Recently, while looking through my coins, I wondered about the dating by kings. Here's an example: Kingdom of Macedon, Philip III Arrhidaios AR Tetradrachm. Struck under Laomedon, in the types of Alexander III. Sidon, dated RY 15 of Abdalonymos = 319/8 BC. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left, holding sceptre; ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ to right, O (date) in left field, ΣI below throne. Price P175; Newell, Dated 45; DCA 878. 16.95g, 26mm, 12h. Ex Roma. So, this coin was minted after Alexander III's death, under Laomedon - who was the current satrap at the time. Laomedon was appointed to the post by Alexander, and retained it under the partition at Triparidisus. However, the coin's dated as the 15th year of Abdalonymos, who was reputed to be a gardener chosen by Hephaistion to rule Sidon. Was Abdalonymos still around at this time, and was still ruling Sidon? In other words, was Abdalonymos the King (mayor) of Sidon, while Laomedon was the satrap (governor) of Syria? Note that I'm a bit doubtful of the Laomedon attribution, as I believe he was chased out by Ptolemy I by this time. Here's another one: Kingdom of Macedon, Philip III Arrhidaios AR Tetradrachm. In the name and types of Alexander III. Struck under Menes. Tyre, dated RY 29 of Azemilkos = 321/0 BC. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left, holding sceptre; ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ to right, -|O (Phoenician 'K = 'Ozmilk [king of Tyre]) above ||| ||| =/||| (Phoenician date [29]) in left field. Price 3275 (Ake); Newell, Dated 32 (same); DCA 737; HGC 3.1, 941 (Alexander IV). 17.03g, 26mm, 6h. Ex Roma Azemilkos ruled Tyre during Alexander's siege, and his life was spared after the battle. However, per the sages of Wikipedia, he was replaced by Abdalonymos. This one seems a bit more complicated, and one of the following looks to be the case. Note that the Menes attribution also seems odd, since from what I read we don't really know for how long he had the satrapy. Azemilkos was no longer King of Tyre, but the locals were used to numbering years by his reign, so they kept doing it. The sages of Wikipedia were mistaken. Abdalonymos was given Sidon, and not both Sidon and Tyre. Azemilkos remained King of Tyre under the satrap, Menes. Presumably Sidon and Tyre were in separate satrapies. Roma messed up the attributions I'm just one confused person.
I think that when Wikipedia is incorrect, one can correct the error. At least it used to be that way. Not sure if it still works that way. I try to stay away from Wikipedia and use other sources. lion skin headdress - nice!!
I guess my questions boil down to the following: Until when did Abdalonymos rule in Sidon? Did Abdalonymos also rule in Tyre? Until when did Azemilkos rule in Sidon? Until when did Menes rule as satrapy of Phoenicia/Southern Syria? What was the capital of Phoenicia and Syria in 323 BCE? What was the land speed velocity of an unladen Phoenician at the time?
Exactly how do the people who study the Alex tets attribute them so precisely? On the first coin, the word Philip is obvious, but beyond that, what are the diagnostics for further narrowing it down? How is the circle a date? If it's a Greek numeral, it would connote the number 70. Of what? Are the sigma-iota a monogram of either Laomedon or Abdalonymos? I have to admit that my knowledge of the Alex tets is weak, mostly because they don't interest me much. I have a "seen one seen them all" attitude which is admittedly philistine.
So, I've figured out the dates part. It turns out the two coins use different date systems. The one from Tyre uses Phoenician numbers. The "O" here is part of an abbreviation for Azemilkos. The Sidon coin uses Hebrew(?) numbers. The "O" here symbolizes 15 and all of the dates are single characters. This verifies Roma's attribution for the dates, but provides no answer for whether those kings were still in charge, or who ran the satrapies.
That clears up the O question, but on the Sidon coin, how do we know it's RY15 of Abdalonymos? How is he indicated on the coin? I'm assuming the sigma-iota stands for Sidon. Which reference actually explains the attributions? Does Price?
I found an article that provides some answers (or questions). Basically they’re just doing the math, that the years are counting some ruler. It’s unknown whether that’s Abdalonymos, whether he truly lasted until the numbers cease in 306 BCE, or whether the numbering is from Alexander.
What Wiki is good for, when it is (sometimes that's, On a Really Good Day), runs heavily to the citation of references... which you can then find and cite with a straight face.
@John Anthony, while my attitude toward them could not be more along the lines of your own, your characterization of this sensibility as 'philistine' is making me sit up in my chair. ...Right, effectively Phoenician, which is putting us right back in the original historical milieu.
Sorry, @John Anthony, but was I the only one who, reading the end of this post, started accessing Deep Cynical Mode, interpreting the final noun along more prosaic lines?
