Nomos AG
obolos 2 14 June 2015
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CILICIA, Tarsos. Mazaios, 361/0-334 BC. Stater (Silver, 23mm, 10.93 g 5). Baaltars seated left, holding eagle, grain ear, grapes and scepter; behind, Aramaic legend. Rev. Lion attacking bull left; above, Aramaic legend; below, ram's head. BMC 54. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG France -. SNG Levante -. SNG von Aulock -. A very rare variety with the ram's head on the reverse. Nicely toned. Struck from a worn obverse die, otherwise, about extremely fine.
The satrapal issues of Mazaios from Tarsos are very well known and are usually quite common, but this series, with the ram's head on the reverse, is both very rare and very little known (indeed, it is missing from most of the great collections other than the BM's). It must have been produced for a special reason, probably to pay a specific group of soldiers whose unit symbol was the ram's head (could they be Egyptian troops and this the head of the god Khnum?). At least two other examples of this type have appeared on the market in recent years but neither were recognized for being as unusual and exceptional as they are.
The satrapal issues of Mazaios from Tarsos are very well known and are usually quite common, but this series, with the ram's head on the reverse, is both very rare and very little known (indeed, it is missing from most of the great collections other than the BM's). It must have been produced for a special reason, probably to pay a specific group of soldiers whose unit symbol was the ram's head (could they be Egyptian troops and this the head of the god Khnum?). At least two other examples of this type have appeared on the market in recent years but neither were recognized for being as unusual and exceptional as they are.