ARABIA, Eastern. Oman Peninsula. Mleiha or ad-Dur (?). Later coinage in the name of Abi'el, 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 15.76 g, 12 h), imitating Alexander 'the Great' (336-323 BCE). Stylized head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress and with pellet on cheek. Rev. 𐡀𐡁𐡀𐡋 ('b’l' in Aramaic) Male figure seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and a horse on his right arm; to left, palm stem; to left, below right arm, anchor-like symbol (of Mleiha?) placed sidewise; behind figure, on his left arm and below throne, three 8-shaped symbols (of Ad-Dur?). CCK 131 = Potts (Suppl.) 396 = van Alfen 293a (this coin, O1/R1). Apparently unique in good silver. A very interesting coin, beautifully struck and of charmingly crude style. Traces of overstriking on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.


The reverse of this very interesting issue combines the anchor-like symbol commonly associated with Mleiha with the 8-shaped symbol of Ad-Dur.