KINGS OF MAURETANIA. Juba II, with Cleopatra Selene, 25 BC-AD 24. AE (Bronze, 27 mm, 9.15 g, 7 h), Caesarea. IVBA REX Diademed and draped bust of Juba II to right. Rev. KΛEOPATRA B[ACIΛICCA] Ibis standing right, facing winged serpent standing left. MAA 217. Mazard 349. SNG Copenhagen 614. Extremely rare and with an intriguing reverse. Minor flan faults on the reverse and with breaks in patina on the edge, otherwise, fine.


For the Greeks and Romans, the edges of the known world were places filled with danger and wonder, where all sorts of mythical beasts and strange creatures thrived, such as griffins or dog-sized ants. Arabia was said to be the home of the winged serpent (Herodotos 3.107-109), a vicious creature which fiercely guarded the frankincense trees growing in the country. Supposedly, the country would have been overrun with them had the females not killed the males during copulation or had the young not bitten their way out of their mother's womb, killing her in the process. Luckily for the Egyptians, the country was protected from invasion by the ibis, who battled the winged serpents as they entered Egypt through the Negev (Herodotos 2.75 - the many bones supposedly seen there by the historian were likely fossils). It is this clash between ibis and winged snake which is shown on the reverse of our coin.

While it is not entirely clear why this should be referenced on a Mauretanian coin, Cleopatra Selene was of course of Ptolemaic stock herself, and Juba II is known to have authored a work on Arabia, and as such would have been familiar with stories about winged serpents. The coin thus not only offers a wonderful depiction of one of the more unusual tales of ancient zoology, it also reflects the cultural achievements of the Mauretanian kingdom, the noble pedigree of its queen, and the personal scientific interests of its king.