H. Gitler and D. Master, Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent finds from the Leon Levy Expedition, Israel Numismatic Research 5 (2010), pp. 67-98. more

Israel Numismatic Research 5 | 2010 cover Published by The Israel Numismatic Society Israel Numismatic Research Published by the Israel Numismatic Society Editorial Board: Donald T. Ariel (Editor), Alla Kushnir-Stein, David Wasserstein, Danny Syon, Ilan Shachar Text editor: Miriam Feinberg Vamosh Typesetting: Michal Semo-Kovetz and Yael Bieber, Tel Aviv University Graphic Design Studio Printed at Elinir, Tel Aviv ISSN 1565-8449 Correspondence, manuscripts for publication and books for review should be addressed to: Israel Numismatic Research, c/o Haim Gitler, The Israel Museum, P.O. Box 71117, Jerusalem 91710 ISRAEL, or to dtariel@ins.org.il Website: www.ins.org.il For inquiries regarding subscription to the journal, please e-mail to info@ins.org.il The editors are not responsible for opinions expressed by the contributors. © The Israel Numismatic Society, Jerusalem 2010 Israel Numismatic Research Published by the Israel Numismatic Society Volume 5 Contents 2010 3 Wolfgang fischer-Bossert and haim gitler: The Ismailiya Hoard 1983 13 novella vismara: Kuprlli or Kherẽi: a Problem of Attribution or a Problem of Method? 21 Yoav farhi: A Silver-Plated Samarian Coin from Tel Dor 31 Yehoshua Zlotnik: A Hoard of Alexander the Great from the Region of Syria 41 Catharine c. lorBer: A Gold Mnaieion of Ptolemaic Cyprus at Tell Kedesh: Background and Context 59 Walter c. holt and nicholas l. Wright: A New Seleucid Bronze Coin and Dura Hoard 13 Revisited 67 haim gitler and Daniel m. master: Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent Finds from the Leon Levy Expedition 99 Yaniv schauer: Mint Remains from Excavations in the Citadel of Jerusalem 109 Jean-PhiliPPe fontanille: The Barbarous Coins of Judea 123 fernanDo lóPeZ sáncheZ: Military Units of Mark Antony and Lucius Verus: Numismatic Recognition of Distinction 139 Yigal ronen: Coins as Scale Weights 143 cecilia meir: Tyrian Sheqels from the ‘Isfiya Hoard, Part Two 151 Julian Baker: The Tel ‘Akko hoard of Venetian Torneselli 161 ruth JacoBY: Tokens for Sheḥita and Miqve from Samarkand 167 REVIEW: Nikolaus Schindel, Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum Israel. Vienna, 2009 (Stuart D. Sears) 175 Abbreviations ABBREVIATIONS AJC AJN BMC BMCO CH CIL CNP CRE DOC IEJ IG IGCH INJ INR LA LRBC MIB MIBE MN NC NCirc. NNM NZ RRC RIC RN RPC SC SICA SNAT SNG SNR TINC TJC ZfN Y. Meshorer Ancient Jewish Coinage. Dix Hills, NY 1982 American Journal of Numismatics e.g., BMC Arab.: G.F. Hill. Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia. London 1922 e.g., BMCO 1: S. Lane-Poole. The Coins of the Eastern Khaleefehs in the British Museum. Catalogue of the Oriental Coins in the British Museum 1. London 1875 Coin Hoards Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum e.g., L. Kadman. The Coins of Akko Ptolemais (Corpus Nummorum Palestinensium IV). Jerusalem 1961 e.g., H. Mattingly. The Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum I. Augustus to Vitellius. London 1923 e.g., P. Grierson. Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection 3. Leo III to Nicephorus III 717–1081. Washington, D.C. 1973 Israel Exploration Journal Inscriptiones Graecae M. Thompson, O. Mørkholm and C.M. Kraay. An Inventory of Greek Coin Hoards. New York 1973 Israel Numismatic Journal Israel Numismatic Research Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Liber Annuus e.g., P.V. Hill and J.P.C. Kent. Part 1: The Bronze Coinage of the House of Constantine, A.D. 324–46. In Late Roman Bronze Coinage (A.D. 324–498). London 1965. Pp. 4–40 e.g., W. Hahn. Von Anastasius I. bis Justinianus I (491–565). Moneta Imperii Byzantini 1. Österreische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkscriften 109. Veröffenklichungen der Numismatischen Kommission 1. Vienna 1973 e.g., W. Hahn. Money of the Incipient Byzantine Empire (Anastasius I–Justinian I, 491– 565) (Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Numismatik und Geldgeschichte der Universität Wien 6). Vienna 2000 American Numismatic Society Museum Notes Numismatic Chronicle Numismatic Circular Numismatic Notes and Monographs Numismatische Zeitschrift M.H. Crawford. Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge 1974 e.g., C.H.V. Sutherland. The Roman Imperial Coinage I. From 31 BC to AD 69. London 1984 Revue Numismatique e.g., A. Burnett, M. Amandry and I. Carradice. From Vespasian to Domitian (AD 69–96). Roman Provincial Coinage 2. London 1999 e.g., A. Houghton and C. Lorber. Seleucid Coins. A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I. Seleucus I through Antiochus III. New York, Lancaster, PA and London 2002 e.g., S. Album and T. Goodwin. Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean, Volume 1: The Pre-Reform Coinage of the Early Islamic Period. Oxford 2002 e.g., L. Ilisch. Sylloge Numorum Arabicorum Tübingen–Palästina IVa Bilād aš-Šām I. Tübingen 1993 Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum (with suffix as necessary, e.g. SNG Cop.) Schweizerische Numismatische Rundschau Transactions of the International Numismatic Congress Y. Meshorer. A Treasury of Jewish Coins from the Persian Period to Bar Kochba. Jerusalem and Nyack 2001 Zeitschrift für Numismatik 175 Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent Finds from the Leon Levy Expedition haim gitler Israel Museum gitler@imj.org.il Daniel m. master Wheaton College daniel.master@wheaton.edu Abstract All known specimens of the autonomous tetradrachms of Ascalon minted during the first century BCE are presented. Included are the specimens depicting royal male portraits (type immobilisé of Antiochus VIII) minted between 99/8 and 50/49 BCE, at which point there was a radical break with the appearance of portraits of Cleopatra VII on the city’s silver. These tetradrachms are very rare and so far only four issues of year 55 (50/49 BCE) and one of year 66 (39/8 BCE) were known. Three recently identified specimens of an unpublished year (65=40/39 BCE) have also been recorded. Tel Ashqelon (Ascalon) is located just south of the modern city of Ashqelon on the Mediterranean coast (map ref. 157 619 [NIG]) Though ancient Ashqelon was first excavated in the nineteenth century, modern excavation by the Leon Levy Expedition, which began in 1985, has revolutionized understanding of the site’s history (Stager et al. 2008; Stager 1993:103–112, 1578–1586).1 1 The archeological section was written by Master and the numismatic report by Gitler. Part of the numismatic research was conducted during Gitler’s stay at the Münzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, thanks to a Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation scholarship. The newly published coins (Cat. Nos. 74 and 93) were excavated under the auspices of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon directed by Lawrence E. Stager (1985–2010) and Daniel M. Master (2007–2010). Several members of the staff of the Leon Levy Expedition deserve particular mention: Ross Voss supervised the excavation of Grid 23; Tracy Hoffman analyzed the stratigraphy, and Robyn LeBlanc assisted in the investigation of the historical background. Abbreviations for this article are: ANS=American Numismatic Society (New York); BM=The British Museum (London); BN=Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris); HU=Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; IAA=Israel Antiquities Authority; IM=The Israel Museum (Jerusalem); KNP=Kadman Numismatic Pavilion (Tel Aviv); NMA=Numismatic Museum (Athens). We are grateful to Catherine C. Lorber, Alla Kushnir-Stein, Andrew Meadows, Panagiotis P. Iossif and Donald T. Ariel for their valuable comments and remarks on the original manuscript. Useful information was provided by François de Callataÿ, Frank Kovacs, David Hendin and Robert Deutsch. We would like to thank the following institutions and collectors for enabling us to publish their coins in this paper: IM; IAA (Donald T. Ariel); Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv (Cecilia Meir); HU (Ze’ev INR 5 (2010): 67–98 67 68 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Ascalon long navigated the complex and often fractious politics of the southern Levant, particularly in the Hellenistic period. In the span of two centuries, the city changed from Ptolemaic (Josephus, Ant. 12:4–5; Edgar 1925:17– 19), papyrus 59010 [see: http://ipap.csad.ox.ac.uk/4DLink4/4DACTION/ IPAPwebquery?vPub=P.Cair.Zen.&vVol=1&vNum=59010]; Ep. Arist. 115) to Seleucid hands (numismatic evidence: Voulgaridis 2000:266–367, 417–418; SC II: passim) before gaining autonomy (Stein 1990:9–25; Fuks 2001:32–33; Voulgaridis 2000:368–369). Ascalon maintained close ties with the major international powers of the day, perhaps for support against the Jewish state to the east. Brett’s identification of the portraits of late Ptolemaic kings on Ascalon’s autonomous issues prompted some to postulate a special relationship with Egypt and its Ptolemaic kings (Brett 1937:454–456; Fuks 2001:125, esp. n. 26), but such identification has since been challenged (Spaer 1984:239). The city continued to prosper economically and politically through the Early Roman period (Kokkinos 1998 passim). Cleopatra VII may have sought refuge there in 49 BCE during a series of clashes with her brother (Chauveau 2004:19, see however Roller 2010:59); the city minted several coins for her throughout her reign. In 48 BCE Ascalon served as a base for allies of Cleopatra’s Roman patron, Julius Caesar, while the general became embroiled in his Alexandrian War (Josephus, Ant. 14:128, 17:321). Despite the rich Early Roman history of Ascalon, the Leon Levy Expedition has uncovered little evidence of the period. In every excavation area (Stager, Schloen, Master, Press and Aja 2008:216–217), Late Roman/early Byzantine remains (fourth–sixth centuries) heavily disturbed earlier phases. Other remains, decorated architectural elements, identified as “Herodian” by Garstang (1922:115–116; 1924:25) actually belong to the Severan period (Vermeule and Anderson 1981). A few Early Roman remnants are evident in Grid 23, located on an isolated spur in the center of ancient Ashqelon (Fig. 1). As in other excavated areas, Late Roman/early Byzantine construction, in this case a rich fourth-century CE villa, destroyed earlier remains, but south of the villa an exterior courtyard (Courtyard 38) safely sealed a few floors below. The earlier occupation likely extended far beyond the small area uncovered by the Leon Levy Expedition. The Weiss and Daphna Tsoran); Rachel Barkay (Bank of Israel); BM (Amelia Dowler); BN (Michel Amandry and Frédérique Duyrat); American Numismatic Society, New York (Peter van Alfen); Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (Volker Heuchert); National Museum, Copenhagen (Helle Horsnæs); Abraham D. Sofaer, Palo Alto; Arnold Spaer, Jerusalem; Rick Witschonke, New York; Jay Galst, New York. The coins were photographed by Gabi Laron (HU), Peter Lanyi (IM) and Clara Amit (IAA). The drawing of Fig. 2 is by Michael Smelansky. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 69 demonstrable part, four robber trenches, outline two rooms, one of which has a series of excavated fills and floors that provide a rare glimpse into the numismatic assemblage of the Early Roman period (Table 1). Table 1. Early Roman period coins from Grid 23 of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon2 Find spot Reg. No. 23.34.L81 B120 23.34.L81 B120 23.34.L81 B120 23.34.L39 B98 23.34.L39 B98 23.34.L39 B98 23.34.L75 B114 23.34.L39 B98 23.34.L76 B112 23.34.L75 B114 23.34.L75 B110 Identification Weight (g) Pl. and axis 12.97, 19:74 0 12.83, 20:93 and 0 Fig. 2 9.33, 1 1.55, 0 2.30, 0 2.32, 0 2.37, 0 2.43, 7 0.95, 1 5.61, 0 8.27, 0 8.67 9.06 11.72, 0 12:A 12:B 12:C 12:D 12:E 12:F 12:G 12:H 55065 Ascalon, tetradrachm, 64/3 BCE 55064 55063 55067 55068 55069 55213 54859 55552 55214 Ascalon, Cleopatra, tetradrachm, 40/39 BCE Crete, Cnossus c. 40–30 BCE, cf. RPC I:225, No. 937 but different magistrate name (bird countermark between eagle’s feet)2 Ascalon, late 1st century BCE, Yashin 2007:42, No. 58 Ascalon, late 1st century BCE, Yashin 2007:42, No. 58 Ascalon, late 1st century BCE, Yashin 2007:42, No. 58 Ascalon, late 1st century BCE, Yashin 2007:42, No. 58 Ascalon, undated issue, late 1st century BCE, cf. SNGANS 6, Pl. 20:664 Uncertain mint (Tyche head to r./Club or scepter),1st century BCE Ascalon, undated late 1st century BCE, cf. Yashin 2007:41, No. 46 Ascalon, 1st century CE. Countermark: Male head r. (cf. Howgego 1985:132, 143, RPC I:676, 4885). Underlying type 26/5 BCE, cf. RPC I:675, 4871; Yashin 2007:40, No. 34 Ascalon, 2nd century CE with countermark of a head Commodus, Gaza? 180–192 CE, cf. Yashin 2007:86, No. 411 Maximianus, Ascalon 235–238, cf. Yashin 2007:65, No. 267 55013 12:I 23.34.L76 55215 B112 23.34.L69 54861 B102 23.21.L68 54860 B97 12:J 12:K 12:L 2 A very similar issue of Cnossus is found in the ANS coll., Inv. No. 1940.77.86. 70 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Courtyard 38 sealed a fill (Layer 39) containing six coins of the first century BCE. Below the fill was a beaten earth floor (Floor 75) with one first-century CE coin (Table 1, Reg. No. 55013). Below the floor was occupational debris (Layer 81 on Floor 82) with three coins of the first century BCE. Fig. 1. Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon. Grid 23, Early Roman remains THE NUMISMATIC MATERIAL FROM GRID 23 A total of roughly 300 coins spanning the first century BCE to the ninth century CE were found at Grid 23. Amongst them 33 are identifiable and an additional 80 can be roughly identified according to the shape of their flan, and assigned to a general time span. The earliest coin of this assemblage is an autonomous CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 71 tetradrachm of Ascalon dated to 64/3 BCE (noted below, Cat. No. 74), while an Abbasid fals from 832 CE is the latest dated issue found in this grid. The most spectacular find is a so far unpublished Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachm of Cleopatra dated to year 65 of the local era (LΞE=40/39 BCE, Cat. No. 93; Fig. 2). Fig. 2. Obv. Diademed bust of Cleopatra r.3 Rev. [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥΛΟΥ]; eagle standing l. on thunderbolt with palm over shoulder; in lower l. field dove, in upper: Ε above AΛ. In r. field: LΞΕ (=year 65). š, 0, 12.83 g, Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon, Reg. No. 55064=IAA 122226. Unpublished. The left image is the excavated coin. The right image is a composite picture of that coin and two additional specimens (Cat. Nos. 94–95). Not only is this an unpublished coin type, but it is also the first time a tetradrachm of Cleopatra from Ascalon was found in a controlled archaeological excavation. The layer where this coin was found yielded two other rare coins. The first is the autonomous tetradrachm noted above (LMA=64/3 BCE, Cat. No. 74). As is the case with the tetradrachm of Cleopatra, this is the first time that one of the 89 known Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachms depicting on the obverse a royal male portrait was found at an excavation. The second coin is a bronze issue of Crete dated to c. 27 BCE (Pl. 12:A). It depicts a bearded male head to right on the obverse and an eagle standing left on the reverse. A countermark with a small bird appears between the eagle’s legs. The general appearance of this coin type, including the countermark, resembles that of the first-century BCE bronzes of 3 Cleopatra’s portrait on the tetradrachms of Ascalon is very similar to those on her Alexandrian bronze issues (cf. Svoronos 1904:311, No. 1871) and on a clay seal impression, see Walker and Higgs 2001:176, No. 176. 72 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Ascalon (cf. Yashin 2007:40, No. 26). Another interesting fact is that out of 10 coins of the first century BCE, 8 are city coins of Ascalon. Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachms with portraits of Cleopatra are known also with dates LNE=50/49 and LΞς=39/8 (Cat. Nos. 89–92, 96). These issues of the last Ptolemaic queen pose some interesting questions. As they are among the latest in a long series of Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachms, they can be properly discussed only against the background of the whole of this series. SURVEY OF THE AUTONOMOUS TETRADRACHMS OF ASCALON The Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachms have been occasionally published and discussed (Feuardent 1874–1877; de Saulcy 1874–1877; Svoronos 1904; Brett 1937; Rosenberger 1972; Spaer 1984, 1999; de Callataÿ 2002; RPC I; RPC Supp. I), but no systematic research has been done up to now. The autonomous tetradrachms may be divided into two groupings according to the obverse types. The larger and earlier group depicts a male head facing right, while the smaller, later group has the right facing portrait of Cleopatra VII. The general description of the earlier group is as follows. Obv. Diademed male head r., wearing chlamys, border of dots. Rev. Legend with the city’s name and titles (varies from type to type); eagle standing l. on thunderbolt with palm over shoulder; in lower l. field, dove; in r. field, date. A monogram appears either on the l. or r. field or between the eagle’s legs. The engraving of the letters on many of the coins between years 33 (72/1 BCE) and 38 (67/6 BCE) is crude. A survey of the existing material on these tetradrachms dated between the local years of the city Lς–LNE (99/8–39/8 BCE) is presented in the catalogue below. Catalogue of Autonomous Tetradrachms with Male Head Obverse Illustrations are on Pls. 16–23. Specimens which have been analyzed by a handheld portable XRF [x-ray fluorescence] machine [see Table 4 below] are marked with an asterisk. 45 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 4 The monogram Ԁ (or maybe monogram Aand w above) are shared by the Ascalon Seleucid tetradrachms dated to 107/6 BCE (SNG Israel I:344, Nos. 2628–2632) and its autonomous issues of 99/8. They may represent the same entity and most likely stand for the name of a moneyer. However, with some of the Phoenician coinages, like Tyre (Iossif forthcoming a, idem forthcoming b), the same monograms last for so long that we have to suspect that they may not represent the names of people, but something else (Iossif recorded three monograms running through Tyrian royal and civic coinage). 5 Dotted thunderbolt. No. Ԁ 4; below dove HU 3740 Spaer, 43 Spaer 1984: Pl. 37:50 Ԁ ; below dove Ԁ ; below dove %; below dove Sofaer, 28 Spaer, 42 aԁ aԁ IM 1770 Sofaer, 29 Spaer 1984: Pl. 37:51; 1999:349, Pl. 36A %; below dove Dove Dove 1 Lϛ Year 6 99/8 O1 R1 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO 13.87, 0 2 Same 3 Same O1 R2 O1 R2 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕ] ΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO ΑΣ[ΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO Heritage World Coin Auction 357, 9 September 2004, Lot 12029 13.05, 0 13.09, 0 12.93 12.44 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 23; Spaer 1984:237, Type D 13.42, . 12.97 45 Lϛ Year 6 99/8 O2 R3 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO 5 Same O3 R4 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 6* LH Year 8 97/6 O4 R5 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕΡΑΣΑ]†AΥTO 7 Same O4 R6 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO 73 74 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 10* Dove ΣΩ ΣΩ ΣΩ à ԃ ԃ Uncertain monogram HU 27 Sofaer, 30 Sasson IAA 50785 IAA 50786 HU 3739 Spaer, 45 Dove Dove Dove Dove Dove Dove Ԃ ; below dove Ԅ ; below dove IM 15391 No. Dove Ԃ Ԃ Spaer, 44 Spaer 1984:238, Type E Dove IAA 50784 13.90, 0 13.20, 0 12.36, 0 Spaer 1984:238, Type F 13.14, 0 13.35, 0 13.46, 0 Spaer 1984:238, Type H, Pl. 37H 13.98, 0 13.86 Spaer 1984:238, Type I, Pl. 37.I Spaer 1984:238, Type L 13.49 13.82, 0 13.86, 0 SNGANS 6, Pl. 20:649 Meadows 2001b: Pl. 4.3, No. 19 ANS Brett 1937: Pl. 9:10 = SNGANS 6, 1944.100.63171 Pl. 20: 648 Ԅ ; below dove Ԅ ; below dove ANS 1944.100.63172 BM 1935–11– 17–924 14.09, 0 13.97 . 8 LI Year 10 95/4 O5 R7 ΑΣΚΑΛΩ[ΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO 9 Same O5 R8 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕΡΑΣ]Α†AΥTO LIB Year 12 93/2 O6 R9 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†A[ΥTO] 11 Same 12 Same O7 R10 O8 R11 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†[AΥTO] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥTO] 13 O9 R12 ΑΣ[ΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑ†AΥT[O] 14 LK Year 20 85/4 LKΔ Year 24 81/80 O10 R13 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT[O] 15 Same O11 R14 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT[O] HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER 16 O12 R15 ΑΣΚΑΛΩ[ΝΙΤΩΝ] [ΙΕ] ΡΑΣΑΣAΥ[TO] 17 O13 R16 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT[O] 18 KE [Year] 25 80/79 LΛ Year 30 75/4 LAΛ Year 31 74/3 O14 R17 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣ] ΥAΥTO 19 Same 20 Same O14 R18 O15 R19 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [Ι]ΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 21* IM 1771 IAA 50787 BM 1935–11– 17–923 Spaer, 47 Ashmolean Museum 17/07/1946 Spaer, 48 NMA KNP 4279 HU 3741 Kissin Spaer 1984: Type J Feuardent 1874–77:192, No. 1; Svoronos 1904:313, No. 1878; Brett 1937: Pl. 9:11 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 22 226 257 Δ above Θ; below dove Δ above Θ; below dove £; below dove No. ø(?); below dove w; below dove 3 dots = a schematic Α or Δ (?) 13.51, 0 13.66, 0 w; below dove w; below dove w8; below dove 13.77 . 13.80, 0 13.84, 0 13.60, 0 12.88 13.58, 0 £; below dove £; below dove 13.56, 0 13.65, 0 LBΛ Year 32 73/2 O16 R20 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣ[AΥTO] (Part of the legend is double-struck) LΓΛ Year 33 72/1 O17 R21 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ (sic) [ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥTO] 23 Same 24 Same O18 R22 O18 R22 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO [ΑΣΚΑΛ]ΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥA[ΥTO] LΔΛ Year 34 71/70 O19 R23 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO 26 Same O20 R24 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 27 O21 R25 [ΑΣΚΑ]ΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO] 28 Same but crude style LEΛ Year 35 70/69 O22 R26 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝ[ΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥTO 29 Same 30 Same O22 R27 O22 R28 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ (sic) ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥ[TO] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ (sic) [ΙΕΡΑΣΑ]ΣΥAΥTO 6 7 8 75 Dotted thunderbolt. Dotted thunderbolt. This crude style monogram maybe the same as that appearing on the issues of the previous year: w. However, it may also be read as: @ . Γ 76 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 31*9 IM 1772 IAA 50788 HU 3738 Spaer 1984: Pl. 37:52 Antike Münzen, Sternberg, Zürich, Auktion 25–26 November 1976, Lot 535 IM 292 IAA 50789 BM 1935–11– 17–922 HU 2021 HU 2022 Svoronos 1908:437, No. 1878α; Brett 1937:454, No. 3 Spaer 1999: Pl. 36:1 Stager 1993:110 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 21 : ; below dove 3210 36* 3911 No. £; below dove 12.70, 0 13.65, 0 13.76, 0 12.54 13.68 13.74, 0 :; below dove Unclear monogram; below dove : ; below dove ΑΣ; below dove 13.94, 0 13.96, 0 13.81, 0 13.62, 0 12.20 ΑΣ; below dove ΑΣ; below dove ΑΣ; below dove ΑΣ; below dove ΑΣ; below dove Same O23 R29 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN ΙΕΡΑ[ΣΑΣΥAΥTO] ςΛ [Year] 36 69/8 O24 R30 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ (sic) [ΙΕΡΑΣΑ]ΣΥAΥTO 33 Same O24 R31 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ (sic) [ΙΕΡΑΣΑ]ΣΥAΥTO 34 Same O24 R32 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ (sic) ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣA[ΥTO] 35 Same O24 R33 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ (sic) ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥ[TO] HΛ [Year] 38 67/6 O25 R34 37 Same 38 Same ΑΣΚΑΩΝ (sic) ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥ (sic) (superimposed letters) ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT• (sic) [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ]Ω ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT• (sic) Same ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ (sic) HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER 40 Same ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ (sic) ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣA[ΥTO] 41 Same O26 R35 O26 R36 O26 R37 O26 R38 O26 R39 [- - -] [Ι]ΕΡΑ[- - -] 9 10 11 Dotted thunderbolt. Dotted thunderbolt. This coin type was erroneously dated to NA=year 51 by Spaer (1984:238; 1999:348.a). Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 4212 Spaer, 49 Spaer 1984: Pl. 37G 4313 ΚΑ Spaer, 46 45* IM 623 HU 2023 IM 15393 Λ above MI Λ above MI CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 47* No. ΚΑ; below dove 13.93, 0 Spaer 1984: Pl. 37K 13.93, 0 ΚΑ Λ above MI KNP 20294 13.60, 0 13.74, 0 13.68, 0 Classical Numismatic Auctions 21, New York June 26, 1992, Lot 160 13.76, 0 O27 R40 ΑΣΚΑ[- - -] ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣAΥT (sic) ΘΛ [Year] 39 66/5 Same but ΛΘ [Year] 39 66/5 in l. field, below dove O27 R41 Α[ΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΙΕΡΑΣΑΣΥAΥ[T] 44 Same O27 R42 LM Year 40 65/4 O28 R43 46 Same O28 R43 Same O28 R44 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] [ΙΕΡ] Α[Σ]ΑΣΥAΥ[T] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ Dove below ΑΣΥAΥTO; year in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ Dove below [Α]ΣΥAΥTO; year in ex.: ΙΕ[ΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ Dove below ΑΣΥ[AΥTO]; year in ex.: ΙΕΡ[ΑΣ] 12 77 This coin type was dated to year 21 by Spaer 1984:238, Type G. Notice that the tetradrachms of years 25, 36 and 38 are missing the sign L to indicate the year. This is rather exceptional for the autonomous coinage of Ascalon. We assume that ΘΛ represents numbers, namely 39, since it would then be very close in date to two of the exceptional pieces in the series. 13 Although the date and monogram appear in the opposite fields than the previous issue it evident that Cat. Nos. 43 and 44 should be dated to Year 39 and not to Year 21. They were struck from the same obverse die as Cat. No. 42 and moreover, the distinctive lock of hair above the ear, noticeable on most of the issues of years 6 through 38 and 40, is missing. Instead, the locks of hair appear in the front edge of the diadem. This change in the way the hair is tousled at the crown of the head is seen also on the issues of years 41 and 55. 78 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) No. Dove below year Λ above MI BN R1686 Yashin Yashin 2007:39, No. 22 Classical Numismatic Group 46, June 24, 1998, Lot 511 BM 1950–4– 1–16 Galst Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Λ above MI Sofaer, 31 Spaer, 50 Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Bourgey, Paris March 4, 1960, Paris, Lot 261 13.61, 0 13.49 13.55 13.60, 0 13.57, 13.71, 0 Brett 1937: Pl. 9:12; SNGANS 6, Pl. 20, No. 650 ANS 1944.100.63173 Yashin Yashin 2007:39, No. 21 Münzen & Medaillen, sale 32, October 20 1966, Lot 298 13.63, 0 13.45 13.68, 0 13.58, 0 Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year 48 Same O28 R45 49 Same O28 R45 50 Same O28 R46 51 Same O28 R47 52 Same O28 R48 [ΑΣΚ]ΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [Α]ΣΥΛOΥAΥT[ONO]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ Α[ΣΚΑΛΩΝΙ]ΤΩΝ ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTONO; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] [ΑΣΚΑΛ]ΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΑΣΥΛOΥ[AΥTONO]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑ[Σ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩ[Ν] [Ι] ΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥAΥTONO ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΑΣΥΛO]Υ[A]ΥTO[NO]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] 53 Same (obv. double struck) O29 R48 [Α]ΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ Dove below [ΑΣ]ΥΛOΥ[AΥTONO]; year in ex.: ΙΕ[ΡΑΣ] HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER 54 Same O29 R49 55 Same O30 R49 56 Same O30 R49 57 Same (rev. double struck) O30 R50 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTONO; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [Α]Σ[ΥΛOΥAΥTONO]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] [Α]ΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥ[TONO]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΚ[ΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTONO; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 61* No. Dove below year Λ above MI KNP 929.85 Λ above MI Archaeological Center Auction 30, October 15th, 2003, Lot 7 13.64, 0 13.80, 0 13.61, 0 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 20 13.36, 0 13.65, 0 SNGANS 6, Pl. 20, No. 651 SNG Copenhagen, Supplement: Pl. L:1235 Babelon 1890:182, No. 1403; Svoronos 1908:438, No. 1880; Brett 1937: Pl. 9:13 13.48, 0 13.39, 0 13.50 58 Same, only the left stroke of the letter L is visible O30 R50 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ [ΑΣΥΛO]ΥAΥTONO; in ex.: ΙΕΡ[ΑΣ] 59 Same O30 R51 60 LM Year 40 65/4 O31 R52 Ԇ 14 Spaer, 52 IM 1773 HU 2029 ANS 1977.158.837 Danish National Museum, Copenhagen Same O31 R53 Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ 62 Same O31 R53 63 Same O32 R54 CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 64 Same O32 R54 65 Same O32 R54 ΑΣΚ[ΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ] [ΙΕΡ] Dove below year Α (sic) ΑΣΥAΥTO [Α]Σ[ΚΑΛΩ]ΝΙ (sic) Dove ΑΣΥ[ΛOΥAΥTON]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡ]Α[Σ] [- - -] ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTON; Dove in ex.: [- - -] [- - -] Dove ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥT[ON]; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙ[ΤΩN] Dove [ΑΣΥ]ΛOΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚΑΛΩ[ΝΙΤΩN] Dove [ΑΣΥΛ]OΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚΑΛΩ[ΝΙΤΩN] Dove [ΑΣΥΛ]OΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] 14 79 The sign Ԇ may be the Tanit symbol as this goddess was worshiped at Ascalon up to the Roman period (Stager 1993:108–109; Finkielsztejn 1992:57–58). However, we cannot dismiss the possibility that this sign should be interpreted as or can be a monogram of ΔΩ or ΔIO. Notice that on a certain coin type of the emission of the following year (Cat. No. 82) the two letters ΔΩ appear in the right field. 80 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 6716 No. Dove below year 66 LMA Year 41 64/3 O3215 R55 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤ[ΩN] [Α]ΣΥΛOΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Sofaer, 32 de Saulcy 1874–1977:126, No. BM 1875–11–2– 6; Svoronos 1904:313, No. 1879; 1 Hoffmann Brett 1937:453, Fig. 1; BMC Pal.:107, No. 18 Frank L. Kovacs, List 1, 1977, Lot 44 BN R1687 Bourgey, Paris March 4, 1960, Lot 262 13.36 1 Same O32 R55 Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year [ΑΣΚΑ]ΛΩΝΙΤΩN [Α]ΣΥΛ[O]Υ[AΥTO]; in ex.: [- - -] 12.59, 0 n.a. 13.67 68 Same O32 R55 69 Same O32 R56 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] ΑΣΥΛOΥ[AΥTO]; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN [Α]Σ[ΥΛO]Υ[AΥTO]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] 70 Same O32 R56 Dove below year ΑΣΚΑ[ΛΩ]ΝΙΤ[ΩN] [Α]ΣΥΛOΥAΥTO; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑ[Σ] Ԇ Agora 1, Tel Aviv 14 May 1974, Lot 151; Antike Münzen, Sternberg, Zürich, Auktion 25–26 November 1976, Lot 536; Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 40, 16 May 2007, Lot 272 Spaer, 51 13.66, 0 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER 71 Same O32 R56 Dove below year [ΑΣΚΑ]ΛΩΝΙΤΩN ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥ[TO]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡ]ΑΣ Ԇ Ԇ 13.58, 0 72 Same O32 R56 Dove below year [ΑΣΚΑΛ]ΩΝΙΤΩN Α[ΣΥΛOΥAΥTO]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ Ira and Larry Goldberg Auction, June 4, 2000, Sale 5, Lot 3220; Archaeological Center, Auction 40 part 1, April 4, 2007, Lot 8 13.7, 0 15 Die O32 overlaps two successive years. This is a quite a rare phenomenon in the silver coinage of the area. For example, for the series of Seleucid Tyrian sheqels, Panagiotis P. Iossif recorded three obverse dies that overlap successive years (one of them being used for three successive years) (Iossif forthcoming a and Iossif forthcoming b). 16 From the IGCH:223, No. 1622 hoard. Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 74* 76* 81* Dove below year Dove below year ΔΩ ΔΩ No. Dove below year 73 Same O32 R56 Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ Ԇ IM 1774 HU 3742 Bank of Israel Collection 1–731 Yashin IAA 50790 Münzen & Medaillen, Sale 47, November 30–December 1, 1972, Lot 548 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 18 HU 2026 Yashin 2007:39, No. 23 IM 624 ANS 1944.100.63174 Table 1, Reg. No. 55065 SNGANS 6, Pl. 20, No. 652 HU 2025 13.64, 0 12.97 1 13.68, 0 13.54, 0 13.29, 0 13.62 13.69, 0 13.77, 0 13.78, 0 13.78, 0 13.36, 0 Same Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year Dove below year O32 R56 Dove below year 75 Same O32 R57 Same O32 R57 77 Same O32 R58 78 Same O32 R59 CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 79 Same O32 R59 80 Same O32 R60 Same O32 R60 82 LMA Year 41 64/3 O33 R61 83 Same O33 R61 ΑΣΚΑΛΩ[ΝΙΤΩN] [ΑΣΥΛO]ΥAΥTO; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥ[TO]; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝ[ΙΤΩN] [ΑΣ]ΥΛOΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] [ΑΣΚΑ]ΛΩΝΙΤΩN ΑΣΥΛO[Υ]A[ΥTO]; in ex.: [- - -] [ΑΣΚΑ]ΛΩΝΙΤΩN ΑΣΥ[ΛOΥAΥTO]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙ]ΤΩN ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥT[O]; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚ[ΑΛΩ]ΝΙΤ[ΩN] ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTO; in ex.: [- - -] ΑΣΚΑ[ΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [Α]ΣΥΛOΥAΥT; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙ]ΤΩN ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥ[T]; in ex.: ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣ[ΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΑΣ]ΥΛOΥAΥTON; in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣ[ΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥT[ON]; in ex.: [ΙΕ]ΡΑΣ 81 82 Coll. Weight (g), axis Between eagle’s legs L. field R. field Publication / Auction Catalogue Inscription Dies Year (BCE) 84* ΔΩ ΔΩ IM 16196 IM 1775 Rosenberger 1972:37, No. 19 85* 8617 8819 Spaer, 57 No. 13.35, 0 13.64 12.18, 0 BMC Pal.:107, No. 19; Svoronos BM 1875–11–2– 1904: No. 1881; Brett 1937:454, 2 Hoffman No. 6; Spaer 1999: Pl. 36:7 Spaer, 56 Spaer 1999: Pl. 36:6; ex. Kovacs stock 10 July 1978 Spaer 1999:348, Pl. 36:5; Archaeological Center, Auction No. 12, March 30, 1994, Lot 4 A; below dove A20; below dove 14.24, 0 12.89, 0 Same O34 R61 Same O34 R62 LNE Year 5518 50/49 O35 R63 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] Dove below ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥTON; year in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN Dove below ΑΣΥΛOΥAΥ[TON]; year in ex.: [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΚΑΛ[ΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕ] A; below ΡΑΣ dove ΑΣΥΛOΥ 87 Same O35 R64 ΑΣΚ[ΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕΡΑ]Σ ΑΣΥΛOΥ Same O36 R65 ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN [ΙΕ] ΡΑ[Σ] ΑΣΥΛOΥ HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER ‘Mature’ male portrait with curved nostrils. From the IGCH:223, No. 1622 hoard. De Saulcy 1874–1877:127, No. 8 and Svoronos 1904:313, No. 1881 assumed that there is no place for an additional letter between LN and the legend ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN and dated the coin as year 50. Later Brett 1937:455, No. 8, followed by Spaer 1999:348.f, interpreted the stroke visible on the right field beside the N as part of the letter ς and dated the issue to LNς (=Year 56). A reexamination of Spaer’s specimens suggests that there are traces of the rounded letter epsilon squeezed to the right of N as in the Cleopatra issues of LNE=year 55 (BMC Pal.:108, No. 20). This new dating is supported by the fact that the monogram in the left field, A, is the same as that which appears on the year 55 specimen that depicts a young male portrait (see below). Monograms of all the autonomous issues of Ascalon vary from year to year; thus, we can conclude that both the A coins were struck in the same year. 19 Young male portrait with a large eye. 20 And not ΠΑ as published by Spaer 1999:348, Pl. 36:5. 17 18 CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 83 Table 2. Die links of the Ascalonian tetradrachms with male portraits Year 6 Year 32 Year 40 O1 x2 R1 R2 R3 R4 Year 8 O 16 Year 33 R20 x2 R 43 R 44 R 45 R 46 R 47 R 48 O2 O3 O 28 R21 R22 x2 O 17 O 18 O4 Year 10 R5 R6 Year 34 O 29 R23 R24 R25 x2 R 49 R 50 R 51 O 19 O 20 O 21 Year 35 O 30 O5 Year 12 R7 R8 R 26 O 31 x2 R52 R53 R54 x3 O 32 O 12 R9 R10 R11 R 27 R 28 R 29 Year 41 Year 36 x3 x6 O6 O7 O8 Year 20 O 23 R 55 R 56 R 57 R 58 R 59 R 60 O9 Year 24 R12 R 30 O 12 O 10 O 11 Year 25 R 31 R 32 R 33 Year 38 O 32 x2 x2 R13 R14 O 33 R34 R 35 R 36 R 37 R 38 R 39 x2 O 25 R15 R 61 R 62 O 12 Year 30 O 34 O 26 R16 O 13 Year 31 Year 55 O 14 O 15 R17 R18 R19 Year 39 R 40 O 35 O 36 R63 R64 R65 O 27 R 41 R 42 84 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER From the recorded material above we learn that for the period between 99/8 and 50/49 BCE the mint of Ascalon struck tetradrachms in 19 different years. The entire series was struck from 36 obverse and 65 reverse dies (see Table 2 above). A summary of the dates and average weights of the Ascalonian tetradrachms with male portraits appears below (Table 3). Table 3. Dates and average weights of the Ascalonian tetradrachms with male portraits Year 6 8 10 12 20 24 25 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 55 Cat. Nos. 1–5 6–7 8–9 10–12 13 14–15 16 17 18–20 21 22–24 25–27 28–31 32–35 36–41 42–44 45–65 66–67, 69–85 86–88 Qty. 5 2 2 3 1 2 1 1 3 1 3 3 4 4 6 3 21 19 3 Average Weight (g) 13.08 13.20 13.55 12.95 13.46 13.92 13.49 13.82 13.97 13.51 13.74 13.44 13.35 13.4 13.54 13.82 13.59 13.51 13.1 Catalogue of Autonomous tetradrachms with Portraits of Cleopatra VII Below is a general description and catalogue of coins of the smaller, later group of autonomous tetradrachms, those depicting the portrait of Cleopatra VII on the obverse. Obv. Diademed bust of Cleopatra r. Rev. ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥΛOY Εagle standing l. on thunderbolt; palm branch over shoulder; in lower l. field, dove, above monogram; in r. field, date. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 85 Details of the catalogue below are the same as the above catalogue of tetradrachms with male head obverse. Analyzed specimens are marked with an asterisk. No. 2122 Year Dies (BCE) Inscription L. field Collection Publication 8921 O1 LNE Year 55 R1 50/49 ΑΣΚΑΛ[ΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕ]ΡΑΣ ΑΣΥΛOΥ w; below dove 90 Same O2 R2 ΑΣΚΑ[ΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕ]ΡΑΣ [ΑΣΥΛOΥ] w; below dove 9122 Same O3 R3 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕΡΑΣ] ΑΣΥΛOΥ w; below dove Weight (g), axis BM 1875– de Saulcy 1874– 13.04, 11–2–3 1877:126–127, No. 7; 0 Hoffmann Svoronos 1904:314, No. 1885; Head 1911:804, Fig. 354; BMC Palestine:108, No. 20; Brett 1937:455, No. 7a; Spaer 1999:348, d [second specimen described]; RPC I, 4866.1; Walker and Higgs 2001:234, No. 219 NMA Feuardent 1874– 12.48, 1877:192–193, No. 0 4; Imhoof-Blumer 1885:88, No. 14; Svoronos 1904:314, No. 1883; Brett 1937:455, No. 8; Spaer 1999:348, b; RPC I:675, No. 4867.1 Spaer, 58 Spaer 1999:348, d 11.23, [first specimen] 0 (broken) From the IGCH:223, No. 1622 hoard. 50/49 BCE is the third year of Cleopatra’s reign. Her first year extended from her succession until September 4, 51 BCE [end of the Egyptian year]; her second, September 51–September 50 and her third, September 50–September 49). The correction of the date for RPC I:675, No. 4866.1 appears in RPC Supp. I:47. 22 From the IGCH:224, No. 1627 hoard. 21 86 No. Year Dies (BCE) Same – HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Inscription L. field Collection Publication Weight (g), axis 13.35 92 – 93* O4 LΞE Year 65 R4 40/39 Same O4 R5 No inscription is visible 94 [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥΛOΥ [ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] [ΙΕ]Ρ[ΑΣ] Α[ΣΥΛOΥ] ΑΣΚ[ΑΛΩΝΙΤΩN] ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥ[ΛOΥ] 95* Same O4 R6 96 O5 LΞς Year 66 R7 39/8 Table 1, E Reg. No. above AΛ; 55064; IAA 122226 below dove RBW E above AΛ; below dove IM 15392 E above AΛ; below dove The Fan ‘; Museum below Trust, dove London Svoronos 1904:314, No. 1884; Brett 1937:455, No. 7a; RPC I:675, No. 4866.3 which is described also as 4867.2 (photograph never published) 12.83, 0 12.01, 0 12.42 1 Brett 1937:452, 455, No. 9; Baldus 1973:25, Pl. 3:6; Baldus 1987:141; RPC I:675, 4868; Walker and Higgs 2001:234, No. 220; Westheider and Müller 2006:133, No. 93. Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd. Highly Important Ancient Coins. The Property of a Lady, October 9 1984, Lot 311. DISCUSSION Ascalon acquired autonomous status in 104/3 BCE (Stein 1990:9–25; Voulgaridis 2000:368–369; Fuks 2001:32–33). From that year until the reign of Augustus, Ascalon issued autonomous coins, the most valuable of which were silver tetradrachms. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 87 This coinage has been discussed by Spaer, who suggested that the transition from the late Seleucid royal issues of Ascalon to the early autonomous silver coinage was seamless (Spaer 1984:229–231; see also de Callataÿ 2002:81–87). Ascalonian autonomous tetradrachms closely imitated Seleucid tetradrachms, but replaced the royal inscription with the legend: ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥΛOY AYTONO(MOY) (“of the Ascalonites, sacred and inviolable, autonomous”).23 It has been commonly held that royal male portraits on the autonomous coinage of Ascalon should be attributed to some of the late Ptolemaic rulers and in particular to Ptolemy X (116–80 BCE) and Ptolemy XII (80–51 BCE). This was first suggested by de Saulcy (1874–1877), and Svoronos (1904:313) and was further expanded by Brett (1937). This theory was based on the fact that the latest tetradrachms of Ascalon bear the effigy of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII. However, Spaer has argued that Ascalon portrayed Antiochus VIII (121–96 BCE) on its autonomous tetradrachms as a type immobilisé24 throughout the first century BCE because he was the one who granted Ascalon its autonomy (Spaer 1984:239).25 The early dated autonomous tetradrachms of Ascalon with a male portrait may indeed depict Antiochus VIII Grypus.26 It was during his second reign at This is the fullest version of the legend that appears on some of the issues of years 40 and 41. In the other years the legend is abbreviated. For instance in year 55 the title AYTONO(MOY) is omitted from the legend. This title is also missing in all the issues of Cleopatra. 24 The use of a type immobilisé portrait occurs as well in the pseudo-Philip Philadelphus tetradrachms of Antioch dated to 57–17/6 BCE (Prieur and Prieur 2000:2–5). 25 In 103 BCE, after gaining the throne, Alexander Jannaeus attacked the city of ‘Akko-Ptolemais. Its citizens turned for help to the exiled Egyptian king Ptolemy IX Lathyrus, then the ruler of Cyprus. Lathyrus saw this as an opportunity to gain an advantageous position from which to initiate his return to Egypt after his expulsion from there in 107 BCE by his mother, Cleopatra III. Ptolemy landed his army on the coast of Sycaminum (Shiqmona) and proceeded toward ‘Akko-Ptolemais. Jannaeus feared Ptolemy’s attack and preferred to divert his opponent by offering him a truce, while secretly asking Cleopatra for help. Cleopatra intervened, sending her fleet to Phoenicia and her land forces into Palestine. After spending a winter (103/2 BCE?) in Gaza, Ptolemy finally withdrew from Palestine and returned to Cyprus. In this conflict, each of the warring Ptolemaic factions had its Seleucid ally: Lathyrus was allied with Antiochus IX Cyzicenus and Cleopatra III with his half-brother Antiochus VIII Grypus. Ascalon appears to have supported Cleopatra in these hostilities (Stein 1990:17–21, see also Gitler and Kushnir-Stein 1994–1999). 26 The issues of years 6 (99/8) and 8 (97/6) were minted during the lifetime of Antiochus VIII Grypus. They feature portraits that imitate those appearing on the Seleucid royal tetradrachms of Antiochus VIII (e.g., compare Cat. Nos. 1–3 and the Seleucid issues: Ascalon SE 206=107/6 BCE, SC II:518, No. 2340.9a and Sidon 198=115/4 BCE, SC 23 88 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Ascalon (112–103 BCE) that the city began to style itself as ΙΕΡ[ΑΣ] ΑΣΥ[ΛOY], reflecting a grant of asylia from the Seleucid king (SC II:516–519). Grypus was the last Seleucid ruler who issued royal coins at Ascalon. His latest issue is dated to SE 209 (104/3 BCE; SC II:519, No. 2340.12=Spaer 1984:234, No. 48, from the Rafah 1968 hoard [IGCH:222, No. 1609=CH 9:59, No. 550]). It is at that point that the royal coinage stopped and Ascalon was granted autonomy. The subsequent emissions inscribed: ΑΣΚΑΛΩΝΙΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΑΣΥ[ΛOY] AYTON[OMOY] are dated by the new city era. The titulature of the royal effigy appearing on these issues has been omitted. The grant of autonomy involved an agreement in which the king played a key role. Based on the evidence of the coins, the official master of Ascalon was Grypus, so he must have bestowed the privilege of autonomy on them in 104/3 BCE as a reward for remaining loyal during his struggle with his half-brother Antiochus Cyzicenus. In Stein’s view, autonomy was a privilege given by a king to a city with a view toward ensuring the future loyalty of the city (1990:17). The early Ascalonian tetradrachms issued shortly after Antiochus VIII’s death are supportive of Spaer’s suggestion. In the year-10 tetradrachms (95/4 BCE; Cat. Nos. 8–9), the male portrait is shown with a prominent nose very similar to that on the contemporary portraits depicting Antiochus VIII Grypus (“the HookNosed”). Moreover, the tousling of the hair at the crown of the head (above, n. 26) is very similar to the looks of Antiochus VIII’s hairstyle (e.g., SNG Israel I:340, No. 2599; p. 344, Nos. 2627, 2631; p. 348, No. 2655). The draped royal effigy is depicted clad in a chlamys clasped with a fibula over the right shoulder, a common trait of the Seleucid portraits (cf. SC II:517, No. 2339.4; SNG Israel I:340–345, Nos. 2597–2645 [passim]), whereas their Ptolemaic counterparts are usually shown wearing the aegis [e.g., Svoronos 1904:33, 56, 156, 197, 219, Nos. 181, 357, 1001, 1208, 1327]. However, there are exceptions where the Ptolemaic rulers are clad in a chlamys (cf. Svoronos 1904:89–93, Nos. 603–606, 608–609, 613–614, 618, 621 [Ptolemy II]; pp. 141, 154, Nos. 934, 995–996 [Ptolemy III]; pp. 183, 200, Nos. 1139, 1229 [Ptolemy IV], pp. 213–215, 1285–1294, 1296– 1301 [Ptolemy V] and Mørkholm 1981: Pl. 3:1–2, 4–10). The fact that the bulk of the autonomous issues of Ascalon depict Antiochus VIII while he was still alive or even three decades after his death may be explained as a continuous homage of that city to its last known Seleucid sovereign and benefactor. The latest issues depicting a characteristic portrait of Antiochus VIII are those of the years 40 (LM=65/4 BCE) and 41 (LMA=64/3 BCE). Thereafter, the likeness II:513, No. 2331). Notice especially how the hair is tousled at the crown of the head, a distinctive lock of hair appears near the ear and two other hook-shaped locks just over the front edge of the diadem. The control mark between the eagle’s legs (Ԁ ) on some of these Seleucid issues (SNG Israel I:344, Nos. 2628– 2632) is the same monogram that appears on the Ascalonian tetradrachms of year 6. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 89 became scarcely recognizable and one cannot exclude the possibility that the later Ascalonian tetradrachms represent a ruler or rulers other than Antiochus VIII Grypus. For instance in year 55 (LNE=50/49 BCE) three types of tetradrachms were minted at Ascalon, one with the portrait of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII (Cat. Nos. 89–92), the second with a ‘mature’ male portrait with an elongated face and curved nostrils (Cat. Nos. 86–87) and the third with the image of a ‘young’ male with a large eye, which might be that of Cleopatra’s young brother Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (Cat. No. 88). Ptolemy XIII succeeded his father Ptolemy XII in the spring of 51 BCE as co-ruler of Egypt through his marriage to his older sister Cleopatra but asserted himself as senior ruler in October of 50 BCE (Roller 2010:56–57). When the tetradrachm of Ascalon with the ‘young’ male portrait was struck in 50/49 BCE Ptolemy XIII would have been 11 or 12 years old — an age that fits with the portraiture on this issue. However, we know that at some point in 50/49 BCE Ptolemy XIII was at war with his sister who later might have sought shelter at Ascalon.27 If indeed the young male portrait was intended to represent Ptolemy XIII this issue might have been minted in the first part of the year 50/49 BCE while Cleopatra and the young Ptolemy where still ruling together in Egypt as ‘king and queen’ (Grant 2000:49). If the year 55 issues represent male rulers of different ages, one option is that those depicting the ‘mature’ portrait with an elongated head and curved nostrils may continue to represent the long-lived type immobilisé of Antiochus VIII Grypus.28 Nonetheless, several specific stylistic features may undermine the idea of the existence of two different male portraits for the issues of year 55. Both of the year-55 coin types (Cat. Nos. 86–87 and Cat. No. 88) feature a distinctive, hookshaped lock of hair near the top of the head that curls back just over the front edge of the diadem (see n. 13). In the earlier Ascalonian tetradrachms (years 6 through 40 with the exception of 39), this lock is either absent (Cat. Nos. 19, 21–22, 26, 56–62), or positioned much lower to the ear (Cat. Nos. 1–18, 20, 23–25, 28–36, 45–54). However, the portrait of year 39 (Cat. Nos. 42–44) and the last portrait of year 40 (Cat. Nos. 63–65) which are die linked with the year 41 portrait (Cat. Nos. 66–81) also depict a lock of hair shaped like a curl over the front edge of the diadem. Notice also that both coin types of Years 40/41 and 55 (Cat. Nos. 63–81 According to Roller (2010:58), the rupture is to be dated to early 48 BCE. Roller also places Cleopatra’s exile in Syria, probably Antioch, and says that, based on the numismatic evidence, she may have obtained some support from Ashqelon (p. 59). 28 The other possible candidate for the ‘mature’ portrait of year 55 would be Ptolemy XII which has a similar nose with curved nostrils, however, he is depicted wearing an aegis on his drachms (Brett 1937:460, Fig. 3). Since the personage on the year 55 mature portrait tetradrachm is wearing a chlamys, this argues in favor of Antiochus VIII. 27 90 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER and Cat. Nos. 86–87) depict elongated male heads and a nose with curved nostrils. A second type of year 41 (Cat. Nos. 82–83) depicts a male portrait with an unusual large eye. This of course brings to mind the year 55 issue with the youthful male portrait and its distinctive large eye (Cat. No. 88). These observations may suggest that in the year 39–41 issues, some new stylistic features were added to the royal portrait. When Ascalon resumed the minting of coins after a hiatus of 14 years, the year 55 die cutters used the common issues of year 41 (Cat. Nos. 66–81) as prototypes (16 known specimens, constituting 17.98% of all recorded autonomous tetradrachms) and incorporated into their dies the stylistic additions which occur in the year 41 issues. Accordingly all male portraits of the year 55 issue appear to be a continuation of the type immobilisé of Antiochus VIII. The reverse of these autonomous Ascalonian tetradrachms is also a type immobilisé. The eagle was recognizable as an indicative of Ptolemaic weight standard and thus transcended political boundaries. Its continued use by, first, the Seleucids after the withdrawal of Ptolemaic control, and then by Ascalon after the withdrawal of Seleucid control shows how deeply embedded the city was within the monetary milieu established by the Ptolemaic kingdom. At the same time, the immobilized nature of the reverse provides an important context for the interpretation of the obverse. The average weight for the 87 recorded first-century BCE Ascalonian tetradrachms with weights is 13.51 g (Table 3), which suggests that these issues were struck on the sui generis Ptolemaic standard (Le Rider and de Callataÿ 2006:36, 100). Beginning under Alexander Balas (150 BCE), Seleucid tetradrachms of the southern Levant were struck on that standard, which then was roughly 14.27 g (SC II:212; Cohen 2006:218). This was also the time that the Ptolemaic eagle became a constant feature of the large Seleucid silver issues of Phoenicia (SC II:212). The silver autonomous issues of the main mints in Phoenicia, i.e., Tyre and Sidon, maintained the Phoenician standard as well as the Ptolemaic eagle as their coins’ reverse type.29 Ascalon followed this trend. NUMISMATIC AND HISTORICAL IMPLICATIONS Ascalon acquired autonomous status in 104/3 BCE. However, from the currently available information it appears that the city started striking its autonomous tetradrachms in year 6 of the local era (99/8 BCE). The hoard of tetradrachms from the Gaza strip (IGCH:222, No. 1609=CH 9:59, No. 550) suggests that the 29 For the autonomous sheqels and half sheqels of Tyre and Sidon (last quarter of the second century BCE–first century CE) see BMC Pal.:158–161, Nos. 100–117, and pp. 233–253, Nos. 44–244; Prieur and Prieur 2000:157–158, 161–163, Nos. 1339–1350, 1365–1476. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 91 transition from the late Seleucid royal issues of Ascalon to the early autonomous silver coinage was seamless (Spaer 1984:229–239). In this hoard, two autonomous issues of year 6 were found along 49 Seleucid tetradrachms and didrachms of Ascalon. A further support for this theory is evident from the X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of 17 Seleucid and autonomous issues of Ascalon. The analyses, using the X-MET3000-TX handheld XRF, were carried out by Aaron Shugar (Table 4).30 Although only two Seleucid issues were analyzed (98.3 and 97.3% silver), their silver content and that of the 15 autonomous issues is quite similar. The average silver content of the later group is 95.76%. Table 4. XRF analysis of Seleucid and Autonomous Ascalonian tetradrachms Inventory No. IM 15383 (Pl. 12:M) Seleucid Issues Ag Cu Au Pb 0.108 0.167 Fe Ti Cr 0 0 Sn 0 0.924 Alexander II Zebina, SE 189 = 124/3 98.3 0.4 0.245 SC II:463, No. 2254 Antiochus VIII, SE 197 IM 15388 = 116/5 97.3 0.262 0.208 (Pl. 12:N) SC II:516, No. 2339 Cat. No. 6 10 21 31 36 45 47 61 74 76 81 Autonomous Issues Year 8 = 97/6 Year 12 = 93/2 Year 32 = 73/2 Year 35 = 70/69 Year 38 = 67/6 Year 40 = 65/4 Year 40 = 65/4 Year 40 = 65/4 Year 41 = 64/3 Year 41 = 64/3 Year 41 = 64/3 97.7 1.184 0.053 97.2 1.077 96.6 2.44 0 0.211 0 0.679 0.747 0.34 0.26 0.183 0.116 0.162 0.304 0.199 0.353 0.193 0.334 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.497 0.641 0.353 0.648 0.4 0.736 0.382 0.576 0.288 0 96.7 1.805 0.382 0.567 0.325 0.538 1.157 0 92.1 5.182 0.193 95.9 1.689 0.327 95.1 2.279 0.232 97.3 1.019 0.136 93.6 4.713 0.319 96.5 1.696 0.272 95.8 2.58 0.253 0.322 0.737 0.29 0.34 1.02 0.332 0.646 0 0 0 0 0 0.356 0.847 0.283 0.54 0.299 0.352 0.779 0.448 0.775 0 0 30 For a description of this type of XRF analysis on Persian-period and Early Hellenistic Palestinian coins, see Gitler and Tal (2006:329–334). 92 84 85 93 95 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER Year 41 = 64/3 Year 41 = 64/3 Cleopatra Year 65 = 40/39 Cleopatra Year 65 = 40/39 96.1 1.967 0.208 94.4 2.902 0.148 97.2 1.531 0.461 94.2 3.469 0.233 0.452 0.438 0.114 0.622 0.307 0.667 0.387 0.301 0.696 0.36 0.286 0 0.336 0 0 0.723 0 0.574 0.29 0.537 From year 6 onward, Ascalonian tetradrachms were struck at intervals that have no apparent pattern and in small numbers (see Table 3). Only between years 30 (75/4 BCE) and 41 (64/3 BCE) (with the exception of year 37) were these large silver coins struck on a steady annual basis. Yet for the period of ten years between 75/4 BCE (year 30) and 66/5 BCE (year 39), it is evident that these are small emissions: only 28 specimens of this phase were recorded. A drastic change seems to take place in the series of year 40 and 41 (65/4–64/3 BCE). The issues of these two years are the most common autonomous tetradrachms of Ascalon. Twenty-one specimens of year 40 and 20 of year 41 have been documented, i.e., they constitute 46.6% of all the known Ascalonian tetradrachms minted between 99/8 and 50/49 BCE. It is therefore worth considering whether the high numbers of coins from years 40 and 41 could entirely be the result of the accidental survival of large numbers of coins from those years. In order to estimate the coin output of the two relatively large series of years 40 and 41, we need first to estimate the original number of obverse dies (D), used for each series. Calculations based upon Carter’s 1983 simplified method suggest that the original number of obverse dies for year 40 was 6 and for year 41 it was 3.31 For virtually every year before and after years 40 and 41, the survival of coins is constant: between one and six specimens. With an expected survival rate of 1 coin out of 5,000 (de Callataÿ 2000; Iossif and Veselý forthcoming) we can be quite confident that we have good coverage and would not expect to find many more coins of years 40 and 41. 31 The calculations are based on Carter’s 1983 simplified method since it is the only one that takes into consideration the inequality of coin production. This method also gives the highest number of original dies, as compared to other methods (e.g., Müller 1981 and Esty 2006), which is methodologically what we are looking for, namely, to establish the highest possible limits of coin production (de Callataÿ 1997a:392). Our sample shows that for year 40 the number of coins in the series (n) is 21 and the identified obverse dies (d) is 5. For year 41 n=20 and d=3. Carter’s simplified method suggests that in function of the ratio n/d, in both cases n>3d. Accordingly, the formula that should be used for the estimation of the original number of dies is D=(n*d)/1.069*n-0.843*d. We are grateful to Panagiotis P. Iossif for his valuable help in explaining the different calculation alternatives and suggesting which of them we should use. CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 93 Another way to look at the above question is to consider the largest recorded hoard with Ascalonian tetradrachms (Addendum below; IGCH:224, No. 1627). It contained roughly 400 coins, the latest being one tetradrachm of Cleopatra of year 55. The latest tetradrachms in this hoard which depict a male head facing right are those of year 41. Although we do not have a detailed list of the coins belonging to this hoard, we may assume that the largest number of specimens was probably dated to the later years, namely 40 and 41. We deduce this from the fact that for the coins mentioned in the hoard we recorded one specimen for year 25 and three specimens each for the years 33, 34 and 39. Having calculated the original number of obverse dies, we are now able to estimate the coin output of each series. This is achieved by multiplying D by 15,000 and 20,000 — the estimated number of coins produced per obverse die.32 Accordingly, for year 40 the output could have been between 90,000 and 120,000 coins, and for year 41, between 45,000 and 60,000. It is tempting to relate this high output to support the theory that Ascalon, the only autonomous city in Palestine at the time,33 might have given to Pompey during his annexation of Syria in 64 BCE and subsequent Roman operations in Palestine. When Ascalon began minting coins again after the 14-year hiatus, in year 55 (LNE) the die cutters, as noted above, used as prototypes the common issues of year 41. The rare year 55 issues with male portrait are likely to be a continuation of the minting of the type immobilisé of Antiochus VIII. The Tetradrachms with Portraits of Cleopatra VII 51–30 BCE The earliest issue with Cleopatra appears alongside coins with the two different male portraits just discussed, in year 55. It is tempting to suggest a historical reason for this appearance of the Ptolemaic queen on Ascalonian tetradrachms.34 These two figures are based on calculations carried out in the last decade by several scholars. The number of coins issued by an obverse die is generally between 10,000 and 30,000 coins with a median of 20,000 coins per obverse die. Three different figures appear in de Callataÿ 1997a: 20,000, 30,000 and 40,000, while the figure of 20,000 coins is postulated in de Callataÿ 1997b and 2005. After studying the famous Amphictionic decree from Delphi, Marchetti 1999 (especially pp. 104–109) suggested around 14,350 coins per die. Based upon experimental data, Faucher et al. (2009) arrived at a figure of 15,000. See also Faucher forthcoming. 33 We presume that Ascalon remained autonomous since the city continued to strike coins using its era until 39/8 BCE. Moreover, Ascalon is referred to as a free city by Pliny: “oppidum Ascalo liberum” (Plin., HN V:68). 34 Spaer (1999:349) suggested that the portrait of Cleopatra VII was chosen by Ascalon to honor Julius Caesar on the occasion of his defeat of Pompey at Pharsalus in 48 BCE (Sartre 2001:463, 502). This interpretation must be ruled out since the coins in question — the year 55 tetradrachms (Cat. Nos. 89–92) — were issued in 50/49 BCE, not 48 (Meadows 2003:204). 32 94 HAIM GITLER AND DANIEL M. MASTER The year 51 BCE in Egypt witnessed the joint reign of Ptolemy XII and his daughter Cleopatra VII (Grant 2000:30). However, this joint reign did not last more than a few weeks or months because of Ptolemy’s death, possibly as early as the end of March. Cleopatra was about 17 years old when she became queen of Egypt. In compliance with Egyptian tradition and based on her father’s decision that she and her half-brother Ptolemy XIII would be his joint heirs, Cleopatra married her brother and co-regent who was about ten years old at the time. But it was a marriage of convenience, and the young Ptolemy was king in name only. This is evident from a contract dated to August 29, 51 BCE, which is headed by the name of Cleopatra and makes no mention of her half-brother at all (Roller 2010:53). However, this situation did not persist for long. The Ptolemaic law and custom insisted that queens, even when they were co-monarchs, take second place to the kings who were their co-rulers. Furthermore, it seems that the national crisis caused by the assassination of the sons of the Roman governor of Syria, Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, in 50 BCE, and Cleopatra’s handing over of the assassins to Bibulus (Roller 2010:54–57) forced her to accept her young brother as her co-regent in accordance with her father’s will. As a consequence, her brother’s Regency Council took priority over her, a situation she found impossible to accept. Evidence for Ptolemy XIII’s emergence at the top of the political hierarchy, as sharing the throne with Cleopatra, is evident from several papyri dated to 50–49 BCE. A papyrus from October 27, 50 BCE was issued not in Cleopatra’s name alone but in the name of “the King and Queen.” On a further set of papyri dating from that same third year of her reign (September 50 until September 49) appear the words “in the first, which is also called the third year,” indicating that Ptolemy XIII had begun a new regnal count (Ricketts 1979:216). Nonetheless, the situation between the two was tense and Cleopatra seems to have fled to her supporters in Upper Egypt as early as 50 BCE. Based on a later papyrus of the third year which no longer refers to Cleopatra and mentions only ‘year 3’ of Ptolemy XIII (and not, as hitherto, ‘year 1’), we learn that his half-sister was deprived of the throne sometime between June and September of 49 BCE. The intense rivalry between the siblings culminated in Cleopatra’s exile to Syria in 48 BCE (Grant 2000:30–53, Meadows 2001a:22–24, Roller 2010:58–59). The year 55 issue which is dated to 50/49 BCE could have thus been minted as an act of support and, in this case, it would have been produced only after she was deprived of the throne in Egypt (namely between June and September of 49 BCE). Another noticeable change that occurred in the issues of year 55 is the omission of the title AYTON(OMOY) (“autonomous”) from the standard legend of years 6 through 41 (Rigsby 1996:520). Another ten years elapsed before the second issue of Cleopatra was struck at Ascalon. The date year 65 (LΞE) of the three new specimens appears to also be of interesting historical consequence. These coins were minted in 40/39 BCE; CLEOPATRA AT ASCALON 95 namely, during the Parthian invasion (Grant 2000:127–129, 145–146) and show that Ascalon was one of the few coastal cities that was not conquered by the Parthians. The next, and last, issue of Cleopatra, dated to 39/38 BCE (LΞς=year 66), further confirms that Ascalon continued to be an autonomous entity. The finding of a tetradrachm of year 41=LMA (64/3 BCE) together with one of the Cleopatra issues dated to year 65= LΞE (40/39 BCE) at the Ashqelon excavations shows that the common issues of year 41 were still in circulation almost two decades after they were minted. A similar phenomenon is evident from hoards IGCH:223–224, Nos. 1622 and 1627. Due to Mark Antony’s grants, Cleopatra had enormous territorial gains in the last months of 36 BCE. which almost completely restored the Greater Egypt of the first three Ptolemies (Grant 2000:135–141). However, although Anthony had allotted the Ptolemaic kingdom huge additional territories, including almost the entire coast of Phoenicia and Palestine, no further issues of Cleopatra were minted at Ascalon. ADDENDUM: RECORDED HOARDS WITH TETRADRACHMS OF ASCALON 1. IGCH:222, No. 1609 (=CH 9:59, No. 550), Rafah, Gaza Strip, 1968, burial date early first century BCE. Published by Spaer 1984. 49 Seleucid tetradrachms and didrachms of Ascalon and two autonomous issues of year 6 and one of year 36. 2. IGCH:223, No. 1616, Ascalon 1927, burial date 64/3 BCE. Seleucid issues and six tetradrachms of Ascalon (dated to years 31–41). 3. IGCH:223, No. 1622, Safad before 1877, burial date after 50/49 BCE. 6 tetradrachms of Ascalon (latest year 55=50/49 BCE). 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Ascalon. PLATE 12 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N GITLER and MASTER PLATE 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 14 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 15 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 16 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 17 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 18 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 19 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 GITLER and MASTER PLATE 20 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 93 94 95 96 GITLER and MASTER