DOI issue:
Artykuły
DOI article:Cieciela̢g, Jerzy: Ascalon coins and the roots of the Herodian Dynasty
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22229#0033
Kraków 2011
TC
JERZY CIECIELĄG
Pedagogical University, Kraków
ASCALON COINS AND THE ROOTS
OF THE HERODIAN DYNASTY
In 1904, a publication appeared containing information on an exceptional coin
struck in Ascalon in the Ptolemaic period, namely a silver tetradrachm from the
fourth year of Ptolemy IV’s reign, a piece that indicated that in 218 BC the city
was still under Egyptian rule1. Yet the first regular issue of Ascalon coins (an Attic
drachm displaying Apollo on the reverse) came early in the second century BC,
during the reign of Antiochus III the Great (223-187 BC)2. This confirms that As- 31
calon was already then under Seleucid control, the result of a victorious battle with
the Ptolemies at Paneas ca. 200 BC3. From the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
(175-164 BC) to Antiochus VIII Grypos (126-96 BC), the Ascalon mint played an
important role, issuing many dated bronze and silver “royal” types (bearing mainly
11. N. SVORONOS, Ta voptopaxa xoo Kparouę raw nrokepaifiw, II, Athens 1904, No. 1188, tab. 36.16.
2 For morę on Seleucid coinage see: J. BODZEK, „Katalog Monet Seleucydów w Muzeum Narodowym
w Krakowie”, [in:] J. WOLSKI (ed.), Dzieje i upadek Imperium Seleucydów, Kraków 1999, pp. 209-235; E. T.
NEWELL, “The Seleucid Mint of Antioch”, American Journal of Numismatics 51, 1917, pp. 1-151; IDEM, The
Coinages of the Western Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus Ul, (Numismatic Studies 4), New York 1941;
IDEM, The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III, (Numismatic Studies 1), New
York 1938; Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum:
Syria, Seleucid Kings, Copenhagen 1959; A. HOUGHTON, Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection
of Arthur Houghton, (Ancient Coins in North American Collections), New York 1983; O. M0RKHOLM, Early
Hellenistic Coinage from the Accession of Alexander to The Peace of Apamea (336—188 B.C.), Cambridge 1991;
A. ElOUGHTON, C. LORBER, Seleucid Coins. A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I: Seleucus I through Antio-
chus III, Vol. I-II, Lancaster—New York 2002; A. HOUGE1TON, C. LORBER, O. HOOVER, Seleucid Coins.
A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part II: Seleucus IV through Antiochus XIII, vol. I-II, Lancaster-New York 2008.
3 A. B. BRETT, “The Mint of Ascalon under the Seleucids”, American Numismatic Society, Museum Notes 4,
1950, p. 46, No. 1, tab. 8.1. For Ascalon coinage in the late Persian period, see: Y. MESHORER, “The Mints of Ash-
dod and Ascalon during the Late Persian Period”, Eretz Israel 20, 1989, pp. 287-291 (hebr.); L. MILDENBERG,
“On the Money Circulation in Palestine from Artaxerxes II till Ptolemy I. Preliminary Studies of the Local Coin-
age in the Fifth Persian Satrapy. Part 5”, Transeuphratene 7, 1994, p. 68. On earlier coins see H. GITLER, “New
Fourth-Century BC Coins from Ascalon”, The Numismatic Chronicie 156, 1996, pp. 1-9. See also CH. YASHIN,
From Ascalon to Rafia: City-Coins of the Southern Palestinian Coast, Ashąelon 2007; O.D. HOOVER, Handbook
of Syrian Coins: Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC, London 2009.
TC
JERZY CIECIELĄG
Pedagogical University, Kraków
ASCALON COINS AND THE ROOTS
OF THE HERODIAN DYNASTY
In 1904, a publication appeared containing information on an exceptional coin
struck in Ascalon in the Ptolemaic period, namely a silver tetradrachm from the
fourth year of Ptolemy IV’s reign, a piece that indicated that in 218 BC the city
was still under Egyptian rule1. Yet the first regular issue of Ascalon coins (an Attic
drachm displaying Apollo on the reverse) came early in the second century BC,
during the reign of Antiochus III the Great (223-187 BC)2. This confirms that As- 31
calon was already then under Seleucid control, the result of a victorious battle with
the Ptolemies at Paneas ca. 200 BC3. From the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
(175-164 BC) to Antiochus VIII Grypos (126-96 BC), the Ascalon mint played an
important role, issuing many dated bronze and silver “royal” types (bearing mainly
11. N. SVORONOS, Ta voptopaxa xoo Kparouę raw nrokepaifiw, II, Athens 1904, No. 1188, tab. 36.16.
2 For morę on Seleucid coinage see: J. BODZEK, „Katalog Monet Seleucydów w Muzeum Narodowym
w Krakowie”, [in:] J. WOLSKI (ed.), Dzieje i upadek Imperium Seleucydów, Kraków 1999, pp. 209-235; E. T.
NEWELL, “The Seleucid Mint of Antioch”, American Journal of Numismatics 51, 1917, pp. 1-151; IDEM, The
Coinages of the Western Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus Ul, (Numismatic Studies 4), New York 1941;
IDEM, The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III, (Numismatic Studies 1), New
York 1938; Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum:
Syria, Seleucid Kings, Copenhagen 1959; A. HOUGHTON, Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection
of Arthur Houghton, (Ancient Coins in North American Collections), New York 1983; O. M0RKHOLM, Early
Hellenistic Coinage from the Accession of Alexander to The Peace of Apamea (336—188 B.C.), Cambridge 1991;
A. ElOUGHTON, C. LORBER, Seleucid Coins. A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I: Seleucus I through Antio-
chus III, Vol. I-II, Lancaster—New York 2002; A. HOUGE1TON, C. LORBER, O. HOOVER, Seleucid Coins.
A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part II: Seleucus IV through Antiochus XIII, vol. I-II, Lancaster-New York 2008.
3 A. B. BRETT, “The Mint of Ascalon under the Seleucids”, American Numismatic Society, Museum Notes 4,
1950, p. 46, No. 1, tab. 8.1. For Ascalon coinage in the late Persian period, see: Y. MESHORER, “The Mints of Ash-
dod and Ascalon during the Late Persian Period”, Eretz Israel 20, 1989, pp. 287-291 (hebr.); L. MILDENBERG,
“On the Money Circulation in Palestine from Artaxerxes II till Ptolemy I. Preliminary Studies of the Local Coin-
age in the Fifth Persian Satrapy. Part 5”, Transeuphratene 7, 1994, p. 68. On earlier coins see H. GITLER, “New
Fourth-Century BC Coins from Ascalon”, The Numismatic Chronicie 156, 1996, pp. 1-9. See also CH. YASHIN,
From Ascalon to Rafia: City-Coins of the Southern Palestinian Coast, Ashąelon 2007; O.D. HOOVER, Handbook
of Syrian Coins: Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC, London 2009.