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Drachm - Mausolus Halikarnassus
| Issuer | Caria, Achaemenid Satrapy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 370 BC - 353 BC |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Facing head of Apollo in three-quarter view turned slightly to the right, laureate with a wreath of laurel; a chlamys is visible fastened at the neck. The rendering reflects the fine Hellenistic sculptural tradition prevalent in fourth-century BC Carian coinage, with carefully articulated facial features and naturalistic hair treatment. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Mausolus ruled Caria not merely as a Persian-appointed governor but as a dynast who played both sides with remarkable dexterity — nominally subordinate to Artaxerxes II while building a virtually independent kingdom, funding Greek mercenaries, and relocating his capital from Mylasa to Halikarnassos. His coinage reflects this dual identity, drawing on Greek die-cutting traditions while maintaining the weight standards of the Persian monetary system. When he died in 353 BC, his wife and sister Artemisia II completed the Mausoleum at Halikarnassos in his name — the monument that gave all subsequent mausoleums their name.