SELEUKID KINGS. Antiochos V Eupator, 164-162 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 15.80 g, 12 h), Ake-Ptolemais. Struck under Lysias, 165-164. Diademed head of Antiochos V to right; behind, monogram of ΛY. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ - ANTIOΧOY Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow; to outer left, monogram of ΛY; to outer right, monogram of NE; in exergue, monogram of ΛB on the left and AΓ on the right. CSE 773 (same dies). Houghton & Le Rider II, 8 (D1/R3). SC 1581b. Very rare and of great historical interest. Harshly cleaned and with some traces of corrosion and faint cleaning scratches, otherwise, very fine.


In the spring of 165, Antiochos IV embarked on a grand eastern campaign to reclaim territories lost to the Armenians, Parthians, and Baktrians. He left his infant son, Antiochos V, under the guardianship of his trusted general and advisor, Lysias, who was also tasked with suppressing the recently erupted Maccabean Revolt. Following Antiochos IV's sudden death in Babylon in 164, Lysias served as regent for the young king, now crowned Antiochos V Eupator. Their rule lasted until 162, when the army handed them over to Demetrios I, who executed both.

The notably juvenile portrait and the absence of the epithet 'Eupator' on this very rare issue of Antiochos V from Ake-Ptolemais led Houghton and Le Rider to propose an otherwise unattested coregency between Antiochos IV and Antiochos V during the former's eastern campaign. Such an arrangement would have bolstered Lysias' authority among the troops in the senior king's absence. If this hypothesis is correct, our coin was part of the coinage issued during the early phases of the Maccabean Revolt in 165-164, rather than during the second Seleukid invasion of Judaea under Lysias in 162 (SC 1582-1583). During this period, Lysias campaigned unsuccessfully in Judaea, suffering a defeat against Judah Maccabee in 164, which led to a temporary Seleukid retreat from the area.

It is worth noting that the unusual monogram on the obverse and on the outer left of the reverse can be interpreted as the first two letters of Lysias' name. This subtle signature would have elegantly indicated the true power holder of the campaign without undermining the authority of the Seleukid dynasty, which was prominently represented by the royal image of the heir on the obverse. This practice is reminiscent of how Tryphon later signed the coins of Antiochos VI with a discreet 'TPY' on the reverse.