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Tetradrachm In the name of Alexander III
| Issuer | Mesembria (Thrace) |
|---|---|
| Year | 175 BC - 125 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 16.18 g |
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| Obverse description | Facing right, the youthful, beardless head of Heracles is rendered in high relief, enveloped in the scalp of the Nemean lion whose gaping jaws and fangs are visible atop the hero's skull. The mane and pelt fall naturalistically around the neck and shoulders, rendered with fine detail characteristic of late Hellenistic die-cutting. The facial features display strong modelling with a prominent brow, aquiline nose, and slightly parted lips, conveying the idealized heroic type associated with the Alexandrine coinage tradition. The field is otherwise blank, with no legend, focusing all visual weight on the iconic portrait. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Zeus Aëtophoros is depicted enthroned to the left upon a low stool-throne, his powerful semi-draped figure rendered in the canonical Lysippan type derived from Alexander III coinage. His outstretched right hand supports an eagle with spread wings, while his left hand firmly grasps a long upright sceptre. The Greek legend BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔΡOΥ runs along the right field. In the outer left field, a Corinthian helmet appears as a civic symbol of Mesambria, flanked by the control marks ΔΑ above and ΜΑ below the throne, identifying the issuing authority and officina. |
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| Mint | Mesambria, Thrace, modern-day Nesebar, Bulgaria |
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