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Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying King Ptolemy II Philadelphos and Queen Arsinoe II

A work made of gold.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of gold.

Date:

After 270 BCE, issued by King Ptolemy II, reign of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II, 285–247 BCE

Artist:

Greek, Ptolemaic; Egypt

About this artwork

The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the heads of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II, facing to the right. The back (reverse) portrays the head of Ptolemy I and Berenice I, facing to the right.

The son and daughter of Ptolemy I inherited the crown of Egypt jointly. Following the customs of Egyptian pharaohs, Ptolemy II (reigned 285–246 BCE) and Arsinoe II (reigned 276–270 BCE) married and ruled as both siblings and spouses. To celebrate their partnership they commissioned this remarkable coin. On his coins, Ptolemy I presented himself as a Greek, and specifically a Macedonian, king.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Culture

Ancient Greek

Title

Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying King Ptolemy II Philadelphos and Queen Arsinoe II

Place

Egypt (Minted in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

285 BCE–247 BCE

Medium

Gold

Inscriptions

Obverse: A°E°ØΩN [of the siblings] Reverse: _ EΩN [of the gods]

Dimensions

Diam.: 2.1 cm (7/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of William F. Dunham

Reference Number

1922.4256

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/4434/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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