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The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

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COINAGE OF ANTIOCHUS VIII OF SYRIA. 195<strong>and</strong> her son continued to rule toge<strong>the</strong>r. <strong>The</strong>ir jointcoins are not uncommon, <strong>and</strong> are found <strong>of</strong> both <strong>the</strong>weight-systems prevalent in Syria, <strong>of</strong> Phoenicianst<strong>and</strong>ard from Sycamina 4 <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r mints <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> coast,<strong>and</strong> later <strong>of</strong> Attic st<strong>and</strong>ard from Antioch <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rcities which were gradually recovered from Zabina.<strong>The</strong>y bear dates from 189 to 192 A.S., i. e. from 123 to121 B.C. <strong>The</strong> type <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tetradrachm isalways <strong>the</strong>heads <strong>of</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>and</strong> son side by side, that <strong>of</strong> Cleopatrainfront <strong>and</strong> occupying <strong>the</strong> more important position.Grypus, seen behind her, shows a very youthful pr<strong>of</strong>ile,his aquiline nose already wel marked, but not yetgiving promise <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> enormous size to which it waslater to attain. To say <strong>the</strong> truth he generally looks on<strong>the</strong>se pieces ra<strong>the</strong>r a silly youth which (as his laterhistory shows) he certainly was not [PI. VIII. l].In 125 B.C. Grypus had been sixteen by 121 he wastwenty <strong>and</strong> four years made a vast difference, <strong>and</strong>had turned <strong>the</strong> boy into a man, <strong>and</strong> a masterful one.<strong>The</strong> danger to <strong>the</strong> dynasty having ceased with <strong>the</strong> fall<strong>of</strong> Zabina, <strong>the</strong>re was no common interest to bindtoge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> imperious <strong>and</strong> unscrupulous mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>and</strong><strong>the</strong> high-spirited son. We are told that <strong>the</strong> youngking began to assert himself, <strong>and</strong> that Cleopatra sawher autocracy imperilled. She resolved to rid herself<strong>of</strong> her second son, as she had five yearsback <strong>of</strong> herelder.Grypus was warned, <strong>and</strong> had his bro<strong>the</strong>r'sdeath (perhaps his fa<strong>the</strong>r's also) in his mind. As <strong>the</strong>dramatic story goes in Appian <strong>and</strong> Justin, he came inone day heated from <strong>the</strong> chase,<strong>and</strong> was tendered acup <strong>of</strong> cooling drink by <strong>the</strong> queen. His suspicions4So attributed at least in Brit. Mus. Coins <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Seleucidae, p. 85.

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