| ROMAN SILVER TETRADRACHMS |
Vespasian (Obv)
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Tyrian Eagle (Rev)
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Vespasian, 69-79 AD, started as a general quelling the revolt in Judea, 65-73 AD. He returned to fight in the Civil War after his troops proclaimed him emperor. His son Titus was left in Judea and captured Jerusalem in 70 AD. Vespasian was the victor at the end of 69 AD, which was known as the Year of Four Emperors, i.e: Galba, Otho,
Vitellius and Vespasian. Vespasian started construction of the Coliseum, which still stands in Rome, and is perhaps the most widely recognized structure of the Roman Empire................................................$129.99
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Trajan, 98-117 AD. ruled the Roman empire at its greatest geographical extent, from Scotland to Sudan, and from the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar) to Mesopotamia. His military triumphs from Dacian wars are recorded in stone sculpture in a huge frieze winding around Trajan’s Column which towers over Trajan’s forum, which is the center of ancient Rome; now suurounded by modern Rome.
Antioch, in the Imperial Roman province of Syria, was the most important city of the eastern frontier of the Empire. Antioch began production of these silver Tetradrachms around 60 A.D. The vernacular accounting term of Roman Syria called these newly important Antioch coins “Tetradrachms of the Tyrian stamp” and “good silver of Tyrian design”. This is quite a testament to the importance of the Tetradrachms of Tyre,also known as Shekels of Tyre.
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Trajan(Obv) |
Tyrian Eagle (Rev) |
It is speculated that the fierce eagle on the reverse of Trajan was an intentional imitation of the Tyrian eagle.
$129.99
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Small bust of Trajan with club of Hercules
and Eagle of Tyre(Obv)
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Bust of Melquarth (Hercules )
(Rev) |
This is a popular issue of Trajan where no guess work is involved. The reverse features a large bust of the Tyrian Patron god Melquarth, who was the Phoenecian version of Hercules. The small bust of Trajan shares the obverse with the club of Hercules and the eagle of Tyre.
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Small bust of Trajan with club of Hercules and
Eagle of Tyre(Obv) |
Tyche of Antioch with the
river God Orontes (Rev) |
Another fascinating type of Trajan’s Tetradrachms features the Tyche of Antioch on the reverse. Again the small bust of Trajan shares the obverse with the club of Hercules and the eagle of Tyre. This reverse is modeled after a famous bronze sculpture by Eutychides of Sikyon commissioned about 296 BC. on the occasion of the founding of this great city by Seleukos I. Nikafor. The goddess of good fortune for the city of Antioch is shown enthroned, holding a wheat stalk for abundance, and wearing a crown in the shape of the turreted city walls, signfying the security of the well fortified metropolis. One foot rests on a swimming youth, who is the personification of the river god Orontes. The mighty Orontes supplied the city water, as well as a shipping route to the Mediterranean.........................................$129.99
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| Silver Cistophorus of Ephesus |
Obv |
Rev |
Ephesus was the Greek city in Asia minor visited by the Apostle Paul during his 2nd and 3rd journeys. Struck 189-133 BC Obv: Snake emerging from the basket, surrounded by an ivy wreath. Rev: snake on either side of bow case..........................................$129.99 ea.
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