CILICIA. Tarsos (?). Circa 450-400 BC. Stater (Silver, 21 mm, 10.54 g, 9 h). The Persian Great King, holding dagger in his right hand, standing right, fighting lion standing left on its hind legs. Rev. Bull standing left, head to right; below belly, ankh-like symbol; all within incuse square. Casabonne -. Classical Numismatic Group E-Auction 431 (2018), 244 var. (no symbol on the reverse). Heritage 231937 (2019), 62109 (no symbol on the reverse). Roma E-Sale 66 (2020), 520 var. (no symbol on the reverse). SNG Levante -. SNG Paris -. SNG von Aulock -. An apparently unique variety of an extremely rare type. Struck from worn dies, otherwise, very fine.



Our attribution of this piece to Tarsos is based on the ankh-like symbol, which is well known from Tarsian coinage but absent from the three known examples of this intriguing series. The combination of a bull (depicted there as a protome) with this symbol is also attested on another stater frequently attributed to Tarsos (cf. Leu Web Auction 12 (2020), 504). However, these attributions remain tentative. The coin type showing the Achaemenid Great King fighting a lion, by contrast, is well attested - particularly in Phoenicia, Samaria, and Philistia - and reflects Cilicia’s inclusion in the Persian Empire.