Lot 1786
Seleukid Kingdom. Antiochos IV, 175-164 B.C. AR Tetradrachm (17.02 g), Akko mint. Diademed head right of Antiochos IV; monogram behind head. Reverse: Zeus seated left holding Nike in right hand; palm branch in left field. Cf. Houghton 784. H-413a var. Choice Very Fine.
It was this Seleucid king who succeeded his older brother, that was responsible for pressing Greek culture and religion upon the Jews with such vigor that it represented a major turning point in Jewish history. Known on his coins as "Epiphanes" (God Made Manifest), he prohibited the worship of the Jewish God, burned the Torah, and defiled the Temple by sacrificing a sow upon the altar. The Book of the Maccabees recounts numerous events pressed upon the lives of the Jews by this Hellenistic ruler.
Estimated Value $700 - 1,000.
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| Realized $920 |
