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Æ- Magas of Cyrene
| Issuer | Kyrene |
|---|---|
| Year | 276 BC - 261 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate head of Zeus Ammon facing right, rendered in fine Hellenistic style with naturalistic curling hair and a short beard; the face displays strong classical features with a prominent brow and well-defined jaw. The portrait fills the flan with no surrounding legend. The surface shows the characteristic dark brown patina of ancient Cyrenaican bronze coinage. |
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Magas governed Cyrene as a semi-independent ruler under the Ptolemaic umbrella before formally breaking with Ptolemy II Philadelphus around 274 BC and declaring himself king. The revolt coincided with the First Syrian War, and Magas reportedly marched his army toward Alexandria before a Libyan tribal incursion — the Marmaridae — forced him to turn back, effectively ending his military challenge. The breakaway kingship lasted until his death around 250 BC, making bronzes struck during his reign documents of a political rupture that nearly fractured Ptolemaic control of North Africa.