Catalog
Dichalkon - Cleopatra VII Coele-Syria, Chalkis ad Libanon
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 36 BC - 30 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII facing right, her hair elaborately coiffed and secured with a diadem, with loose locks falling behind the neck. The portrait displays the characteristic strong-featured Ptolemaic royal effigy rendered in Hellenistic style. The Greek legend ΒΑCΙΛΙCCΗC ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑC ('of Queen Cleopatra') surrounds the bust within a beaded border. The overall style reflects the provincial mint engraving tradition of Coele-Syria. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
These bronzes were struck at Chalkis ad Libanon following Mark Antony's controversial gift of Coele-Syria and other eastern territories to Cleopatra in 36 BC — a transfer that outraged Rome and contributed materially to the political case Octavian built against him. The mint had previously operated under Lysanias of Iturea, whom Antony had executed that same year to clear the way for Ptolemaic control.
The series runs only to 30 BC, ending with Cleopatra's death and Octavian's annexation of Egypt. Short window, provincial mint, limited output.