EGYPT, Achaemenid Province. Sabakes. Satrap, 340-333 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 16.47 g, 9 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Rev. AΘE Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square. BMC 265. Nicolet-Pierre, Monnaies 1-13. Van Alfen Type I, 1–-8. Rare. Bankers' marks and surface roughness, otherwise, very fine.


Sabakes was appointed Satrap of Egypt by Artaxerxes III (359–338 BC) following the king’s successful campaign against Nektanebo II, the last independent native Pharaoh of Egypt. To pay its Greek mercenaries, the Persian administration introduced a series of locally struck imitations of Athenian owls. Sabakes’ fate is comparatively well documented: he joined the forces of Darius III at the Battle of Issos against Alexander the Great in 333 BC, where he was killed while defending the Persian king. After Sabakes’ death, Mazaios succeeded him as Satrap of Egypt, but surrendered the province to Alexander in 332 BC without resistance, as much of the Persian garrison had been withdrawn by Sabakes before the Battle of Issus.