Numismata hellenica: a catalogue of Greek coins; with notes, a map ...

Metal Size Weight
M
M
M
M
M
M
M MMMN
4+
O2
O2
6
6-b
7-
105
213
217
155
21M
203-6
205-8
209-4
187
196
209
427-8
KINGS OF EGYPT. 59
Note.—The difficulty in arranging the coins of the Ptolemaic dynasty, arising from the generally
unvarying legend, is increased as to the first and second of the race by the resemblance of their
features, by the son having reigned two years before the father's death, and by his having dated his
money by the years of his father's reign, and placed upon it his father's deified head, not only in those
two years, but long afterwards, as we perceive from the numbers 49 and 54 on coins of Philadelphus,
these numbers indicating the ninth and fourteenth years of his own reign, reckoning from his father's
death. An examination of a great number of Ptolemies in the British Museum, leads to the belief,
that the coins of Soter were for the most part struck in Phcenicia, and those of Philadelphus in
Cyprus. It was only in the latter part of the reign of Soter, after the capture of Salamis, that some
of his money appears to have been coined m that city.
BERENICE,
Daughter o/Lagus, hy Antigone, thus half-sister as well as wife of Ptolemmm I.
Diademate head of Berenice to r. ; the hair in tresses over the forehead, and tied in
a knot behind. B. BEPENIKH2 BA2IA12SHS in two lines, between which a
knotted club ; below it, M and AF united (Magas) ; in field to r., trident ; to I.,
a letter or monogram ;
all in wreath of ivy. — Struck in Cyrene, of which Magas,
son of Berenice by a former marriage, was king.
PTOLEM^US II. {Philadelphus),
Son of Ptolemceus I. and Berenice, hegan to reign, with his father, b.c. 285 ;
alone,
b.c. 283.
Head of Ptolemseus I. ? to r. bound with a narrow strophium, like a double cord.
B. nXoAEMAIoY BASIAEqS. Eagle, standing on fulmen, to I. ; in field to I.,
L.(AuKa/3avroc) B. (year 2 of the king's reign) ; to r., TLA.—Struck at Paphus, in
Cyprus.
Same head, with strophium of a single cord ending in a spike over the forehead.
R. Same legend and type ; in field to I., L. A. (year 4) ; to r., IIA.
Note.— This kind of diadem is peculiar to heads of Jupiter Ammon, but occurs also on heads of
Hercules in the Macedonian series. It seems intended to represent some thorny shrub. On coins
of Philadelphus, it indicates probably that the obverse is the deified headof So ter.
Same type. R. Same legend and type ; under the eagle's right wing, palm branch
in field to I., L.e. (year 9) ; to r., HA.
Same type. R. Same legend ; in field to I., L.IA (year 11) ; below which, H
to r., IIA.
Same type. R. Same legend and type ; under the eagle's right wing, palm branch
in field to I., L.IE (year 15) ; below which, Egyptian symbol; to r., IIA.
Same type. R. Same legend ; in field to I., L.IX (year 17) ; to r., HA.
Another similar.
Same type. R. Same legend ; in field to I., L.IH (year 18) ; to r., DA.
Same type. R. Same legend ; in field to I., L.ie (year 19) ; to r., IIA.
Same type. R. Same legend ; in field to I., L.KB (year 22) ; to r., IIA.
eEQN. Diademate heads of Ptolemseus I. with chlamys, and of Berenice with veil,
to r. R. AAEA*iiN. Diademate heads to r. of Ptolemseus II. with chlamys,
and of Arsinoe with veil ; behind the head of the former, an oval shield.—
Electrotype from the B. M,
Note.— Soter and Berenice, after their deaths, were deified and entitled Gtoi Xwr^pfc, as appears
from the inscription of Adulis (Chishull, Antiq. Asiatic, p. 76), in which Ptolemseus III. is described
as vihq ^aaCKiiDQ IlToXt/iaiov icai jSaffiXiffffj/g 'Apffivoijc 8((iv adtX^wv, tuiv ^offiXIwv XlroXe/iaiov
Kai /SoffiXi'ffcrijg BepfviKtis Biuv auTtipiav ajroyofoe.