Submitted by Petr Vesely on
Founded 31-Aug-2008
Last update 22-Nov-2008
Identification Number TIM-AE-01
| Mint: | Ekbatana1 |
| Period: | 164 - 161 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 8.42 g |
| Diameter: | 21.5 - 23.0 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Timarchos right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛ[ΕΩΣ] ΜΕΓΑΛ[ΟΥ]’ right, ‘[Τ]ΙΜΑΡ[ΧΟΥ]’ left (“of Great King Timarchos”); Nike advancing left, crowning royal name and holding palm branch over shoulder |
| Die axis: | c. 135º |
| References: | Houghton, Lorber and Hoover, SC II, 1600; SNG Spaer, 1392 |
| Note: | File adjustment marks are visible on the reverse, as it is typical for Timarchos’s bronze coins produced at Ekbatana. |
1 The capital of Media.
Strabo, Geography, 11.13.1: Media is divided into two parts. One part of it is called Greater Media, of which the metropolis is Ecbatana (Ekbatana), a large city containing the royal residence of the Median empire (the Parthians continue to use this as a royal residence even now, and their kings spend at least their summers there, for Media is a cold country; but their winter residence is at Seleuceia, on the Tigris (Seleukeia on the Tigris) near Babylon).
Strabo, Geography, 11.13.5: ... and Ecbatana (Ekbatana) was winter residence (an error of the copyist for “summer residence” or “royal residence”) for the Persian kings, and likewise for the Macedonians (i.e., for Seleukid kings) who, after overthrowing the Persians, occupied Syria; and still today it affords the kings of the Parthians the same advantages and security.
References:
- Houghton, Arthur; Lorber, Catharine; Hoover, Oliver:Seleucid Coins, A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part II, Volumes 1 and 2. The American Numismatic Society, New York, in association with Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Lancaster/London, 2008. (abbr. SC II)
- Houghton, Arthur; Spaer, Arnold (with the assistance of Catharine Lorber):Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. Israel I. The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. Italo Vecchi Ltd., London, 1998. (abbr. SNG Spaer)
- Strabo:Geography. Translated and ed. by H. C. Hamilton and W. Falconer. William Heinemann, Ltd., London, 1924. (The Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Strab.+toc)