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Both sides of an irregularly shaped silver-gray coin with relief decoration on each side.　

On the side of the coin on the left is the head of a woman facing right, hair tied back held in place with a crown, a veil covers head and shoulders, a ram's horn wrapped around her ear, a flower tipped staff rests over her left shoulder, small dots surround the border. The other side of the coin depicts a curved double horn shaped vessel, full of various food items with bunches of grapes hanging out of the sides, a sash tied around the middle of the two horns, small dots surround the border; to the right, the Greek characters: Α Ρ Σ Ι Ν Ο Η Σ / Φ Ι Λ Α Δ Ε Λ Φ Ο Υ.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1933.9
People
Ptolemy II Philadelphos, Greek (r. 285-246 BCE)
Arsinoe II (r. 285-270 BCE)
Title
Decadrachm of Ptolemy II, for his wife Arsinoe II, Alexandria
Classification
Coins
Work Type
coin
Date
260 - 250 BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Africa, Alexandria (Egypt)
Period
Ptolemaic period
Culture
Greek
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/185944

Location

Location
Level 3, Room 3740, Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Art, Ancient Egypt: Art for Eternity
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Silver
Metal
AR
Technique
Struck
Dimensions
33.13 g
Die Axis
12
Denomination
decadrachm
Inscriptions and Marks
  • Reverse Inscription: ΑΡΣΙΝΟΗΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟΥ

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
Svoronos 409, Troxell gr. 2

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer
Accession Year
1933
Object Number
1933.9
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Obv.: Veiled head of Arsinoe II Philadelphos diademed wearing stephane with ram’s horn around her ear and lotus-tipped scepter over shoulder
Rev.: Double cornucopiae

Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 3740 Egyptian, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 11/28/2017; Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/29/2018 - 01/01/2050

Subjects and Contexts

  • Ancient Coins

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu