Selection of Silver Sigloi from the Achaemenid Empire

£ 95.00

A fine selection of silver sigloi from the Achaemenid Empire. The obverse of the coin depicts the figure of the Great King facing right in a knielauf position, also known as kneeling-running stance. The kidaris on his head, a type of crown worn by rulers in the Median and Achaemenid periods, reveals the figure’s royal status, though the figure does not represent one specific ruler, but rather an idealised image of a ruler. The figure is dressed in a kandys, a long sleeved cloak worn by men in the Achaemenid Empire, which was later adopted in Greek fashion and transformed into a garment typically worn by Athenian women. The figure is bearded, and holding a transverse spear pointed downwards in his right hand, and a bow in his left. The stance of this figure, along with their drapery, places these coins within the Type III sigloi, which were minted under Darius I until Artaxerxes II. The reverse features a rough incuse punch oblong.

Weight of the coins vary from 5.55g to 5.70g. Diameter of the coins varies between 1.4cm to 1.5cm

Priced individually, for a single coin. Please note this is a general lot and individual selection is not available.

Date: Circa 490 - 475 BC
Condition: Fine condition. Signs of wear as consistent with age.

In stock

SKU: CF-66 Category: Tag:

The Achaemenid Empire rose from a strong military and political background which differed to the traditional Mesopotamian kingdoms. At its peak, it had the most expansive territory in history, on account of which it embraced a fusion of various languages, religions, and cultures. With the defeat of king Croesus and the conquest of Lydia, Cyrus the Great adopted the region’s coinage, the starter, and began minting posthumous Croeseid half-staters, whose weight would later become the standard for the Persian sigloi.

Changes to the Achaemenid Imperial coinage were introduced with the reign of Darius I (522 – 486 BC), during which the minting of staters was progressively replaced by gold Darics (δαρεικός – dareikos) and silver Sigloi (σίγλοι), as well as smaller denominations of both. The minting process was simplified and the double reverse punch seen on Lydian coinage was replaced by a single, oblong reverse punch on both Darics and Sigloi. The coins’ obverse showed the image of the Great King presented in the Knielauf scheme, holding a bow in his left hand. Accordingly, the Greeks referred to the Achaemenid coinage as toxotai (τοξόται – archers). The ‘archer’ type is also seen on contemporary Cypriotic coins, which depicted a kneeling-running Herakles holding a bow, but is also a well established iconography in Sumerian art, which allowed an easily understandable glorification of the Achaemenid rulers to all provinces of the Empire.

Weight 5.7 g
Dimensions L 1.5 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

Reference: For a similar item,The British Museum, item 1948,1202.7

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