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Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 105Auction date: 19 January 2023
Lot number: 557

Lot description:


Quintus Labienus or Ventidius Bassus AR Tetradrachm of Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria. In the name and types of Seleucid king Philip I Philadelphus. Dated year 10 of the Caesarean Era, circa 40/39 BC. Diademed head to right / Zeus Nicephorus seated to left; monogram to inner left, I (date) above thunderbolt in exergue; all within laurel wreath. RPC I 4133; McAlee 10 (same obv. die); Prieur 10; HGC 9, 1360g. 14.62g, 27mm, 1h.

Near Extremely Fine; some granularity, lightly toned. Extremely Rare.

Whereas the Proconsuls of Syria had routinely placed their monogram on the reverse of the pseudo-autonomous tetradrachms in the name and types of Seleucid king Philip I Philadelphus struck at Antioch, Caesar had this replaced with a standard monogram for ANTIOXEON (Antioch) and AYTONOMOY (autonomous), as seen on the present coin. At the same time, the city's calendar was changed from the Pompeian to the Caesarean, and the tetradrachms from thenceforth were dated accordingly, allowing us to date this particular example to the time of the Parthian Occupation of Antioch under Quintus Labienus and Pacorus, son of king Orodes, or perhaps to the rule of Ventidius Bassus, who drove the Parthians from Antioch in the summer of 39 BC.

Estimate: 500 GBP