Etruscan Cetamura
Ptolemaic Coin
Period | Etruscan |
Year | 3rd c. BCE |
Material | Bronze |
Location | Well #1 |
Cet. Inventory | Inv. C-13-986 |
This bronze coin is sufficiently well preserved to see that the image types originate from Egypt ruled by the Ptolemies in the Hellenistic period. The Greek inscription refers to royalty, possibly King Ptolemy II. Greek coins are quite rare at Cetamura, and this one must have been cast into the well as a valuable offering.
Prov. 5N/18W.100.1. Diam. 2.5. Wt. 16 g
Bronze coin, Ptolemaic or Syracusan. Condition of obverse very poor; of reverse, fair. Obv.: Probably a bearded head of Zeus. Rev.: An eagle and oval shield, with the legend known from better preserved examples: BAƩILEOS. The type is originally Ptolemaic, from Alexandria (reign of Ptolemy II), but possibly struck for Hieron II of Syracuse ca. 265 BCE.
Dating: Probably 3rd c. BCE. Found in Well Group III (150–100 BCE).
Bibl.: Wolf and Lober 2011.
