Date:
Graeco-Roman Period, reign of Ptolemy I (c. 305–285 BCE)
Provenance:
Lower Egypt, Alexandria, Nelson Island
Material(s):
Non-organic material, alloy, bronze
Hall:
Nelson Island Collection, showcase 34
Description
Coin dating back, as does the majority of the coins discovered on the Greek settlements of Nelson, to the reign of Ptolemy I. It features the head of Alexander the Great.
Coins of Alexander the Great
Coinage in the name of Alexander became so well-established that it continued to be produced for up to 250 years side-by-side with the coinages issued by the successor rulers who struck coins in their own names and with their own types. Coinage struck in the name of Alexander had the advantages not only of being recognizable and widely accepted all over the Hellenistic world, but also of being politically neutral in the shifting sands of Hellenistic hegemony.
The information given here is subject to modification/update as a result of ongoing research.
References
- Christopher Howgego, Ancient History from Coins, Approaching the Ancient World (New York, NY: Routledge, 1995).
- Mona Serry, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Antiquities Museum, introduction by Ismail Serageldin (Alexandria: Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Antiquities Museum, 2015): 265, 335.