Astarte was the Phoenician goddess of love. Berenike II was the wife of Ptolemy III. The first 2 coins hereafter represent those two ladies respectively. As for the third coin, it's Seleucid but I can't figure out for sure whether I see an Empress or an Emperor. Please post any comment.
Interesting 'ladies' !! The third does seem to exhibit masculine and feminine characteristics which always makes me jump to the conclusion it's Apollo LOL But I tend to think it's a 'lady' as well. What do you think @TIF?
At a quick glance, the third one's obverse looks like a typical Seleukid king to me. If no one else has pegged it later today I'll take a closer look. The first one, as 7C said, is Astarte-Europa, like this one-- a coin I bought near the beginning of my ancient collecting and I still love it PHOENICIA, Arados Trajan. CE 98-117 CY 375 (CE 116/7) Æ22, 9.65 g Obv: draped bust of Astarte-Europa right; before, small laureate and draped bust of Trajan Rev: bull charging left Reference: SNG Copenhagen 81; BMC 374
i think this is your third coin 7C, includes a nice little biographical paragraph from the seller.... https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/fo...ring_lion_scalp_very_fine/613418/Default.aspx
Here are my Berenices. Both are from Marathos in Phoenicia, struck under Ptolemy Philometer, 180-145 BCE. 21.1 mm; 8.90 gm Obv: Veiled head of Berenice II, r. Rev: Asklepios-Eshman standing l., leaning on column. Phoenician Aramaic legend. BMC 26, pl. XXXIX, 3. 20.8 mm; 8.73 gm Obv: Veiled head of Berenice II, r. Rev: Stylized Marathos standing, head l., holding apluster and leaning on column. Phoenician Aramaic legend. Sear 6037; SNG Cop 163-166; BMC p.121, 10
