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Shekel
| Issuer | Carthage |
|---|---|
| Year | 264 BC - 241 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Facing left, the wreathed head of the goddess Tanit is rendered in fine Hellenistic style, her wreath adorned with a pellet set upon a corn leaf. She wears an elaborate triple-drop pendant earring and a beaded necklace, both indicative of her divine status. The portrait is executed with fluid, naturalistic modeling characteristic of Carthaginian silver coinage of the First Punic War period. The hair is arranged in soft waves beneath the wreath, and the overall composition fills the flan with confident artistry. |
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| Reverse description | A horse stands to the right in a proud, alert posture, its head turned sharply back to the left in a characteristic Carthaginian numismatic convention. The musculature and anatomy of the animal are rendered with considerable skill, reflecting strong Hellenistic influence on Punic die engravers. The mane is depicted in fine, flowing detail, and the tail falls naturally behind the haunches. The plain field surrounding the figure is unadorned by legend or exergual inscription, as is typical for this series. The coin is struck on an irregular flan consistent with hand-hammered production techniques of the period. |
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| Additional information |
This issue dates to the First Punic War, the 23-year conflict that first brought Rome and Carthage into direct military collision. Carthage relied heavily on mercenary armies during this period, and silver shekels of this type are understood to have functioned partly as military pay coinage — struck in quantity to meet the immediate demands of fielding troops across Sicily and North Africa.
The Müller SBZ reference places this among a well-documented series, though attribution between Sicilian and North African mint production remains debated among specialists.