Ephesos in Ionia (western Asia Minor) minted coins with a bee as the obverse type: 18 mm. Drachm. 3.54 grams. E Φ either side (for Ephesos) stag standing right, palm tree in background, magistrate's name (illegible) downward on the right. Sear Greek 4388. "202-133 BC." SNG Copenhagen Ionia 283. Klein 376. Now compare it this coin from Arados in Phoenicia (on the coast of Syria, just above Lebanon). 18 mm. Drachm. 3.85 grams. Same types! Date on bee side, APAΔIΩN (of Arados) down right of stag side. Sear Greek 5989. Hoover volume 10, 63. Struck 171/0 BC. I have seen these called "pseudo-Ephesian" coins for obvious reasons. There must have been some sort of sister-city relationship. But, look where they are! (Ephesos is at the red pin. Arwad is the modern name for Arados.) They are 1300 km apart by modern roads. Of course, travel from one to the other would have been by ship in those days. Head, in Historia Numorum [p. 575] writes "Circ. B. C. 258-202. During this period Ephesus was for the most part attached to the dominions of the Ptolemies." .... "Circ. B.C. 202-133. In B. C. 202 Aradus in Phoenicia began to strike Alexandrine tetradrachms bearing dates in Greek characters. Similar coins without dates began to be issued in Ephesus about the same time.The coincidence seems to indicate that Ephesus and Aradus, two great commercial cities of the coasts of Asia Minor and Phonenica respectively, may have found it to their mutual advantage about this time to conclude a monetary treaty, according to which each city might secure a free circulation for her coins on the markets of the other. This, of course, is only a conjecture, ...." Post anything that comes to mind!
Very interesting and nice coins. I did notice that the Arados bee does have a distinct style compared to the Ephesos bee.
These are the types of coins and threads that might reveal uncovered History. Congrats indeed. Just few miles East of Arados, there's another Phoenician city in Syria called Marathos. It's current name is "Amreet"and it includes some archaeological sites. Many of the coins that were issued there, have Phoenician lettering as well as the bust of Berenike II on obverse. The latter was the wife of Ptolemy III. Could that have any relation with this thread ? Were these 2 Phoenician cities in perfect accord to adopt a common policy with regards to the commercial relations with the Ptolemaic cities, ports or trade centers ? What influence or friendly ties did exist between Berenike II and those 2 cities. Hope I'm concrete.. Here's my coin from Marathos ('Amrit ".
