KINGS OF BITHYNIA. Prusias II Cynegos, 182-149 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 34 mm, 16.92 g, 12 h). Head of Prusias II to right, wearing winged diadem. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΠΡΟΥΣΙΟΥ Zeus standing front, head to left, crowning the king's name with his right hand and holding long scepter in his left; in inner left field, eagle standing left on thunderbolt above monogram. RG 10. SNG vom Aulock 251. A beautiful and lightly toned example with a particularly attractive portrait. A few minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.


The meaning of the winged diadem on the tetradrachms of Prusias II is unclear: it had appeared under the Seleukid usurper Antiochos Hierax (242-227 BC) before, in particular (but not exclusively) in Alexandria Troas, where a connection to the cult of Athena Ilias has been suggested (see below, lot 270). However, the Troas was not part of Prusias' realm and the king may, in fact, have been alluding to his marriage with Apame, the sister of the Macedonian king Perseus (179-168 BC), whose eponym, the great hero Perseus, is usually portrayed with small wings in his hair. Unfortunately for Prusias, the marriage with Apame backfired when Perseus turned against Rome in 171 BC, and the Bithynian king had to resort to humiliating flattery towards the Senate to calm the waves.