LYDIA, PERSIAN EMPIRE (circa B.C. 500-450) silver siglos Mint: Sardis

Obverse features the great Persian King Xerxes, who amassed an army of 1,700,000 (over 1% of the world's population) for an invasion of Greece in B.C. 480. The king is shown in the kneeling position, with a bow and a spear. The siglos was minted in Sardis (Lydia) and reflects minting technology of the day. The reverse of the coin is incuse--this side had not yet begun to carry designs. Coins were still essentially pea-sized lumps of precious metal--on which a king would stamp an image to attest to the weight and metal content--causing the coin to circulate on par with others, creating a standard which made commerce easier. Merchants would often countermark them with tiny punches as a further assurance of intrinsic worth.

BABYLON (328-311 B.C.) silver lion stater

The eastern campaigns of Alexander the Great brought considerable Hellenistic influence to Babylon. The city began to mint beautiful silver staters with a lion on the obverse, symbol of the Babylonians. Note the proud regal pose of the lion. The reverses of these coins are usually weakly struck. They bear the image of Ba'al seated on a throne. This was the most frequently mentioned foreign deity in the Old Testament. You may recall the contest of fire between Elijah and the Prophets of Ba'al. (1 Kings 18:28) On this coin, the image of Ba'al is remarkably similar to Hellenic portrayals of Zeus enthroned, doubtless a result of Alexander's conquest.

ROMAN LEGIONS OF MARK ANTONY (31 B.C.) silver denarius

After the fall of Brutus and Cassius, Roman power was divided among Mark Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus. As the latter was little more than a figurehead, the real struggle for mastery of the Roman world fell to Mark Antony and Octavian. Antony made his power base in the east, in the opulent quarters of his mistress, Cleopatra. Their fate was decided in 31 B.C., at the Battle of Actium. To pay his soldiers, Antony ordered the minting of silver denarii, bearing the numbers of his legions (I believe there were around 25 legions). The obverse of the coin shows a Roman war galley and an inscription. The reverse depicts an aquila (eagle) flanked by Roman military standards, with the legion number below. The picture above shows an obverse from a coin of the Third Legion (LEG III) and a reverse from a coin of the Fourth Legion.

PTOLEMAIC EGYPT (39-38 B.C.) silver tetradrachm of Cleopatra. Mint: Paphos (Alexandria)

From the time of Cleopatra. This coin was minted during the fourteenth year of her reign. On the obverse is the imposing depiction of the father of the Ptolemaic line, Ptolemy the Great. The reverse is dominated by the classic Ptolemaic eagle, standing left on thunderbolt. A remarkable piece of artwork. More information on reverse devices.

ROMAN EMPIRE (117-138 A.D.) silver denarius of Hadrian

The Emperor Hadrian was one of Rome's best Emperors. He is often referred to as one of the four good emperors (Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius). Hadrian was conscientious about the responsibilities of governing such a large empire. Under Trajan, the Roman Empire had reached its furthest extent. Hadrian travelled extensively throughout the Roman world, and is best known for the wall constructed in Britain as a border defense. This coin is a silver denarius bearing Hadrian's portrait on the obverse, and a seated figure on the reverse. Hadrian was the first Emperor to sport a beard.

PARTHIAN EMPIRE (105-147 A.D.) silver drachm of Vologases III

The Parthian Empire was Rome's great nemesis in the east. Mark Antony lead an expedition there under Caesar, and the empires clashed for over two centuries. The Parthians had a unique way of turning in their saddles and shooting arrows as they retreated from their enemies. This became known as the "parthian shot" or "parting shot", a common expression in the English language today. The coin above features a typical Parthian line portrait of Vologases III. The reverse shows what I believe is a seated archer.

Thanks for viewing these coins. I hope they have enriched your day.