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Drachm - Ateas
| Issuer | Kings of Skythia |
|---|---|
| Year | 350 BC - 339 BC |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Artemis facing right, rendered in the Hellenistic style with finely detailed wavy hair swept back and gathered, adorned with a laurel wreath or stephane. The quiver strap is visible over the shoulder, alluding to her attribute as goddess of the hunt. The portrait is executed with considerable artistic refinement, reflecting the Greek engraving tradition adopted by the Scythian court. The field is plain, with no legend or inscription on this side. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΑΤΑΙΑΣ Θ ΚΑΛ |
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| Additional information |
Ateas ruled a unified Scythian kingdom stretching across the Pontic steppe and, by the 340s BC, was minting coinage in his own name — an unusual move for a nomadic ruler and almost certainly a response to sustained contact with Greek colonies along the Black Sea coast. He was killed at the Battle of the Isker in 339 BC at a reported age of ninety, fighting Philip II of Macedon, who subsequently broke Scythian political unity for generations.
The issue is rare by any measure. Philip's campaign effectively ended independent Scythian royal coinage.