Lot 3153
Syria, Cyrrhestica. Bambyke-Manbog. Abyaty. Silver Shekel (Didrachm) (8.63 g), ca. 342-331 BC. HD'D W'TH (Aramaic), draped bust of goddess with wild hair facing, wearing necklace; in right field, circle. Reverse: 'BYTY (Aramaic) above, the Great King and driver in biga of mules right; c/m: Aramaic l. Mildenberg 1; Seyrig 4; Price 16-7; HGC 9, 1344. Extremely Rare, and one of the finest known. As struck. Lustrous. Superb Extremely Fine.
The city of Bambyke-Manbog (later known as Hierapolis), was a sacerdotal city dedicated to the worship of Atargatis and Hadad located near the Euphrates in Mesopotamia. Not only did it serve as a site of pilgrimage with an elaborate cult center, it also occupied a position in the center of a network of trade routes connecting Apamea with Edessa and Thapsacus with Samosata. This fortunate circumstance led to the creation of a monetary economy by the mid 4th century BC, and the city's location between East and West resulted in a coalescence of eastern and western influences on the coinage. On this coin the reverse shows the Persian Great King (Artaxerxes III Ochus?) in a cart drawn by two mules, reflecting the style of the Phoenician city of Sidon, while the obverse depicts the bust of an unidentified female (probably Atargatis) in the manner of Kimon of Syracuse.
Estimated Value $6,000 - 8,000.
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| Realized $9,400 |
