Ancient Coin with the Image of the Persian God Baaltars
This silver stater was struck around 379 to 374 BC under the rule of the Persian satrap Phanabazos II at Tarsos (Tarsus) in Cilicia. The obverse bears the image of Baaltars seated and holding a lotus tipped scepter with ‘BLTRZ’ inscribed behind. The reverse shows a bearded and helmeted male head (possibly Ares) with the inscription 'FRNBZW HLK'. Stunning natural iridescent toning. Extremely Fine.
Baaltars (combination of "Baal" and "Tarsus") was a deity of the Persian Empire, the Baal or Zeus of the city of Tarsus. His depiction appears on coins of the Persian kings or satraps of Cilicia at Tarsus before Alexander the Great in the 5th and 4th century BC and also on the coins of the early Seleucids.