KYRENAICA. Barke. Circa 480-435 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 17.01 g, 6 h). B-A Silphium plant with two pair of leaves and fruits. Rev. Bearded head of Zeus Ammon, with ram's horn over his ear, to right within border formed by two linear circles enclosing a circle of pellets; all within square incuse which has in the corners [B-A-P]-K. BMC -, cf. 8 and 8a (differing letters on onberse). SNG Copenhagen -. Extremely rare. Cleaning marks and minor corrosion, otherwise, good very fine.



According to Herodotus, Barka was founded around the middle of the 6th century BC by the brothers of the Kyrenaean king Arkesilaos II, who had quarreled with him. The city flourished rapidly due to trade with Silphion and developed into the main rival of its mother city, which it apparently surpassed in importance in the second half of the 5th century BC. Its decline began with the establishment of its port as Ptolemais by Ptolemy III (246-222 BC). Subsequently, the inland city of Barka declined to the status of a vicus in Roman times.