A Hoard of Alexander the Great from the Region of Syria

Israel Numismatic Research 5 | 2010 cover Published by The Israel Numismatic Society Israel Numismatic Research Published by the Israel Numismatic Society Editorial Board: Donald T. Ariel (Editor), Alla Kushnir-Stein, David Wasserstein, Danny Syon, Ilan Shachar Text editor: Miriam Feinberg Vamosh Typesetting: Michal Semo-Kovetz and Yael Bieber, Tel Aviv University Graphic Design Studio Printed at Elinir, Tel Aviv ISSN 1565-8449 Correspondence, manuscripts for publication and books for review should be addressed to: Israel Numismatic Research, c/o Haim Gitler, The Israel Museum, P.O. Box 71117, Jerusalem 91710 ISRAEL, or to dtariel@ins.org.il Website: www.ins.org.il For inquiries regarding subscription to the journal, please e-mail to info@ins.org.il The editors are not responsible for opinions expressed by the contributors. © The Israel Numismatic Society, Jerusalem 2010 Israel Numismatic Research Published by the Israel Numismatic Society Volume 5 Contents 2010 3 Wolfgang fischer-Bossert and haim gitler: The Ismailiya Hoard 1983 13 novella vismara: Kuprlli or Kherẽi: a Problem of Attribution or a Problem of Method? 21 Yoav farhi: A Silver-Plated Samarian Coin from Tel Dor 31 Yehoshua Zlotnik: A Hoard of Alexander the Great from the Region of Syria 41 Catharine c. lorBer: A Gold Mnaieion of Ptolemaic Cyprus at Tell Kedesh: Background and Context 59 Walter c. holt and nicholas l. Wright: A New Seleucid Bronze Coin and Dura Hoard 13 Revisited 67 haim gitler and Daniel m. master: Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent Finds from the Leon Levy Expedition 99 Yaniv schauer: Mint Remains from Excavations in the Citadel of Jerusalem 109 Jean-PhiliPPe fontanille: The Barbarous Coins of Judea 123 fernanDo lóPeZ sáncheZ: Military Units of Mark Antony and Lucius Verus: Numismatic Recognition of Distinction 139 Yigal ronen: Coins as Scale Weights 143 cecilia meir: Tyrian Sheqels from the ‘Isfiya Hoard, Part Two 151 Julian Baker: The Tel ‘Akko hoard of Venetian Torneselli 161 ruth JacoBY: Tokens for Sheḥita and Miqve from Samarkand 167 REVIEW: Nikolaus Schindel, Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum Israel. Vienna, 2009 (Stuart D. Sears) 175 Abbreviations ABBREVIATIONS AJC AJN BMC BMCO CH CIL CNP CRE DOC IEJ IG IGCH INJ INR LA LRBC MIB MIBE MN NC NCirc. NNM NZ RRC RIC RN RPC SC SICA SNAT SNG SNR TINC TJC ZfN Y. Meshorer Ancient Jewish Coinage. Dix Hills, NY 1982 American Journal of Numismatics e.g., BMC Arab.: G.F. Hill. Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia. London 1922 e.g., BMCO 1: S. Lane-Poole. The Coins of the Eastern Khaleefehs in the British Museum. Catalogue of the Oriental Coins in the British Museum 1. London 1875 Coin Hoards Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum e.g., L. Kadman. The Coins of Akko Ptolemais (Corpus Nummorum Palestinensium IV). Jerusalem 1961 e.g., H. Mattingly. The Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum I. Augustus to Vitellius. London 1923 e.g., P. Grierson. Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection 3. Leo III to Nicephorus III 717–1081. Washington, D.C. 1973 Israel Exploration Journal Inscriptiones Graecae M. Thompson, O. Mørkholm and C.M. Kraay. An Inventory of Greek Coin Hoards. New York 1973 Israel Numismatic Journal Israel Numismatic Research Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Liber Annuus e.g., P.V. Hill and J.P.C. Kent. Part 1: The Bronze Coinage of the House of Constantine, A.D. 324–46. In Late Roman Bronze Coinage (A.D. 324–498). London 1965. Pp. 4–40 e.g., W. Hahn. Von Anastasius I. bis Justinianus I (491–565). Moneta Imperii Byzantini 1. Österreische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkscriften 109. Veröffenklichungen der Numismatischen Kommission 1. Vienna 1973 e.g., W. Hahn. Money of the Incipient Byzantine Empire (Anastasius I–Justinian I, 491– 565) (Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Numismatik und Geldgeschichte der Universität Wien 6). Vienna 2000 American Numismatic Society Museum Notes Numismatic Chronicle Numismatic Circular Numismatic Notes and Monographs Numismatische Zeitschrift M.H. Crawford. Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge 1974 e.g., C.H.V. Sutherland. The Roman Imperial Coinage I. From 31 BC to AD 69. London 1984 Revue Numismatique e.g., A. Burnett, M. Amandry and I. Carradice. From Vespasian to Domitian (AD 69–96). Roman Provincial Coinage 2. London 1999 e.g., A. Houghton and C. Lorber. Seleucid Coins. A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I. Seleucus I through Antiochus III. New York, Lancaster, PA and London 2002 e.g., S. Album and T. Goodwin. Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean, Volume 1: The Pre-Reform Coinage of the Early Islamic Period. Oxford 2002 e.g., L. Ilisch. Sylloge Numorum Arabicorum Tübingen–Palästina IVa Bilād aš-Šām I. Tübingen 1993 Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum (with suffix as necessary, e.g. SNG Cop.) Schweizerische Numismatische Rundschau Transactions of the International Numismatic Congress Y. Meshorer. A Treasury of Jewish Coins from the Persian Period to Bar Kochba. Jerusalem and Nyack 2001 Zeitschrift für Numismatik 175 A Hoard of Alexander the Great from the Region of Syria Yehoshua Zlotnik zlotniky@bezeqint.net Abstract This article presents part of an allegedly Syrian hoard including 75 Alexander III, Philip III Arrhidaeus and Seleucus I tetradrachms and compares it with other contemporaneous regional hoards. The hoard was buried after 294 BCE. The author examines the possibility that some Alexander III coins attributed by Price to “Babylon” may have in fact been struck more locally. Two lots amounting to 75 silver tetradrachms were recorded together at a Jerusalem antiquities dealer.1 The dealer asserted that both were part of a much larger hoard discovered many years ago. He had purchased the coins together from a European dealer, and explained that many coins from this hoard were on the market at the time. The Jerusalem antiquities dealer reported the hoard’s provenance as Syria, but beyond that, could not point to a well-defined locale. Unfortunately, no further details were provided. Overall there is no reason to doubt the integrity of the two lots. Most of the coins in both groups are in a uniform state of preservation, and are covered with similar patina, suggesting they were all buried together. Within the lots, the proportions of the three kings represented are consistent. The coins are generally in good condition, with details such as inscriptions and mintmarks easily seen. Some coins show signs of wear. A catalogue of this ‘Syria’ hoard follows. CATALOGUE The catalogue is arranged according to ruler (Alexander III, Philip III Arrhidaeus and Seleucus I) and within that division, by the catalogue numbers of Price 1991. Illustrations are on Pls. 4–11. Legends: A. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ B. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ BAΣIΛΕΩΣ C. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ 1 Michael Ben Eliezer made preliminary identifications of the smaller lot (36 coins). Scans of the coins by Robert Kool formed the basis for the plates. My thanks to both of them. INR 5 (2010): 31–39 31 32 YEHOSHUA ZLOTNIK D. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ BAΣIΛΕΩΣ E. ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΣ F. ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟY BAΣIΛΕΩΣ No. (lot) 1 (a) 2 (a) 3 (a) 4 (a) 5 (b) 6 (b) 7 (b) 8 (a) 9 (b) 10 (a) 11 (b) 12 (a) 14 (a) 15 (a) 16 (a) Cat. No. in Price 1991 Ruler (Legend) Mint Date (BCE) Weight (g) Left field ™ Under Throne 16.92 83 16.98 104 17.01 2646 14.89 249b 17.06 2664 17.00 2680 17.02 2712 17.09 2949 16.94 2949 17.00 3044 16.47 3069 17.08 3110 Alex. III (A) Macedonia Macedonia A (or Sardes E) snake Pella Sardes é Sardes 336–323 323–320 319–315 315–310 319–315 319–315 Alex. III (A) Cornucopia Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) ‚ Bow Rudder h Forepart of ram Year? M Wreath Wreath Nike ΔΙ ΔΙ Γ Boetian shield É Á star Uncertain in 323–280 S. Asia Minor Side Side 325–320 325–320 323–317 2+ Σ Tarsus A Uncertain in 320–280 S. Asia Minor Kitium Salamis Salamis Salamis 325–320 332–323 323–315 323–315 330–320 325–324 13 (b) 17.13 3139 16.96 3151a 16.79 3154 16.74 3212 ΔΑ six Damascus globules Ake 17 (b) 17.20 3254 HOARD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT FROM SYRIA 33 Date (BCE) 18 (a) 19 (a) 20 (a) 21 (b) 17.01 3316 22 (a) 16.96 3325 23 (b) 17.05 3424 24 (b) 17.16 3424 25 (a) 16.91 3426a 26 (b) 16.71 3440 27 (b) 16.78 3475 28 (b) 17.08 3508 29 (b) 16.92 3575 30 (a) 31 (a) 32 (a) 17.10 3613b 17.07 3618 17.03 3619 33 (b) 17.06 3642 34 (a) 17.04 3654 35 (b) 17.05 3655 36 (a) 17.11 3670 No. (lot) Cat. No. in Price 1991 Ruler (Legend) Mint 17.07 3285 17.10 3286a 17.08 3286 Weight (g) Left field Year? Year 33 Year 33 Σ I 1 1 1 and anchor Y Dolphin Leaf bee M [M] Kylix Wreath ladle with duck– headed finial Under Throne Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Ake Ake Ake • • Aradus Aradus Byblos Byblos Byblos ¯ ΣI ΣI Marathus(?) Sidon Sidon Uncertain in Phoenicia or Syria > “Babylon” > + “Babylon” M > “Babylon” > + “Babylon” M > + “Babylon” M > + “Babylon” M > + “Babylon” M 314/313 314/313 314/313 328–320 328–320 330–320 330–320 330–320 323–300 undated 315/314 317–300 331–323 325–323 325–323 325–323 325–323 325–323 325–323 Alex. III (A) Boar head l. Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) 34 No. (lot) 39 (a) 40 (a) 45 (a) 46 (a) 50 (a) 53 (a) 54 (a) 55 (a) 56 (a) Cat. No. in Price 1991 YEHOSHUA ZLOTNIK Ruler (Legend) Mint Date (BCE) 37 (b) 16.73 3692 38 (b) 17.00 3692 17.07 3704 16.99 3704 41 (b) 17.08 3704 42 (b) 16.95 3704 43 (b) 16.98 3708 44 (b) 17.04 3713 16.95 3719 15.84 3740 47 (b) 17.06 3742 48 (b) 17.06 3746 49 (b) 17.07 3746 17.04 3747 51 (b) 17.03 3747 52 (b) 17.02 3751 16.84 3761 16.92 3761 16.97 3938 17.09 3976a Weight (g) Left field M M ü ü ü ü H KΛ ü M ü ü ü ü ü MI MI Rudder MI Rudder Under Throne Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) ΛY ΛY H H H H ü ü é ü M “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” 323–317 323–317 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 317–311 311–305 311–305 311–305 311–305 311–305 311–305 311–305 311–295 323–316 MI(?) “Babylon” MI MI MI ü ü ü ΣΩ ΔΙ “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” “Babylon” Ecbatana Memphis Alex. III (A) thunderbolt HOARD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT FROM SYRIA 35 Date (BCE) 57 (a) 58 (b) 59 (b) 17.13 Cf. 429, 60 (b) 17.13 817, 1988 61 (b) 14.44 62 (a) 17.64 63 (b) 16.82 64 (b) 17.02 65 (b) 17.09 66 (b) 16.86 P165 67 (a) 68 (a) 69 (a) 70 (a) 71 (a) 72 (a) 17.05 P181 16.72 P208 17.05 P208 14.80 P208 17.14 Cf. 3846 17.05 Cf. 3846 73 (b) 15.77 P182 74 (b) 16.94 75 (a) No. (lot) Cat. No. in Price 1991 3829 or 3186 Cf. 3777, F87 Ruler (Legend) Mint 17.03 4037 17.11 4037 SC I:31, Seleucus I (F) No. 50.3 SC I:32, 17.05 Seleucus I (F) No. 57 Weight (g) Left field A A ™ Under Throne Alex. III (A) Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III uncertain uncertain 323–300 Cf. 3692, Alex. III (B) B32 Alex. III (A) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (A) Philip (C) Philip (D) Philip (C) Philip (C) Philip (C) Alex. III (B) Alex. III (B) Philip (C) YΛ Wreath ~ Susa or or º Salamis Uncertain Greece or / Macedonia, or Magnesia “Babylon”(?) 317–323 YΛ (unpublished) Shield M . ΛY ΛΔ ΛΑ ΛΔ Marathus “Babylon” Susa Susa Susa Susa Susa “Babylon” uncertain 323–300 317–323 320–316 320–316 320–316 320–316 320–316 317–323 294–281 After 305 ? ? M Y ΛΑ ΛΑ B ΔΙ ≠+ ΔΙ uncertain 36 YEHOSHUA ZLOTNIK As indicated, the quantity of coins the original hoard contained is unknown. The sizes of silver coin hoards from this period can be as small as these 75 coins (e.g., the Tel Zippor hoard; Rahmani 1966) or very large, in the thousands, such as the Egyptian Demanhur hoard, found in 1905, or the Lebanese Saida hoard. Chronologically, the hoard covers the reigns of Alexander III, Philip III Arrhidaeus and Seleucus I. Ten coins (Cat. Nos. 1, 11, 14, 30–36) definitely date from within the period of Alexander’s rule. Nine other coins (Cat. Nos. 8–9, 13, 17, 21–25) name Alexander but were struck either later in his reign or posthumously. The 46 remaining Alexander coins all date after the king’s death. All four dated coins in the hoard, Cat. Nos. 18–20 (‘Akko, 314/3 BCE) and 28 (Sidon, 315/4 BCE), are posthumous Alexanders. The six coins naming Philip III Arrhidaeus (Cat. Nos. 66–70, 73) are all lifetime issues. The latest coins in the hoard are two tetradrachms of Seleucus I (Cat. Nos. 74–75), providing minimal (between 324–284 BCE) and maximal (between 336–281 BCE) ranges for the striking of the coins in the hoard of 41 and 56 years respectively. The tetradrachms were struck in at least 18 different mints from all over Alexander’s empire (according to Price’s order): Macedonia, Pella, Greece/ Macedonia/ Magnesia, Sardes, Side, Tarsus, ‘Akko, Kitium, Salamis, Damascus, Aradus, Byblos, Marathus, Sidon, “Babylon,” Susa, Ecbatana and Memphis. The distribution of the mints found in the regional hoards mentioned in Table 1 (below) is similar to that of the hoard published here. Table 1. Mint distribution from Alexander III hoards in the region (percentages) Khirbet el-Kerak [Tel Bet Yerah] (53) Hoard (qty.) % Mint “Babylon” Susa ‘Akko Salamis Byblos Sardis Galilee [Tarshiha] (22) Sidon [Saida] (36) 2.8 8.3 19.4 Tel Zippor (57) Tel Mikhal (5) Ashqelon (19) Lebanon (10) 37.3 6.7 5.3 5.3 4.0 4.0 “Syria” (75) Jericho (12) 30.0 49.1 4.5 49.1 50.0 60.0 30.0 15.8 5.3 15.8 10.6 7.5 63.7 14.0 8.3 20.0 5.3 HOARD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT FROM SYRIA 37 Khirbet el-Kerak [Tel Bet Yerah] (53) Hoard (qty.) % Mint Macedonia Side Aradus Marathus Sidon Pella Greece/ Macedonia/ Magnesia Tarsus Kitium Damascus Ecbatana Memphis Aegeae Amphipolis Sicyon Lampsacus Abydus Miletus Amathus Myriandros Tyre Galilee [Tarshiha] (22) Sidon [Saida] (36) 22.2 5.6 2.8 2.8 5.6 5.6 2.8 11.1 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Tel Zippor (57) Tel Mikhal (5) Ashqelon (19) Lebanon (10) “Syria” (75) 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 Jericho (12) 5.3 1.9 10.0 10.6 3.8 4.5 3.5 8.3 8.3 8.3 20.0 10.0 5.3 5.7 4.5 8.8 1.8 20.0 7.5 1.9 1.9 9.0 1.8 1.8 5.3 13.2 1.9 4.5 10.5 3.8 15.8 4.5 38 YEHOSHUA ZLOTNIK Khirbet el-Kerak [Tel Bet Yerah] (53) Hoard (qty.) % Mint Berytus Uncertain Galilee [Tarshiha] (22) Sidon [Saida] (36) Tel Zippor (57) Tel Mikhal (5) Ashqelon (19) Lebanon (10) 14.7 Coins naming Alexander continued to be struck after his death in 323 BCE in mints throughout the empire. Like most of the Alexander hoards uncovered in the region, the bulk of the coins are dated to this posthumous period, known for Alexander’s generals, the Diadochoi, who were competing with each other for power. Of the eight hoards listed by Ariel (2006:80), seven were also found to have been buried during this period (Sidon [Saida], Lebanon, Khirbet el-Kerak [Tel Bet Yerah], Galilee [Tarshiha], Tel Zippor, Jericho and Tel Mikhal). The hoard has many types in common with other contemporaneous hoards from the region. For example, the Tel Zippor hoard included large number of “Babylon” tetradrachms with MI and symbol found in Price 1991: Nos. 3745– 3771 (Rahmani 1966:137–139, Nos. 27–56) similar to our Nos. 46–54 (Price 1991:56), the Tel Bet Yerah (Baramki 1944:89–90, Nos. 91–116.2 The eighth hoard listed by Ariel was found in Ashqelon and dated to 305–290 BCE (CH 8:25, No. 220). This hoard is closest in date to the hoard published here. This hoard’s latest coins are two issues of Seleucus I (Cat. Nos. 74–75). They were both struck at an uncertain mint in Cappadocia, Eastern Syria or Northern Mesopotamia (SC I:30) It seems reasonable to assume that this is the latest coin in the hoard in question and provides its terminus post quem. The hoard’s deposition cannot have taken place earlier than 294 BCE. In the author’s opinion the hoard was sealed before the end of Seleucus I’s reign. Otherwise, one might think that more of this king’s coins would have appeared in the two lots. 2 CH 10 appeared after this article was written and edited. There, hoards similar to the one published here were reported. One is No. 263 (p. 33), described as deriving from the environs of Antakya. Another, much larger hoard is No. 265 (p. 34). This ‘Syria’ hoard may in fact be part of one of those hoards. “Syria” (75) Jericho (12) 5.3 5.3 1.9 4.5 3.5 16.7 DISCUSSION HOARD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT FROM SYRIA 39 The 27 or 28 coins ascribed to the mint of “Babylon” raises the question of the mint identification of those coins. Price’s long discussion of history of the ascriptions of coins to Babylon and his designation of a large part of them as “Babylon” (1991:453–457) highlights the fact that in 1991 no consensus had been reached on the subject. The ‘Syria’ hoard published here has a very high number of coins ascribed to the “Babylon” mint (37.3% of the coins with identified mints) and includes control marks in Price’s second (monogram and M; Cat. Nos. 30– 36), third (M + ΛY; Cat. Nos. 37–38, 61?, 67, 73) and fourth (the monogram within wreath [ü], MI and the rudder; Cat Nos. 39–54) groups. Price himself noted how “unfortunate” it was that the ascriptions to the mint of Babylon were “so fraught with difficulties” and that his arrangement was “not entirely satisfactory” (1991:456–457). His discussion focused on the Mesopotamian region. The large numbers of coins of “Babylon” in the ‘Syria’ hoard and elsewhere (Duyrat 2005:34) — as well as five of the eight other hoards summarized in Table 1 — suggest to me that future discussions of the location of the “Babylon” mint must also consider locales west of Mesopotamia; i.e., in or close to Syria. Price (1991:451) had noted that Newell identified Syria as the origin of prototypes used for coins that Price ascribed to the Babylon mint. It may be that Price placed too much weight on the stated provenance of the “Babylon 1973” hoard. In the future when the location of the mint of “Babylon” is readdressed, the newer hoards from the southern Levant, Syria and southern Turkey, with their high frequencies of “Babylon” coins, should also be taken into account. REFERENCES Ariel D.T. 2006. Coins from Tel Mikhal (Tel Michal). ‘Atiqot 52:71–88. Baramki J. 1944. Coin Hoards from Palestine, II. Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine 11:86–90. Duyrat F. 2005. Le trésor de Damanhour (IGCH 1664) et la circulation monétaire en Egypte hellénistique. In F. Duyrat and O. Picard eds. L’exception égyptienne? Production et échanges monétaires en Égypte hellénistique et romaine (Études alexandrines 10). Cairo. Pp. 17–51. Price M.J. 1990–1991. A Hoard of Tetradrachms from Jericho. INJ 11:24–25. Price M.J. 1991. The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus. Zurich and London. Rahmani L.Y. 1966. A Hoard of Alexander Coins from Tel Tsippor. Schweizer Munzblätter 16:129–139. PLATE 4 1 3 5 6 7 10 11 13 14 19 A B C D E VISMARA 1 2 3 4 5 6 ZLOTNIK PLATE 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ZLOTNIK PLATE 6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ZLOTNIK PLATE 7 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 ZLOTNIK PLATE 8 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 ZLOTNIK PLATE 9 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 ZLOTNIK PLATE 10 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 ZLOTNIK PLATE 11 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 ZLOTNIK