Greek Silver & Bronze Coins - Celtic - Susanian

Lot 4289    SESSION 16 (9.30AM THURSDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER)    Greek Silver & Bronze Coins - Celtic - Susanian

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $680

SYRIA, Kingdom of, Demetrios III, (95-88 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (16.27 g), Damascus mint, issued year 219 = 94-3 B.C., obv. diademed head of bearded Demetrius III to right, fillet border, rev. Atargatis standing facing, holding flower in left hand, barley stalk behind each shoulder, on right, **BASILEWS/ DHMHTRIOU/ QEOU*, and **FILOPATOROS/ SWTHROS*, with N over monogram in left field, in exergue date **QIS*, (cf.S.7191, SC 2450.8, SNG Spaer 2854, LSM 123, HGC 9, 1305). Very fine and rare.

Ex Dr. L.J. Sherwin Collection and CNG eSale 113 May 11, 2005 (lot 50).
Demetrius III held Damascus from 96/5-88/7 B.C., having secured this city for himself with the support of Ptolemy Lathyrus of Cyprus. Demetrius revived the Damascene coinage, (not issued since 104-3), retaining the practice of dating the coins (which had fallen into disuse at other mints). Instead of employing a Seleucid royal type, his coinage depicted the great Syrian goddess Atargatis. Like many Anatolian and north Syrian fertility deified, she is represented mummiform. She is covered with leaves or petals, as befits a vegetation deity, and on her chest, as Newell suspected is a facing head, perhaps an anthropomorphic solar symbol.