Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions
  • 1 Tetradrachm 282-272 BC, Svoronos# 604, Egypt, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Arsinoe II Philadelphos
  • 1 Tetradrachm 282-272 BC, Svoronos# 604, Egypt, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Arsinoe II Philadelphos
Description

The Ptolemaic Kingdom was an Ancient Greek state based in Egypt during the Hellenistic Period. It was founded in 305 BC by Ptolemy I Soter, a companion of Alexander the Great, and lasted until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. Ruling for nearly three centuries, the Ptolemies were the longest and most recent Egyptian dynasty of ancient origin.

Obverse

Depicts a jugate busts of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, draped and diademed, and Arsinoe II, diademed and veiled, right; the epithet "Sibling Lovers" above, Gallic shield behind.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus ("Ptolemy, sibling-lover"; 309–246 BC), also known posthumously as Ptolemy the Great, was the pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 284 to 246 BC. He was the son of Ptolemy I, the Macedonian Greek general of Alexander the Great who founded the Ptolemaic Kingdom after the death of Alexander, and Queen Berenice I, originally from Macedon in northern Greece.

In 279 BC he married his sister, the beautiful and ambitious Arsinoe II, in the manner of the old Egyptian pharaohs. The sibling marriage scandalized Greek society, as a result, both were given the epithet "Philadelphoi" ("Sibling-lovers").

Arsinoe II (316 BC – unknown date between July 270 and 260 BC) was a Ptolemaic queen and co-regent of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of ancient Egypt. She was given the Egyptian title "King of Upper and Lower Egypt", making her pharaoh as well. Arsinoe was Queen of Thrace, Anatolia, and Macedonia by marriage to King Lysimachus. She became co-ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom upon her marriage to her brother, Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

AΔEΛΦΩN

Reverse

Depicts the jugate busts of Ptolemy I, diademed and draped, and Berenice, diademed and veiled, right; the epithet "Gods" above.

Ptolemy I Soter ("Ptolemy the Savior"; c. 367 BC – 282 BC) was an Ancient Macedonian general, historian and companion of Alexander the Great of the Kingdom of Macedon in northern Greece who became ruler of Egypt, part of Alexander's former empire. Ptolemy was pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 305/304 BC to his death. He was the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt until the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, turning the country into a Hellenistic kingdom and Alexandria into a center of Greek culture.

Berenice I (c. 340 BC – between 279 and 268 BC) was Queen of Egypt by marriage to Ptolemy I Soter. She became the second queen, after Eurydice, of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.

ΘEΩN

Edge
Characteristics
Material Gold
Weight 13.86 g
Diameter 21 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Alexandria Mint

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