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Silver Unit - Athenian style
| Issuer | Sabaean Kingdom (Southern Arabia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 300 BC - 100 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Ancient South Arabian |
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| Reverse description | A highly stylised owl stands upright facing right, its plumage rendered in bold relief with rows of pellets representing feathers across the body and wing, characteristic of South Arabian imitative coinage derived from the Athenian tetradrachm type. The head is shown in three-quarter view with large, prominent eyes. Beneath the owl appears a South Arabian monogram or inscription in the lower field. Additional Ancient South Arabian lettering is visible to the right of the owl, indicating local mint or dynastic attribution. The overall design is a schematised provincial adaptation of the classical Attic owl motif. |
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| Additional information |
Sabaean merchants copied Athenian owl tetradrachms so faithfully that the imitations circulated alongside originals across Arabian trade routes for generations — the Athenian type had become a trusted commercial currency across the ancient Near East, and reproducing it was a commercial decision, not a cultural one. These pieces were struck to local weight standards rather than Attic, which is why they fall short of the canonical tetradrachm mass.
The Huth and CAF references document considerable die variety across the series, reflecting decentralized production over two centuries rather than any single mint event.