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Auction: 24005 - The Official Coinex Auction of Ancient, British and World Coins
Lot: 231

NGC Ch VF ~ Fine Style | Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-205 BC), AV Mnaieion (Oktodrachm), struck in the name of Ptolemy III, Alexandria, c. 219-217, radiate and diademed bust of the deified Ptolemy III, wearing aegis and carrying trident over left shoulder, rev. BASILEOS PTOLEMAIOY, radiate cornucopia bound with royal diadem, DI below, 27.72g (Svoronos 1117: SNG Copenhagen 196; CPE 887; Olivier & Lorber 48 (O3/R7), this coin), lustrous, struck in great style, some deposits but otherwise about very fine to good very fine, in an NGC 'Ancients' holder, graded Choice Very Fine ~ Fine Style, Scratches (Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5) [NGC Cert. #8221845-002]

Provenance

The "Estafefette No. 21" Collection of Ancient, English and World Coins

Spink 12026, 26 September 2012, lot 367


C J Martin on VCoins, by Private Treaty, 15 June 2009

Idem., 6 July 2009

The final highlight of the Ptolemaic gold series is a commemoration of Ptolemy II's successor, Ptolemy III Euergetes ('Benefactor'), by his own son, Ptolemy IV Philometor ('Mother Lover'). Ptolemy III had been removed from the succession following the exile of Arsinoe I, however when she died c. 248, he, along with the rest of his siblings, were legally adopted as Arsinoe II's children and his pathway to the succession was restored. This adoption was not carried out by Arsinoe II herself, but was in fact a posthumous adoption, as Arsinoe I had outlived Arsinoe II by many years. Ptolemy II had the children from his first marriage legally re-categorised as the children of Arsinoe II, and Ptolemy III was able to take up the throne without issue upon the death of Ptolemy II in 246. It is rather fascinating to consider the Egyptian interplay of cultural sensitivity and legalism in this regard: the death of Arsinoe II presented no obstruction to the retrospective adoption, but Arsinoe I had to first die for the children to be re-adopted by the late Arsinoe II, even after they had reached the age of majority.
Ptolemy III's reign came tantalisingly close to securing the greatest foreign policy success of the Ptolemaic era. Following the death of the Seleukid King Antiochos II in July 246 BC, a succession crisis emerged, with the throne passing to Antiochos's 19-year-old son, Seleukos II. Seleukos had been born to Antiochos's first wife, Laodike I, however in a moved which outraged the Seleukid aristocracy, Antiochos repudiated Laodike in 253 and married Ptolemy III's sister, Berenike, as part of a peace treaty with her father, Ptolemy II. Despite Seleukos II taking the throne upon Antiochos's death, the latter had a son with Berenike, and by the terms of the treaty, this son was the rightful heir. Ptolemy III launched an invasion of Syria in order to press Berenike's claim. We are fortunate to have a partial account of the war, written by Ptolemy himself from the Gurob Papyrus. His armies marched across the Syrian coast with minimal resistance, capturing the vital port of Seleucia Pieria and the city of Tyre, before attempting to meet up with Berenike in Antioch. While Antioch was indeed captured, Berenike and her son had been murdered (we are unsure if they had been killed before or after Ptolemy's army arrived, as the papyrus unfortunately cuts out this part of the story).
Ptolemy III continued his campaign, however, and despite the confusion presented in the many contradictory accounts of the war, both contemporary and modern, it is clear that the Egyptians managed to gain a foothold in southern Asia Minor, before sweeping through Mesopotamia, eventually reaching as far as Babylon and crossing the Euphrates River by early 245. However, owing to the heavy tax burden levied on the Egyptians to fund the war, as well as a volcanic eruption in 247 which disrupted the monsoon patterns, thereby halting the inundation of the Nile and creating severe famines, a revolt broke out in Egypt, forcing Ptolemy to retreat. Nearly all his conquests in Mesopotamia had been reversed by the Seleukids within a year, although substantial gains on the coast of Asia Minor and Syria, including Seleucia Piera, were maintained in the subsequent peace treaty agreed in 241. Ptolemy, having quashed the domestic revolts, managed to present his campaign as a propaganda victory, emphasising such points of success as the recovery of several Egyptian statues from former Persian territory.
For the rest of his reign, except for a few proxy wars, Ptolemy avoided foreign interventionism and instead focused on establishing domestic stability and building upon the vast building projects initiated by his father. His Canopus Decree, a formal partnership and compromise with the Egyptian priesthood held in 238, established a direct dynastic involvement with Egyptian religious culture that would last until the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty. As part of this decree, which emerged from a synod of sorts, Ptolemy was credited for importing, at personal expense, a vast quantity of grain into Egypt to redress the famine of 245. Ptolemy's infant daughter Berenike, who had died during the synod, was also formally deified by the priesthood, which led to the construction of multiple Steles for her worship. Ptolemy also reformed the Egyptian calendar, making changes to festivals and implementing a leap-day for the 365 days of the year. This synod created a precedent for future Ptolemaic decrees and reforms in the Egyptian religious sphere, and lay groundwork for Ptolemy III's major building projects. Diverging from the traditional support of the cult of Amun, a practice instigated by Alexander the Great, Ptolemy shifted towards patronage of the cult of Ptah, worshiped at Memphis. This involved paying tribute to the Apis Bull at festivals and adding Ptah's name to his royal title.
The legacy of Ptolemy III loomed large across Egypt, ranging from the huge Temple of Horus at Edfu, the Serapeum of Alexandria, decorative work on various temples to Isis and Osiris, and a sacred lake at Medamud. His patronage of the arts and intellectualism was considerable, involving the construction of a second wing of the Alexandrine Library, and the maintenance of Greek tragic manuscripts there at considerable cost. He fostered trade in the Red Sea, and generally oversaw a period of great prosperity for the Kingdom in the latter part of his reign. It is small wonder that his son and heir, Ptolemy IV, sought to pay tribute to his father with this imposing Oktodrachm, struck in his name and portraiture. Ptolemy III, who never issued a coin in his own name, is showcased in full divine glory, incorporating a set of motifs from across the Pantheon: his radiate crown is taken from the sun-God, Helios, while the armour is reminiscent of that of Zeus. Lastly, Ptolemy is portrayed as holding the trident of Poseidon, doubtless paying tribute to the considerable naval power of Ptolemaic Egypt. Ptolemy IV had ascended to the throne at the age of 20 following his father's death in 222 BC, launching a vicious purge of any potential opposition. Shortly thereafter, the new Seleukid King, Antiochos III, 'the Great' sought to recapture his kingdom's losses during the campaigns of Ptolemy III. While he initially had great success, recapturing Tyre and Ptolemais-Ake, Ptolemy IV met the Seleukid force at Raphia in June 217, and won an overwhelming victory in what was one of the largest battles of the Hellenistic period. While Ptolemy IV's reign ended with Egypt's collapse into revolt and disorder, and his own death in mysterious circumstances, this tributary Oktodrachm was minted during the war against the Seleukids and may have been part of the great celebrations held in the aftermath of Raphia.

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Sold for
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Starting price
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