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Trihemishekel
| Issuer | Carthage |
|---|---|
| Year | 240 BC - 230 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Standing horse to the right, with head turned back toward the viewer, positioned before a prominent palm tree whose fronds rise above the animal's back. The composition is a hallmark of Carthaginian coinage, symbolizing both the city's North African identity and its military power. The reverse field is plain with no inscription, the design executed in bold relief typical of hammered Punic silver coinage. |
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| Mintage | ND (240 BC - 230 BC) |
| Additional information |
These coins were struck during one of Carthage's most dangerous internal crises — the Mercenary War of 241–238 BC, when unpaid soldiers who had fought Rome in the First Punic War turned on their employers. The Carthaginian treasury was under extraordinary pressure to meet payroll demands that had already sparked open revolt, and silver coinage of this period was likely produced in part to satisfy troop payments in a desperately unstable fiscal environment.
The denomination itself — three half-shekels — reflects the Semitic weight standard Carthage maintained throughout its coinage, distinct from the Greek and Roman systems operating simultaneously across the Mediterranean.