Silver Tetradrachm, Babylon, 325-323 BCE

Silver Tetradrachm, Babylon, 325-323 BCE; Obverse: Head of Heracles with lion skin and features of Alexander.
Silver Tetradrachm, Babylon, 325-323 BCE; Reverse: Zeus enthroned with eagle and scepter. Inscription ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ (“ALEXANDROU” = “of Alexander”).
Unidentified Artist, Babylonian

Type/Object Name: Ob: Head of Heracles with lion skin and features of Alexander. | Re: Zeus enthroned with eagle and scepter. Inscription 螒螞螘螢螒螡螖巍螣违 (鈥淎LEXANDROU鈥 = 鈥渙f Alexander鈥).聽

Dates: 325-323 BCE

Medium: Silver, Tetradrachm

Dimensions: Diameter聽28.0 mm, Weight 17.1165 g

Credit Line: Courtesy of John Nebel

Notes: Conquests of Alexander the Great

This coin was minted at Babylon toward the end of Alexander鈥檚 life and names Alexander as its issuing authority. The obverse shows the head of Heracles, wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion. His facial features are similar to portraits of Alexander, thus linking Alexander to Heracles. The reverse shows a seated god with scepter and eagle, like Baal/Zeus of Tarsus, but the inscription names Alexander in Greek. In this way the coin creates a visual link between the Persian empire and its gods, with the new empire and gods of Alexander.

Similar to CUAM .

Collection: Coin, John Nebel

Bibliography: Price, Martin Jessop. 1991. The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus. Page 467 #3669. Zurich: The Swiss Numismatic Society.