SELEUKID KINGS. Kleopatra Thea & Antiochos VIII, 126/5-121/0 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 30 mm, 16.67 g, 12 h), Ake-Ptolemais, circa 125/4. Jugate busts of Cleopatra Thea, diademed, veiled and wearing stephane, and Antiochos VIII, diademed, to right. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ / ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑΣ / ΘEAΣ - ΚΑΙ / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ] Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and long scepter in his left; to outer left, monogram. CSE 804. K. Ehling and L. Rutten: Konstantin der Große - Licinius I. - Maximinus Daia. Triarchie ohne Hierarchie, in: JNG 74 (2024), p. 99, 12 and pl. I, 12 (this coin). LSM 8. SC 2271.1. Beautifully toned and featuring a magnificent dynastic double-portrait of mother and son. Nearly extremely fine.

Kleopatra Thea went down in history as one of the most ambitious and ruthless Seleukid queens. A daughter of Ptolemy VI Philometor and his sister-wife Kleopatra II, she was married to no fewer than three Seleukid kings: Alexander Balas, Demetrios II, and Antiochos VII Sidetes - the latter two being brothers. Antiochos VII died in 129 BC while campaigning against the Parthians, while Demetrios II, who had spent ten years as a Parthian captive, was murdered by his former wife Kleopatra after his defeat against Alexander II Zabinas in 126 BC. The cold-blooded queen then ruled alone for a brief period before accepting her second son by Demetrios II, Antiochos VIII, as co-ruler in 126/5 BC. But the apple never falls far from the tree - just a few years later, in 121 BC, the young king allegedly forced his own mother to drink the poisoned wine she had intended for him. What a lovely family!