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Mnaieion - Arsinoe II
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 252 BC - 249 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Mnaeion (100) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Arsinoe II facing right, wearing a stephane adorned with a floral or radiate ornament and a fine diadem, her hair arranged in tight curls at the brow and bound beneath a veil that falls in long striations over the neck and shoulders. The portrait is rendered in the refined Hellenistic court style, presenting the queen with idealized yet individualized features. A small control mark, appearing as the letter K, is visible in the lower left field. The beaded border encircles the entire design. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Issued posthumously — Arsinoe II died around 270 BC — this heavyweight gold piece was struck under Ptolemy III as part of a sustained dynastic cult built around his deified predecessor and aunt-turned-stepmother. The Ptolemaic court had invested heavily in her apotheosis, and these large gold pieces functioned as instruments of that religious-political program, circulating as proof of divine favor rather than as everyday transactional currency.
The mnaieion denomination, equivalent to a full gold mina, was among the largest gold coins produced in the Hellenistic world by weight.