Researcher in numismatics Dr.Alsadeek Alsadouk

د.محمد الصديق الصدوق

[alsadeekalsadouk]

Exceptional Reverses of owl on Athena’s tetradrachm / Drachm from Greek ( 475-465 BC) to Egypt/ #Palestine (Gaza) to Yemen ( #Himyarite -30 BC and 14 AD) to south Arabia with Musnad script and to Turkish city #Troas with Script (ΣIΓE) Translation: Sigeion - Troas ( Turkey) between 375 BC - 325 BC.

#Owl #athena

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Hadrian. AD 117–138. AR Cistophorus (10.93 g), struck in Asia Minor after AD 128, at an uncertain mint. Obv. Bare head of Hadrian facing right. Rev. Cult statue of #Artemis_Ephesia standing facing, extending her hands, flanked by stags and thymiateria .

The reverse type celebrates the powerful cult of Artemis Ephesia, the principal deity of Ephesus and one of the most revered religious figures in the eastern Roman Empire. By placing her image on the coinage, #Hadrian emphasized his connection with the Greek cities of Asia Minor and demonstrated imperial respect for their ancient traditions and sanctuaries. The type likely reflects Hadrian’s well-known philhellenism and his travels through the eastern provinces after AD 128, during which he promoted civic loyalty and religious continuity. Artemis Ephesia also symbolized prosperity,protection, and the prestige of Ephesus, home to the famous#Temple_of_Artemis , one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.#roman

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Excessively Rare and Greek Silver Distater of Paphos (Cyprus), Struck Under the King Nikokles, Circa 325-309 BC,( 21.27 g 6), Persic standard. Head of Aphrodite to left, wearing an elaborate tiara composed of a mural crown with four towers enclosing a polos ornamented with palmettes and annulets, a disc earring with a triple pendant and a pearl necklace; behind her neck, Π-ΒΑ. Rev. ΝΙΚΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ / ΠΑΦΙΟΝ Apollo, wearing a laurel wreath and nude but for a cloak over his shoulders, seated left on omphalos, holding an arrow in his right hand and a bow, the bottom of which rests on the ground, in his left; to left, laurel branch; to right, behind Apollo’s hand, Ο . only four genuine examples are known of this exceptional coin. Attractively toned and with particularly fine representations of both Aphrodite and Apollo. Some very minor metal faults, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. #Paphos #Nikokles #Ptolemy_I

#Aphrodite #Apollo #Cyprus #suicide

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Rare decadrachm of Alexander the Great , auctioned by NAC in Zurich with a start of 80,000 CHF, minted in Babylon in the last 2 years of Alexander's reign, scripted (ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟY) with some monogram.

#Alexander_the_Great #Babylon #decadrachm #MACEDONIA #MACEDONIAN

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This extremely rare gold double decadrachm of Agathocles was struck during the chaotic wars between Syracuse and Carthage around 310–304 BC. The coin reflects Agathocles’ desperate but ambitious African campaign after Carthage nearly destroyed his power in Sicily. Facing blockade and military collapse, he invaded North Africa to force the Carthaginians to retreat from Syracuse. The coin’s imagery — a portrait with an elephant scalp and a winged Athena — symbolizes military power, African conquest, and his attempt to present himself like the great Hellenistic rulers after Alexander the Great.

The main scholarly issue surrounding this coin is uncertainty about where and when it was minted. Some historians believe it was produced in Syracuse, while others think it may have been struck in North Africa during the campaign because coin dies could easily travel. Another debate concerns the portrait and symbolism: whether the image represents Africa, Alexander, or a political imitation of Ptolemy I Soter. The design closely copies Ptolemaic coinage but changes important details, suggesting Agathocles wanted to associate himself with the Diadochi and elevate his legitimacy during a period of instability and propaganda warfare.

#Syracuse #Carthage #decadrachm #Agathocles #Sicily

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The Ptolemaic Gold Oktadrachm of Ptolemy II Philadelphos minted in Alexandria ( 27.93 g) depicts Arsinoe II, the sister and wife of Ptolemy II Philadelphos. Their marriage symbolized both dynastic power and divine legitimacy, following Egyptian royal traditions of sibling unions. After Arsinoe’s death, Ptolemy II honored her as a goddess, placing her portrait on valuable gold coinage to promote the cult of the “Sibling Gods” (Theoi Adelphoi). The coin therefore served not only as currency, but also as royal propaganda expressing the unity, wealth, and sacred authority of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

#Ptolemaic_dynasty #oktadrachm #Ptolemy_II #Philadelphos #Alexandria

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Ptolemaic Gold oktadrachm of Ptolemy IV Philopator, whose full name means “Ptolemy, lover of his father,” ruled Ptolemaic Egypt from 221 to 204 BC. He was the fourth monarch in the Ptolemaic dynasty, succeeding his father Ptolemy III Euergetes.

#Ptolemaic #oktadrachm #Ptolemy_IV #Philopator #Alexandria

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Ptolemaic Gold oktadrachm of Ptolemy III Euergetes, conjoined busts of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II/conjoined busts of Ptolemy I and Berenike I, minted in Alexandria ( Egypt ) Date: ca. 246–221 BCE, (27.77g), during Hellenistic Period .

#Ptolemaic #oktadrachm #Ptolemy_III #Arsinoe_II #Alexandria

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Sestertius Of Lucius Aelius Caesar AD 136-138. (21.94 g ) , Rome mint. Struck under #Hadrian, who died prematurely in January AD 138. . Bareheaded and draped bust right, seen from behind / #Concordia seated lett of throne, holding patera and resting elbow on cornucopia set on the base of the throne. Most coin matches with Marble bust of Lucius Aelius Caesar.

#Lucius_Aelius_Caesar #Sestertius #Rome

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Between 425 BC - 420 BC terina ( bruttium ) issued coins says : Upon the cold silver surface sits Nike, no longer triumphant, but weary and silent. Seated upon a hydria, she lowers her gaze toward the fragile bird resting in her hand, as though mourning a peace too delicate to survive the violence of men. In her other hand she holds the caduceus, once a symbol of harmony and reconciliation, now seeming powerless against the sorrow carved into her posture. Her wings remain unfurled, yet they do not rise; they hang like the memory of victories that cost too much. The coin captures not glory, but the loneliness that follows conquest — a divine figure surrounded not by celebration, but by the quiet weight of loss and the fading echo of a broken world.

#terina ( #bruttium ) #Nike #triumphant #greek

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Didrachm of Velia \Lucania, c. 330-300 BC, silver, 7.61 g. On Obverse : Head of #Athena three-quarter face to left, wearing winged and crested Phrygian helmet. Script: Greek Lettering: KEYAOPY , on Reverse

Lion standing left, tearing at prey. Script: GreekLettering: (A) and YEAHTON . Mint #Velia , #Lucania , modern-day Marina di Ascea, #Italy. #Didrachm

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From SICILY, Gela to derrones ( north Macedon ) carried same coins objects and symbols!! Is it because of greeks culture ? Or local kings were imitating greeks coins or because of common beliefs . As we see

1-Triskeles running left; below, palmette; all within shallow incuse square.

2-Male driving ox-cart right, wearing kausia and holding kentron; +E between driver and ox, wheel or open flower(?) above ox, flower between legs / Triskeles (worn to blank).

3-Helmeted head of Athena right.

4-Charioteer, holding kentron in right hand and reins in left, driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses with open wreath held in both hands .

#kentron #Athena #kausia #Triskeles #greek

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During the #Archaic and early Classical periods (c. 500–450 BCE), mints on Lesbos produced specific "African head" , its Struck in billon or electrum. The question is why … Greek coinage that incorporated African features was not random decoration but a layered cultural signal shaped by myth, contact, and identity. In #Greek thought, “Aethiopians” occupied a uniquely elevated place: writers like Homer and Hesiod described them as noble and especially favored by the gods, which lent #African imagery an aura of prestige and even semi-divine association. This symbolic value was reinforced by real encounters, as Greeks came into contact with Africans serving in the armies of #Xerxes_I during the Persian invasions and through earlier patterns of mercenary service, making these figures both familiar and formidable. At the same time, places like #Lesbos—particularly #Mytilene—were deeply embedded in Mediterranean trade networks, where exposure to diverse peoples encouraged artistic experimentation. Featuring African traits on coins thus communicated cosmopolitanism, power, and cultural sophistication, allowing the issuing city to project both its global connections and its engagement with widely respected mythological traditions.

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It's my 7 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

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I miss you in silence, because words can never match the weight of this absence that has left me suspended between memory and longing. I loved you sincerely, only to learn how painful forgetting can be, and how the heart can become heavy with all that remains unspoken. You were my home, and when you left, I became a stranger everywhere, searching for you in details I know you will never return to. What hurts me is not just your departure, but the memories that refuse to leave, as if they punish me for a love I once believed would save me—only to become a beautiful drowning that took me from myself. Inside me, there is a long conversation meant for you: words never said, tears that never found their way, and a farewell that was not an ending, but the beginning of a pain that never ends.

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Sestertius of Nero (AD 54–68), A powerful bronze issue from the reign of one of Rome’s most controversial emperors, this sestertius captures both imperial authority and military imagery in striking detail.

On Obverse: Laureate head of Nero facing right, with a small globe at the base of the neck.

Legend: NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P. Expanded:

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestas, Imperator, Pater Patriae. Which Means:

Nero Claudius Caesar, Emperor (Augustus), conqueror of the Germans, high priest, holder of tribunician power, supreme commander, father of the nation. On Reverse : Nero, bare-headed and armored, rides energetically to the right on horseback, spear in hand, cloak flowing behind him. He is flanked by mounted soldiers also riding right, each carrying a vexillum (military standard). Legend: DECVRSIO S C . Expanded:

Decursio, Senatus Consultum; Meaning:

“Military maneuver” — issued by decree of the Senate.

The reverse scene represents a decursio, a ceremonial cavalry exercise performed by Roman troops. It emphasizes Nero’s role as a military leader, projecting strength, discipline, and imperial command—an image carefully crafted despite the more complex historical reputation of his reign. A bold and dynamic type, this sestertius stands out for its narrative composition and political messaging, blending imperial portraiture with vivid military symbolism.

#decursio #Sestertius #Nero #roman #italy

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Exceptional Stater Of Ptolemy I Soter as king, 305–285 BC. Issued for #Cyrenaica / Kyrenaika( #Libya | Barqah ) under Magas between 300-282,weight 7.11 g. Diademed bust right., with aegis around neck. Rev. Scripted: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ / BAΣIΛEΩΣ Quadriga of elephants driven l. by figure of deified Alexander, holding thunderbolt and sceptre.
 And this context: we say The passage explains the development of early Greek gold coinage in Egypt, beginning with the “Alexandrine” staters introduced by #Alexander_the_Great, featuring #Athena and Nike, and later continued by his regent Cleomenes of Naucratis. When #Ptolemy_I #Soter became satrap in 323 BC, he maintained this design until around 310 BC, with only minor regional exceptions. A major shift occurred around 313/311 BC with a special issue in Alexandria depicting a deified Alexander with divine attributes. Further innovation followed between 304–295 BC, when Ptolemy introduced coins bearing his own portrait, adopted the royal title, and implemented a new lighter weight standard. These coins existed in multiple variants and were also later minted in Cyrene under Magas of Cyrene. Throughout, imagery of Alexander reinforced Ptolemy’s claim to his legacy, symbolized further by his possession and burial of Alexander’s body in Alexandria. After this period, Ptolemy’s coinage shifted to a consistent type showing his portrait and an eagle, marking the final phase of his gold issues.