ monogram, identifying the island of Cyprus as the issuing authority, is prominently placed in the right field. The reverse legend arcs around the periphery in Greek characters. The design follows the standard Ptolemaic reverse type employing the double cornucopia motif, here adapted for the Cypriot mint under Cleopatra VII's administration. |
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| Additional information |
Cyprus came under Kleopatra VII's direct administration following Caesar's reorganization of eastern territories after the Alexandrian War, and this issue was likely struck at Paphos to assert her authority over the island. The mint had been dormant for Ptolemaic bronze production for some years prior, making this a deliberately political resumption of coinage rather than a routine administrative act.