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Stater - Pharnabazus II Tarsus
| Issuer | Cilicia, Satrapy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 380 BC - 375 BC |
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| Currency | Drachm (550-330 BCE) |
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| Obverse description | Three-quarter facing head of a nymph, turned slightly to the left, rendered in fine Classical style. The figure wears a pendant earring and an elaborate necklace adorned with pendants, reflecting the luxury of Achaemenid-era iconography. The hair is carefully arranged, and the treatment of the facial features demonstrates the high artistic quality associated with Tarsian coinage of the late fifth to early fourth century BC. The field is plain, with no legend or inscription. |
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| Mint | Tarsus |
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| Additional information |
Pharnabazus II received command of Cilicia and its mint at Tarsus around 380 BC as reward for his role in expelling the Spartan king Agesilaus from Asia Minor — a campaign in which Persian diplomacy ultimately proved more decisive than Persian arms. His tenure at Tarsus was short-lived; by 374 BC he had been dispatched westward to lead a naval expedition against Egypt, a costly failure that consumed much of the decade.
The SNG von Aulock 5920 attribution places this piece within a well-documented but chronologically compressed series, the entire run confined to roughly five years of active satrapal administration.