The Alexander the Great Tetradrachm Hoard in the Durmaz Collection

Abstract

The hoard is in the collection of Mr. Mehmet Durmaz, whose collection is registered with the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. The hoard, which was reported to have been found in the vicinity of Antakya in 1992, contains 32 silver tetradrachms. It appears that most of the coins were minted in eastern mints, with only a few from western mints. The hoard has very few examples from the period of Alexander. Most are of the posthumous Alexander series minted soon after the period of Alexander. The obverse of the coins of the hoard has a head of young Herakle wearing a lion's head, and the reverse has an enthroned Zeus seated left holding an eagle in his right hand and in the left a scepter. The hoard contains the names of three different kings. These are: Alexanderr III (336-323 BC), Philip III (323-317 BC) and Seleukos I (312- 281 BC). The coins of the hoard appear to begin with the Macedonian king Alexander and soon after his death continue with his brother-in-law, the Macedonian King Philip III, Arrhidaeus, and ends with Seleukos I, Nikator. Nine different mints have been identified among the coins of the hoard. The earliest dated coins of the hoard are those from 336-323 BC from the Amphipolis mint and 325-323 BC from the mint of Babylon. These coins are from the lifetime of Alexander. The two coins of Philip Arrhidaeus, which date to 323-317 BC, were minted at the mint of Babylon. The latest two coins, which are of the Seleukeia ad Tigrim mint, minted by the Syrian king Seleukos I, can be dated to 295 BC.