Egyptian Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes Ancient Royal Eagle Coin

Ptolemaic hemiobol 🦅

Obverse: Laureate bust of Ptolemy III Euergetes facing right, wearing aegis.

Reverse: Eagle with closed wings standing facing left on a thunderbolt; to right, cornucopia.

Interestingly, this coin also bears a ‘trademark’ feature of most Ptolemaic bronzes struck: a central cavity on both the obverse and reverse. Often, there are also strong traces of incised lines radiating outward from the center in a circular fashion. Both are diagnostic of their production rather than circulation damage.

Ptolemy III Euergetes (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Εὐεργέτης, romanized: Ptolemaios Euergetes, "Ptolemy the Benefactor"; c. 280 – November/December 222 BC) was the third pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt from 246 to 222 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom reached the height of its military and economic power during his kingship, as initiated by his father Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

Ptolemy III is credited with having begun the building of the great temple dedicated to Horus at Edfu in the tenth year of his reign (about 237 BC), but the main structure was not finished until 231 BC, in the reign of his son. The temple was formally opened in 142 BC during the Reign of Ptolemy VIII, although the reliefs on the great pylon were not finished until the reign of Ptolemy XII.Of course, this was certainly not his only building project. Among others, he is also credited with several structures at Karnak, for example.

#ancientcoin #ancientcoins #ancientart #ptolemaickingdom #ancientegypt #egyptianpharaoh #ptolemy #numismatics #ancienthistory #headyart