Nomos 22

SELEUKID KINGS OF SYRIA. Alexander I Balas, with Cleopatra Thea, 152-145 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32 mm, 15.58 g, 11 h), Ake-Ptolemais, 150. Jugate portraits right of Cleopatra Thea, her bust diademed and veiled as Tyche, wearing pendant earring, pearl necklace, kalathos and with a cornucopia over her shoulder, and of Alexander Balas, his head diademed; in field to left, Α. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ Zeus seated left on throne, holding long scepter with his left hand and, in his right, a facing figure of Nike holding a thunderbolt. CSE 407. Houghton, Double 2 (A1/P1). Jameson 1715 (same dies). Richter, Portraits of the Greeks fig 1893. SC 1841. SNG Spaer 1483. Clear and attractive with fine portraits and lovely toning. A few light scratches and minor porosity, otherwise, about extremely fine.

Selections from an important American collection. Ex Lanz 160, 15 June 2015, 287.

This issue, with its extraordinary jugate busts, was struck in 150 BC to celebrate a marriage that was meant to seal an alliance between the Seleukids and the Ptolemies. The issue was probably not meant to be a small one: while when Houghton made his study in 1988 he was only able to track down 19 coins, they were struck from three obverse dies and no fewer than ten reverse dies, a somewhat surprisingly high number. It is, however, quite likely that, given how unpopular Alexander Balas was, the marriage was rocky from the beginning: Balas was dumped and then killed in battle in 145 and Cleopatra married Demetrios II Nicator. He was captured by the Parthians in 137 and she then married his brother Antiochos VII Sidetes, who, in turn, was killed by the Parthians in 129. Shortly before that the Parthains had released Demetrios II as a way of sowing dissension, and he tried to return to Cleopatra, who refused and led troops against him: he was assassinated in 125. Cleopatra tried ruling alone but was forced to associate herself with her son Antiochos VIII Grypos, who she had had with Demetrios II! They ruled jointly until, in 121, Grypos forced her to drink a cup of poison, which she had, in fact, prepared for him!! Compared to this story, the recent events with the House of Windsor are most sedate.