Catalog
Dichalkon - Berenice II
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 246 BC - 222 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.49 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | An eagle with wings spread stands facing left atop a thunderbolt, the canonical reverse type of Ptolemaic bronze coinage symbolising divine royal authority through its Jovian emblem. The bird is depicted with strong, stylised feathering and talons firmly gripping the thunderbolt. The bi-partite legend BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY is distributed in the field to left and right of the eagle, proclaiming the sovereignty of King Ptolemy. The design follows the established Ptolemaic iconographic tradition introduced under Ptolemy I. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY (Translation: King Ptolemy.) |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Berenice II came to the Ptolemaic throne through Cyrene, having allegedly arranged the murder of her first betrothed, Demetrius the Fair, before marrying Ptolemy III Euergetes in 246 BC. Her subsequent deification was not merely ceremonial flattery — it carried political weight, linking the queen's cult to state religion at a moment when Ptolemy III was prosecuting the Third Syrian War deep into Seleucid territory. Bronze issues bearing her name were part of a coordinated effort to circulate her image and divine status throughout Egypt and its possessions while the king was abroad.