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Æ - Prusias I or II
| Issuer | Kings of Bithynia |
|---|---|
| Year | 230 BC - 149 BC |
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| Currency | Drachm |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Forepart of a bridled horse facing left, rendered in relief against a plain field. The animal's musculature and bridle strapping are summarily but expressively rendered in the Hellenistic tradition. No legend or inscription appears on the obverse. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (230 BC - 149 BC) |
| Additional information |
Bithynia never struck gold and rarely silver — bronze was the workhorse of its economy throughout the Hellenistic period. Prusias I consolidated Bithynian independence after maneuvering carefully between Rome and the Seleucids, famously sheltering Hannibal after Zama until Roman diplomatic pressure forced the Carthaginian general's suicide at Libyssa around 183 BC. His son Prusias II took a more servile approach to Rome, earning the nickname "Sardanapalus" from his own subjects for his obsequious behavior toward Roman senators.
The Recueil attribution spanning both rulers reflects genuine difficulty in separating their bronze issues by epigraphy alone.