I recently acquired this drachm of Kappadokia : I thought it was one of the large and common issue of Ariarathes V - HGC 7 811 However, the seller listed it as Ariarathes IV, Simonetta, Coins 16a; Simonetta 24a. 1. Does anyone have a copy of Simonetta to check this ? 2. Has Simonetta been superceded by more recent scholarship ? I note that in HGC 7 Hoover states that the coinage attributed to Ariarathes V has sometimes been given to Arirarathes IV in error. 3. Hoover also states that although the coins carry a Greek letter-numeral in the exergue, die studies suggest that these are not likely to be dates calculated according to the regnal years of the king. Despite this, he still uses them as regnal dates in his catalogue. Can anyone throw any light on all of this ?
There was an acrimonious battle between Simonetta and Otto Morkholm in the Numismatic Chronicle in a ding-dong battle stemming from 1962 to 1979-Morkholm died in the early 80's. The upshot was generally Morkholm was right, Simonetta wrong-his attributions were off, so that his book on Cappadocian coinage re-attributions are needed. If you have access to JSTOR you might be able to download the battle. Yes some exegual "numbers" are not so but most are! Who wrote the last write-up I don't know.
I have recently encountered the exact same problem, eparch. Ariarathes IV or V (and thanks for the debate info, NewStyleKing). Below is my new Cappadocian drachm with my attribution muddle noted: Cappadocia Drachm Ariarathes IV Eusebes Year 33 (187-186 B.C.) Eusebeia-Tyana Mint Diademed head right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ APIAPAΘOY EYΣEBOYΣ Athena standing l., holding Nike, T & monogram in left field, Δ in right field; date (ΓΛ) in exergue. Simonetta 16a. (4.11 grams / 17 mm ) Attribution Note: Online, this issue is attributed to both Ariarathes IV Eusebes and Ariarathes V Philopater (this specimen sold as Ar. V on eBay). See Wildwinds for both rulers with same Year 33 date. Since reverse legend reads EYΣEBOYΣ, I went with IV
From NC 1979-just to give you a taste In 1961 Bono Simonetta published a list of Cappadocian coins in this periodical (NC 1961, 9-25). A long and acrimonious controversy has followed between him and me concerning the attribution of various issues to the different Cappadocian kings of the name Ariarathes. In 1977 Simonetta has restated his case in a book which I have been asked to review.1 The task is necessary, but not altogether pleasant. Simonetta has hardly moved an inch from his positions of 16 years ago, and I am just as convinced of the strength of my arguments as when I first put them forward. Sixteen years and fifteen papers later nothing has really changed! The utter futility of the situation is overwhelming (see Bibliography below, p. 244)
@NewStyleKing - thanks for the explanation of the academic situation. I think I can live without searching for these papers !
Although this thread is old - I am reviving to provide a link to the notes and references that I organized on this epic battle. Although the date looks a bit distorted/worn? in the OP coin, I think it is the same as my coin : Kings of cappadocia, Ariarathes V Eusebes Philopator, circa 163-130 BC, AR Drachm, dated CY 33 (130 BC) Obv: Diademed head right Rev: Athena standing left, holding Nike, spear, and shield; T to outer left, monogram to inner left, Δ to outer right, ΓΛ (date) in exergue Ref: Simonetta (Ariarathes IV) 15a Simonetta, B. (1961) In Typos II Simonetta 1977 it is called Ariarathes IV 16a p.24 The mapping from Simonetta to Mørkholm is given in the 1979 article (Mørkholm, O. (1979). The Cappadocians Again with the Mørkholm 1969 article for the original citation) There is a question about the dates - which do seem correlate with regnal years for Ariarathes V at least. The question is why so many dies use the date (ΓΛ). Mørkholm speculates that there might be a combination of : 1) a large issue in the last year of reign as Ariarathes V raised an army to aid the Romans against Aristonicus of Pergamon AND 2) more speculatively, a possibility for coins issued during the regency of Nysa (she killed 5/6 male heirs to retain control), she may have used this date (ΓΛ) on issues over four or five years 131-127 BC. More references and information on this in my Notes on Ancients Coins.
CAPPADOCIAN KINGDOM: Ariarathes V AR Drachm OBVERSE: Diademed head of Ariarathes V right REVERSE: Athena standing left, holding Nike & resting hand on grounded shield, HDI monogram in outer left field, PAFI monogram in inner left field, HF monogram in outer right field, date GL in exergue Struck at Cappadocia, Year 33 (= 130 BC) 4.2g, 18mm SNG Copenhagen Suppl. 673–678. Simonetta p. 24, 20b
