Greek Silver and Bronze Coins

Lot 3898    SESSION 13 (9.30am Friday)    Greek Silver and Bronze Coins

Estimate $100
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $80

SYRIA, Commagene, Zeugma, Philip I, (244-249), AE 28, (15.628 grams), obv. laureate draped and cuirassed bust to right, around **AUTOK K M IOUAI FILIPPO*C CEB, rev. tetrastyle temple with peribolos containing grove, beneath a capricorn, ZE**GMATEWN* around, (S.3954, BMC 29 and cf.BMC 36). Countermarked on obverse with eagle with closed wings, trace of hoard patination on the reverse otherwise good fine and rare.

The ancient city of Zeugma, was founded in 300 B.C. by Seleukos Nikator, one of the generals of the Alexander the Great. At that time the city was named after the general and called " Seleukia on the Euphrates." The population of the city was approximately 80 000. In 64 B.C. Zeugma was conquered and ruled by Rome and with this shift the name of the city was changed to Zeugma, in Greek meaning "bridge-passage." During Roman rule, the city became a regional centre, as the city of Zeugma was on the silkroad connecting Antioch to China with its own quay on the river Euphrates. In 256 A.D. Zeugma was destroyed by the Sasanian King, Sapur I and his invasion was so devastating so that Zeugma was not able to recover for many years. In the summer of 2000, this city, one of the great frontier cities of the Roman Empire, all but disappeared under the flood waters of a dam. The Turkish government over the past twenty years had built a series of dams on the Euphrates river. This coin an issue towards the end of the city's importance is countermarked with an eagle, which significance is unknown. Several examples of this coinage are known with this countermark.