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Trihemistater
| Issuer | Carthage |
|---|---|
| Year | 264 BC - 241 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A proud horse stands in profile to the right, rendered with bold musculature and a braided mane, its tail sweeping elegantly downward in a flowing curve. The horse's head is raised and turned slightly, conveying vigor and nobility — a recurrent Carthaginian symbol of power and martial prowess. Above the horse's back, a large globular sun-disk is prominently displayed, flanked on either side by a uraeus cobra with spread hood, a direct borrowing from Egyptian iconographic tradition reflecting Carthage's close cultural ties with North Africa. The field is otherwise plain, and no legend or inscription is present. The coin is struck on a broad, slightly irregular flan with a beaded border visible at the periphery. |
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| Mintage | ND (264 BC - 241 BC) |
| Additional information |
The dates bracket the First Punic War precisely — this coinage was struck to pay Carthage's mercenary armies fighting Rome in Sicily, a conflict that would ultimately bankrupt the city and trigger the catastrophic Mercenary War of 241–238 BC. Carthage relied heavily on hired Libyan, Iberian, and Gallic troops who demanded hard currency, not promises.
The electrum alloy is notably debased compared to earlier Carthaginian issues, reflecting wartime fiscal pressure rather than a clean monetary policy decision.