ARABIA, Eastern. Gerrha/Thaj (?). Imitations of the coinage in the name of Antiochos III, circa mid to late 2nd century BCE. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 16.00 g, 10 h). Diademed head of Antiochos III to right. Rev. Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow; to left, Ξ (?) above Ǝ. CCK 110 (this coin). Unique and of great interest. A beautiful piece of particularly impressive local imitative style. A few light marks and the reverse somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine.


This and the following two lots 2231-2232 below represent a local series imitating, or based on, the previous type. Like other Arabian series (see lots 2233-2234 below), they combine elements from different coinages (Seleukid and Alexander-types), while also adding new elements. As time progressed and Graeco-Macedonian influence in the region vanished, the coins moved further and further away from their initial prototypes in terms of style, while retaining somewhat good silver and a solid weight standard, both of which underline their role as 'international' trade coinage. This example marks the beginning of this development, retaining, albeit in a stylized form, the principal types of Antiochos III, but disposing of recognizable legends. The coin likely dates to the mid or late 2nd century, when Seleukid influence in the Gulf had mostly perished, but Antiochos' legacy still persisted.