KINGS OF CAPPADOCIA. Orophernes, circa 158-157 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32 mm, 15.61 g, 12 h), Priene (?). Diademed head of Orophernes to right. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΟΡΟΦΕΡΝΟ[Υ] / [ΝΙΚΗ]ΦΟΡ[ΟΥ] Nike standing front, head to left, crowning the king's name with a wreath held in her right hand and holding palm in her left; in inner field to left, owl standing left on altar, head facing, above monogram. BMC 1. Gemini IV (2008), 211. Gulbenkian II 1018. HGC 7, 815. Lanz 158 (2014), 290. Mørkholm, Some Cappadocian problems, NC 1962, pl. XX, 3. Numismatica Ars Classica 106 (2018), 331. Simonetta, Coinage 1. Extremely rare and of great historical importance. Somewhat rough and minor traces of corrosion and numerous small scraches and with a graffito of 'B' on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.

The illegitimate son of Queen Antiochis - who thought herself barren - and her husband, Ariarathes IV Eusebes, Orophernes and his brother, also named Ariarathes, were sent away when Queen Antiochis conceived a legitimate son, the future legitimate king of Cappadocia, Ariarathes V. Orophernes was sent to the Ionian city of Priene while his brother, Ariarathes, was sent away to Rome. When the Seleukid king, Demetrios I, wishing for an alliance with Cappadocia, offered Ariarathes V a marriage alliance, he was refused by the Cappadocian king who wished not to offend the Romans (Demetrios, who escaped Rome with the help of the author Polybius, was not recognized by the Roman Senate who supported the usurper Timarchos, amongst others). In response, Demetrios supported Orophernes, who defeated Ariarathes V and thus became king in Cappadocia. Orophernes was a petty and rapacious ruler. He extorted a fortune of some 400 talents from his subjects, depositing it in Priene. Soon, however, Ariarathes V, with the support of Attalos II of Pergamon, reclaimed his throne, and once he was secure he demanded from Priene the 400 talents that Orophernes had stored there. The Prienians refused to return the funds, however, and Ariarathes and Attalos sacked the city. Not all of the silver was recovered, though. In 1870, six tetradrachms - only the second tetradrachm emission to date in Cappadocian history - of Orophernes were discovered beneath the pedestal of Athena Polias in the city. They were of incredible beauty, with a superb Hellenistic portrait of Orophernes and, on the reverse, the figure of Nike crowning the king's name, which derives from the coinage of Lysimachos where Nike, held by Athena, also crowns the king's name. It is thought that Priene may have been the mint for Orophernes' tetradrachms, although this is far from certain (Priene, at the time, was continuing to strike Alexander type coins, and not of particularly great style). Nonetheless, Orophernes employed die engravers of great ability as the coins are all incredibly handsome - such as the present coin with it's incredibly handsome portrait of Orophernes.