ON COIN PORTRAITS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT...
tiara can be seen on Darius’s vase of Naples (ca. 330-320 BC)24. It is contested be-
cause of the influence theatrical performances exerted on vase painting in Southern
Italy. Still, the artist appears to have been well enough informed on Darius’s dress of
a Persian king25. This also applies to the tiara which, although a touch too omate,
seems to answer the description of an Iranian tiara orthe in its generał appearance.
A close analysis of sources reveals that Alexander the Great instituted major
changes in Parthia in 330 BC, altering his monarchical concept and initiating pro-
Iranian policies. From then on, he used the diadem as a royal insignia (Gurt. 6.6.4;
Diod. 17.77.4; Iust. 12.3.8). His other insignia became the Iranian tiara (Arr. 4.7.4;
Itin. Alex. 64, 89; Luk. Diak Mort. 12 (14).3=396-397). Moreover, the king took
to wearing Iranian elements of Iranian dress (Iranian sleeved chiton and kandys-
cloak)26.
Having accepted the Iranian ornamenta regia in 330 BC, including the tiara
and the diadem, Alexander apparently ordered that the new insignia be featured in
the iconography of coinage issued at some mints including Sardes. Similar mea-
sures most probably applied to some other mints, an example being Alexanders
issues from Hierapolis-Bambyke, Syria. Their obverses bear a depiction of a spear-
wielding, tiaraed horseman. The name Alexander, in Aramaic, identifies the issuer27.
An upright tiara is clearly visible. Depictions of spear-armed horsemen (in a soft,
flat tiara as headgear) in gallop are confirmed on coins28 and relics of art from the
Achaemenid period29. Thus coins of Sardes, Egypt, and Hierapolis-Bambyke show
24 Darius’s vase: A. D. TRENDALL, A. CAMBITOGLOU, The Red-Figured Yases of Apulia, vol. II, Late
Apulian, Oxford 1982, p. 495, no. 38, Taf. 176.1; T. HÓLSCHER, Griechische Historienbilder des 5. und 4. Jhs.
v. Chr., Beitrage zur Archaologie 6, Wiirzburg 1973, pp. 177-178; M. CH. VILLANUEVA-PUIG, « Le Vase des
Perses. Naples 3253 (inv. 81947) », Revue des etudes anciennes 111, 1989, pp. 277-298.
25 So rightly emphasized by S. BITTNER, Tracht und Bewaffmtng des persischen Heeres zur Zeit der
Achaimeniden (2. Auflage), Miinchen 1987, in his description of Picture 10: „Wenn es sich bei dieser Abb. um die
Wiedergabe einer Theatertracht handelt, so waren die griechischen Schauspieler wohl sehr genau iiber das Ausseh-
en des GroBkonigs informiert“. A detailed analysis of the vase’s iconography is madę by VILLANUEVAPUIG,
« Le Vase des Perses... », p. 277, who says that „the influence of the theatre seems less important than it has been
proposed before, and the impact of the contemporary campaigns of Alexander against Darius III is to be considered
of greater importance”.
26 Alexander’s pro-Iranian reforms in 330 in eastem Iran are analyzed by OLBRYCHT, Aleksander Wielki..., pp.
286-293. For the Iranian diadem as Alexander’s attribute, cf. studies by RITTER, Diadem undKónigsherrschaft...,
and IDEM, Die Bedeutung des Diadems, Historia 36, 1987, pp. 290-301.
27 H. SEYRIG,« Monnaies hellenistiąues. XIX. Le monnayage de Hierapolis de Syrie a 1’epoąue d’Alexandre »,
RevueNumismatiąue 13, 1971, 11-21, nr 8-13; PRICE, The Coinage..., p. 401, pi- CLVIIIN-O; DEBORD, L Asie Mi-
neure..., p. 487. Price also points to differences in “style and fabric”of local and “imperial” issues of Alexander in Hier-
apolis which, in his opinion, rules out a possibility of its proximate dating. Yet both groups feature an M monogram. The
coins were dated at Alexander’s time by H. Seyrig and despite M.J. Price’s doubts such classification seems justified.
28 Cf. MILDENBERG, „Uber das M(lnzwesen...“, p. 72, Taf. 13.116-123; K. KONUK, « Influences et ele-
ments achemenides dans le monnayage de la Carie », [in:] O. CASABONNE (ed.), Mecanismes et innovations
monetaires dans I’Anatolie achemenide, numismatiąue et histoire. Actes de la table ronde internationale dTstanbul
22-23 mai 1997, Varia Anatolica XII, Istanbul 2000, pl. XXX 8-22; J. BODZEK, „Zwycięski kawalerzysta z Sa-
marii”, Wiadomości Numizmatyczne 43, z. 1-2 (167-168), 1999, pp. 21-30 (with ample biblioghraphy).
29 Such as horsemen on Anatolian gems: J. BOARDMAN, Greek Gems andFinger Rings, London 1970, pp.
881-883, 888-889, 904-905, 925-929.
tiara can be seen on Darius’s vase of Naples (ca. 330-320 BC)24. It is contested be-
cause of the influence theatrical performances exerted on vase painting in Southern
Italy. Still, the artist appears to have been well enough informed on Darius’s dress of
a Persian king25. This also applies to the tiara which, although a touch too omate,
seems to answer the description of an Iranian tiara orthe in its generał appearance.
A close analysis of sources reveals that Alexander the Great instituted major
changes in Parthia in 330 BC, altering his monarchical concept and initiating pro-
Iranian policies. From then on, he used the diadem as a royal insignia (Gurt. 6.6.4;
Diod. 17.77.4; Iust. 12.3.8). His other insignia became the Iranian tiara (Arr. 4.7.4;
Itin. Alex. 64, 89; Luk. Diak Mort. 12 (14).3=396-397). Moreover, the king took
to wearing Iranian elements of Iranian dress (Iranian sleeved chiton and kandys-
cloak)26.
Having accepted the Iranian ornamenta regia in 330 BC, including the tiara
and the diadem, Alexander apparently ordered that the new insignia be featured in
the iconography of coinage issued at some mints including Sardes. Similar mea-
sures most probably applied to some other mints, an example being Alexanders
issues from Hierapolis-Bambyke, Syria. Their obverses bear a depiction of a spear-
wielding, tiaraed horseman. The name Alexander, in Aramaic, identifies the issuer27.
An upright tiara is clearly visible. Depictions of spear-armed horsemen (in a soft,
flat tiara as headgear) in gallop are confirmed on coins28 and relics of art from the
Achaemenid period29. Thus coins of Sardes, Egypt, and Hierapolis-Bambyke show
24 Darius’s vase: A. D. TRENDALL, A. CAMBITOGLOU, The Red-Figured Yases of Apulia, vol. II, Late
Apulian, Oxford 1982, p. 495, no. 38, Taf. 176.1; T. HÓLSCHER, Griechische Historienbilder des 5. und 4. Jhs.
v. Chr., Beitrage zur Archaologie 6, Wiirzburg 1973, pp. 177-178; M. CH. VILLANUEVA-PUIG, « Le Vase des
Perses. Naples 3253 (inv. 81947) », Revue des etudes anciennes 111, 1989, pp. 277-298.
25 So rightly emphasized by S. BITTNER, Tracht und Bewaffmtng des persischen Heeres zur Zeit der
Achaimeniden (2. Auflage), Miinchen 1987, in his description of Picture 10: „Wenn es sich bei dieser Abb. um die
Wiedergabe einer Theatertracht handelt, so waren die griechischen Schauspieler wohl sehr genau iiber das Ausseh-
en des GroBkonigs informiert“. A detailed analysis of the vase’s iconography is madę by VILLANUEVAPUIG,
« Le Vase des Perses... », p. 277, who says that „the influence of the theatre seems less important than it has been
proposed before, and the impact of the contemporary campaigns of Alexander against Darius III is to be considered
of greater importance”.
26 Alexander’s pro-Iranian reforms in 330 in eastem Iran are analyzed by OLBRYCHT, Aleksander Wielki..., pp.
286-293. For the Iranian diadem as Alexander’s attribute, cf. studies by RITTER, Diadem undKónigsherrschaft...,
and IDEM, Die Bedeutung des Diadems, Historia 36, 1987, pp. 290-301.
27 H. SEYRIG,« Monnaies hellenistiąues. XIX. Le monnayage de Hierapolis de Syrie a 1’epoąue d’Alexandre »,
RevueNumismatiąue 13, 1971, 11-21, nr 8-13; PRICE, The Coinage..., p. 401, pi- CLVIIIN-O; DEBORD, L Asie Mi-
neure..., p. 487. Price also points to differences in “style and fabric”of local and “imperial” issues of Alexander in Hier-
apolis which, in his opinion, rules out a possibility of its proximate dating. Yet both groups feature an M monogram. The
coins were dated at Alexander’s time by H. Seyrig and despite M.J. Price’s doubts such classification seems justified.
28 Cf. MILDENBERG, „Uber das M(lnzwesen...“, p. 72, Taf. 13.116-123; K. KONUK, « Influences et ele-
ments achemenides dans le monnayage de la Carie », [in:] O. CASABONNE (ed.), Mecanismes et innovations
monetaires dans I’Anatolie achemenide, numismatiąue et histoire. Actes de la table ronde internationale dTstanbul
22-23 mai 1997, Varia Anatolica XII, Istanbul 2000, pl. XXX 8-22; J. BODZEK, „Zwycięski kawalerzysta z Sa-
marii”, Wiadomości Numizmatyczne 43, z. 1-2 (167-168), 1999, pp. 21-30 (with ample biblioghraphy).
29 Such as horsemen on Anatolian gems: J. BOARDMAN, Greek Gems andFinger Rings, London 1970, pp.
881-883, 888-889, 904-905, 925-929.