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Hemidrachm - Spithridates
| Issuer | Lydia, Satrapy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 335 BC - 334 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bare head of the satrap Spithridates facing right, wearing the Persian kyrbasia (soft tiara), rendered in a naturalistic Greco-Persian style typical of late Achaemenid satrapal coinage. The facial features are rendered with fine detail, with a prominent eye, strong jaw, and visible ear beneath the headdress. The field is plain. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΣΠΙ |
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| Additional information |
Spithridates held the satrapy of Lydia and Ionia under Darius III and was among the Persian commanders at the Granicus River in 334 BC — the first pitched engagement of Alexander's invasion. He died there, cut down by Cleitus the Black after nearly killing Alexander himself. This coin's production window closes, in effect, at that battle. Issues attributed to his brief authority are uncommon precisely because his tenure ended so abruptly.