Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 498 18 Aug 2021
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KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III 'the Great'. 336-323 BC. AR Drachm (16mm, 4.15 g, 12h). Arados mint. Struck under Menes, circa 325/4-324/3 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; AP monogram in left field. Cf. Price 3424 (Byblos; tetradrachm); otherwise, unpublished. Lightly toned, porous. VF. Unique drachm for the tetradrachm issue of Price 3424.
From the BRN Collection. Ex London Ancient Coins 12 (7 June 2012), lot 76.
This coin is the only known drachm for the large issue of tetradrachms listed as Price 3424, for which a handful of obols have also recently come to light. (Note: Price 3426 appears to be the same as Price 3424, but the difference is the style, most recognized by the position of the legs of Zeus, with the latter issue having parallel legs while the former has crossed legs.) The conventional attribution of this issue to Byblos was based on Newell's analysis of the Demanhur hoard, but Price thought that this mint assignment was highly doubtful. In his recent study of the Alexander coinage, Le Rider also was of the opinion that Byblos was incorrect. In the Hellenistic period, this particular monogram was the canonical civic monogram of Arados. Although many of the early Aradian Alexanders with a civic monogram used a slightly different form, with the P located below the crossbar of the A, this fact is not dispositive of these also being assigned to that mint. In addition to the monogram, the overall style strongly suggests an attribution to Arados. In particular, the lion's mane and the hair of Herakles on the obverse, and the drapery on the legs of Zeus on the reverse, are identical to the early issues of both Tarsos and Myriandros (or Issos), which are securely dated to Alexander's lifetime. Except for Tyre, all of the Phoenician cities peacefully capitulated to Alexander, and were therefore given very favorable treatment. It is thus likely that, as at Tarsos, the production of Alexanders at these long-operating mints began shortly after their conquest. Arados is the northernmost mint in Phoenicia, and is the closest mint to both Tarsos and Myriandros/Issos to strike Alexanders, which would explain the strong stylistic similarity of these Alexanders to the Alexanders from those mints.
From the BRN Collection. Ex London Ancient Coins 12 (7 June 2012), lot 76.
This coin is the only known drachm for the large issue of tetradrachms listed as Price 3424, for which a handful of obols have also recently come to light. (Note: Price 3426 appears to be the same as Price 3424, but the difference is the style, most recognized by the position of the legs of Zeus, with the latter issue having parallel legs while the former has crossed legs.) The conventional attribution of this issue to Byblos was based on Newell's analysis of the Demanhur hoard, but Price thought that this mint assignment was highly doubtful. In his recent study of the Alexander coinage, Le Rider also was of the opinion that Byblos was incorrect. In the Hellenistic period, this particular monogram was the canonical civic monogram of Arados. Although many of the early Aradian Alexanders with a civic monogram used a slightly different form, with the P located below the crossbar of the A, this fact is not dispositive of these also being assigned to that mint. In addition to the monogram, the overall style strongly suggests an attribution to Arados. In particular, the lion's mane and the hair of Herakles on the obverse, and the drapery on the legs of Zeus on the reverse, are identical to the early issues of both Tarsos and Myriandros (or Issos), which are securely dated to Alexander's lifetime. Except for Tyre, all of the Phoenician cities peacefully capitulated to Alexander, and were therefore given very favorable treatment. It is thus likely that, as at Tarsos, the production of Alexanders at these long-operating mints began shortly after their conquest. Arados is the northernmost mint in Phoenicia, and is the closest mint to both Tarsos and Myriandros/Issos to strike Alexanders, which would explain the strong stylistic similarity of these Alexanders to the Alexanders from those mints.