About this artwork
Obverse: Head of Ptolemy I right, diademed and wearing an aegis
Reverse: Eagle stands left on fulmen, wings folded
Ptolemy II used the portrait of the founder of the dynasty, Ptolemy I, on his coin. On the obverse, the aegis (a magical garment) worn by Ptolemy I alluded to Zeus as well as Athena; it was thought to protect the wearer and repel enemies, and it underscored the divine origins of the dynasty. On the reverse the eagle and the thunderbolt also recall Zeus, with whom, in the form of Zeus-Ammon, the early Ptolemaic dynasty associated itself.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium
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Culture
- Ancient Greek
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Title
- Pentadrachm (Coin) Portraying King Ptolemy I Soter
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Place
- Cyprus (Minted in)
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Date
- 285 BCE–247 BCE
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Medium
- Gold
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Inscriptions
- Reverse: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ
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Dimensions
- Diam.: 2.4 cm (1 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Martin A. Ryerson
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Reference Number
- 1922.4933
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/111016/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
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