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Diobol - Ptolemy II Philadelphus
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 275 BC - 274 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and tania-bound head of Zeus-Ammon in right profile, rendered in the Hellenistic tradition with a prominent ram's horn curling behind the ear — the syncretic hallmark of the Alexandrian deity. The deity's flowing locks and full beard are boldly modelled in high relief, conveying divine authority. The tainia headband is visible across the forehead, partially obscured by the thick, wavy hair. The portrait fills the flan and is executed with confident, vigorous engraving characteristic of early Ptolemaic bronze coinage. No legend appears on the obverse. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ (Translation: King Ptolemy.) |
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| Additional information |
Ptolemy II inherited a monetary system from his father that was deliberately incompatible with the broader Greek world — a closed currency zone designed to force all merchants trading in Egypt to exchange their coin at royal banks, generating conversion revenue for the crown. This bronze diobol belongs to the early phase of that system's consolidation, struck when Ptolemy II was simultaneously managing the First Syrian War against the Seleucids and completing the grand building program at Alexandria.
The Lorber 1.2 classification places this among the earliest organized bronze issues under Philadelphus, before the series underwent significant weight adjustments in subsequent decades.