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Æ - Prusias I or II
| Issuer | Kings of Bithynia |
|---|---|
| Year | 230 BC - 149 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | A bow and a quiver with arrows, depicted upright and centrally placed in the field — emblems of Apollo as divine patron of the Bithynian royal house. The quiver is shown in detail with its suspension strap, and the strung bow is placed beside it. The Greek royal legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to the right and ΠΡΟΥΣΙΟΥ to the left encircles the central device, reading in full 'of King Prusias.' The composition is bold and well-centered, typical of bronze civic and royal issues of the Hellenistic period. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Bithynia's two Prusiases ruled across nearly a century of dynastic survival — a kingdom that outlasted Macedonian fragmentation by playing Rome against the Seleucids with calculated deference. Prusias I famously harbored Hannibal after Zama, sheltering the Carthaginian general until Roman diplomatic pressure forced the situation. Hannibal died at Libyssa on Bithynian soil, reportedly around 183 BC, by his own hand rather than face extradition.
Without die study linking this piece to a specific reign, attribution remains genuinely contested between the two kings — the Recueil and Aulock references reflect that unresolved split.