| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Herakles Auction 3 | Auction date: 7 July 2025 |
| Lot number: 89 Price realized: 600 EUR (Approx. 707 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Arados or uncertain mint in Cyprus. Ptolemy V Epiphanes 204-180 BC. Dated year ΠB (82) = 181/0 BC Tetradrachm AR 27 mm, 14,40 g Diademed head of Ptolemy I to right, wearing aegis / ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt; in exergue, date ΠB. Extremely Fine DCA 73; Svoronos 1103; Mørkholm, Ptolemaic 81. Ptolemy V Epiphanes (reigned 204–180 BC) was the fifth ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, ascending the throne as a child after the sudden death of his father, Ptolemy IV Philopator. His reign was marked by internal unrest, foreign threats, and significant historical developments. Coming to power at just five years old, Ptolemy V's early reign was dominated by regents and court intrigue. This instability was exploited by foreign powers: the Seleucid king Antiochus III and Philip V of Macedon seized Ptolemaic territories, leading to the Fifth Syrian War, during which Egypt lost control of Coele-Syria. A turning point in his reign came in 197 BC, when Ptolemy V was formally crowned as pharaoh in Memphis. To commemorate this, priests issued the famous Rosetta Stone, inscribed in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphs. It praised Ptolemy's benefactions to temples and confirmed his divine status-making the stone a key artifact in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. Despite the ceremonial grandeur, his rule faced ongoing revolts in Upper Egypt, and economic pressures strained the kingdom. He died young, around age 30, leaving the throne to his infant son, Ptolemy VI, and a legacy defined by political struggle and symbolic propaganda. Starting price: 300 EUR |  |
