Catalog
Drachm - Koson
| Issuer | Uncertain Dacian tribes |
|---|---|
| Year | 42 BC - 29 BC |
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| Composition | Silver |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A Herculean club is depicted horizontally at center, enclosed within a circular oak wreath whose tied ends are visible at the base; a thunderbolt occupies the left field. The two-line Greek legend KOΣON above and ΔPOYEIΣ below flanks the club, separated by a row of pellets, all contained within the wreath. The epigraphy, though somewhat irregular in execution, is legible and consistent with provincial Greek lettering of the late first century BC. The oak wreath, club, and thunderbolt are emblems closely associated with Heracles and Macedonian royal iconography. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Koson coinage remains one of the more disputed issues in ancient numismatics — the name appears on both gold staters and silver drachms, yet no ancient source directly identifies a ruler or tribe of that name with certainty. The prevailing theory links the issues to the period of Dacian political fragmentation following the death of Burebista around 44 BC, possibly struck by a local dynast operating in the Carpathian region with access to Roman-influenced dies. The monogram found on the gold staters has been read as a reference to Marcus Junius Brutus, suggesting a possible mercenary or alliance payment context in the years immediately after Philippi.