TheNewYorkSaleauctionXL

1128

Phoenicia, Arados. Uncertain king. Silver Stater (10.41 g), ca. 348/7-339/8. Laureate head of Ba‘al-Arwad

right. Rev. ‘MAB’ above, galley with Pataikos right; three waves below; all within dotted square border within

incuse square. (Betlyon 26; cf. HGC 10, 31). Boldly struck. Nearly extremely fine.

$ 1,500

Very rare Early Sidon Silver Half-Shekel

1129

Phoenicia, Sidon. Time of Baalshallim I-Ba’ana. Silver ½ Shekel (6.69 g), ca. 425-402 BC. City wall with four

towers before which a Phoenician galley left; below, two lions leaping in opposite directions. Rev. Persian

king or hero standing right, holding dagger and grasping mane of lion held before him; all within incuse

square. (Elayi & Elayi grp. III.2; Betlyon 9; HGC 10, -). Lightly toned. Choice very fine.

$ 5,000

This type can only be attributed to the period from the reign of Baalshallim I to that of Ba’ana (ca. 425-402 BC) because it lacks

the usual abbreviated Phoenician legend used to identify the specific issuer. The obverse depicts a Phoenician galley before the walls

of a fortified city, probably intended to represent Sidon. The reverse shows a battle between a heroic figure in Persian royal costume

and a lion. There is some controversy over whether the heroic figure represents a local Phoenician deity with iconography borrowed

from Persia - Phoenician iconography was eclectic in its adoption of the contemporary iconography from other neighboring Near

Eastern states and from Egypt - or whether it is simply meant to represent the Persian Great King in heroic poise as the Phoenician

kings were compelled to recognize him as their overlord.