weight 16,43gr. ; silver Ø 21mm.

obv. Helmeted head of Athena right
rev. Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left,
small Θ-like symbol and MZDK (Mazdaka in Aramaic) to right.

Mazakes is best known as the Persian satrap who took over Egypt after Sabakes fell in battle against Alexander the Great′s army at the Granicus, and later handed over the province peacefully to the Macedonian king. Imitative owls in the name of Mazakes have been known for some time, and all were originally attributed to his satrapy in Egypt. However, it was clear that stylistic elements separated the coinage into two general groups. More recent hoards, especially the 1973 Iraq hoard, have shown that one of the groups of imitative owls was certainly not struck in Egypt, but somewhere in the territory of modern day Iraq. In his analysis of the 1973 hoard, M. Price ("Circulation at Babylon in 323 B.C." in W.E. Metcalf, ed., Mnemata: Papers in Memory of Nancy M. Waggoner [New York, 1991], pp. 63–72) changed the findspot from Iraq to the more specific cite of Babylon, based on anecdotal evidence (p. 63), and gave the series of Mazakes′ owls to the city. However, such an assignment has forced numismatists to conduct mental gymnastics in order to rationalize the presence of Mazakes′ coins at Babylon (cf. Van Alfen, Owls, pp. 27–33, and Le Rider, Alexander, pp. 215–7, for a summary of the previous research).

It is clear that the attribution of the owls to Babylon is almost certainly incorrect, and other find evidence suggests an attribution to somewhere further north, perhaps in the satrapy of Mesopotamia (cf. Le Rider, op. cit., p. 217–9). In any event, this coinage clarifies the historical record regarding the disposition of Mazakes following his hand-over of Egypt, upon which subject the literary evidence is silent. As noted by Le Rider (op. cit., p. 215), one can compare Mazakes to other Persians who peacefully welcomed Alexander to their domains: Mazaios, who handed over Cilicia, was later made satrap in Babylon, and Mithrenes, who surrendered Sardes, was made satrap in Armenia. Also, the Persian noble Amminapes, who met Alexander in Egypt with Mazakes, was later made satrap of Parthia and Hyrkania. Thus, one would expect Mazakes to receive similarly favorable treatment, appointment to some position of authority. Interestingly, Mesopotamia is the only satrapy that is not addressed in the literary evidence when Alexander is organizing his eastern territories. As these tetradrachms of Mazakes are found in that region, and date to the period after Alexander′s conquest, it is reasonable to suggest that Mazakes may have been appointed as satrap of Mesopotamia. It was also in the adjacent satrapy of Babylonia that Mazaios was allowed to strike a coinage in his name and types (influenced by his prior issues at Tarsos) for local use, and similar issues of local type and weight are known to have been issued at mints throughout the basin of the Tigris and Euphrates, from the time of Alexander to Seleukos I. Thus, these Athenian type tetradrachms likely constitute a local coinage of Mazakes, struck in the satrapy of Mesopotamia while he reigned there.

Le Rider, Alexander, pp. 214-9; cf. Mitchiner, type 12d (Babylon) ;
cf. Sear 6154 (Babylon) ; Van Alfen, Owls, Group IVc, 95 = O. Mørkholm,
“A Coin of Artaxerxes III” in NC 1974, pl. I, 6 RR
(cf. Triton, auction XVIII, lot 700 in vf ; 6.500 + 15%)
Struck on a short flan. Very rare.
vf-

weight 16,84gr. ; Ø 23mm.

obv. Baäl seated left within border of dots
rev. Lion walking left, Γ above, within border of dots

This cointype was introduced by Mazaios, when he was Satrap of Babylonia. Also after his death in 328 BC the mintage of this cointype was continued, but without his name mentioned on the coins.

BMC 36 ; Mitchiner page 13, type 7i ; SNG.Copenhagen 264var. RR
attractive tone
vf/vf+

weight 15,88gr. ; silver Ø 25mm.
In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon.

obv. Head of  young Herakles clad in a lion′s skin
rev. Zeus Aëtophoros seated left on backless throne, holding eagle in his
right hand and scepter in his left. To left, wreath, to right, AΛЄΞANΔPO

The present coin is part of a series of Alexandrine tetradrachms featuring an unusual obverse style and light weight (averaging between 15.5 and 16.5 grams), as well as a variety of symbols in the left field on the reverse: lion-skin over club (Price 4058), dolphin downward (Price 4058A), wreath (present coin ; Price B36), two dolphins entwined over wreath, and thunderbolt (CNG 90, lot 752, and Rauch Summer Auction 2010, lot 54). While the light weight and style suggest an origin among the eastern Celts, the consistency of the style and proper epigraphy suggest a more formally organized eastern mint, unlike definitively Celtic issues that attempt just to imitate existing Alexanders (or are clearly blundered). Highly interesting and very rare.

Müller- ; SNG.Copenhagen-  ; Price page 509, B36 RR
Very attractive specimen with dark toning.
vf/xf

weight 7,09gr. ; copper Ø 18mm.

obv. Draped bust of Wa′el to left, Estranghelo
legend on either side, all within wreath
rev. Temple with pediment seen in three-quarters perspective, within, 
cubic cult-object (?) on a base supported by two curved legs;
in pediment, star with three rays; all within wreath.

The Kingdom of Osrhoene (Edessa) was situated in a particularly volatile geographical location and hence prone to interventions by the two neighboring superpowers Rome and Parthia. It was ruled by the Abgarids, an Arab dynasty that is thought to have originated in the area of Nabataea. Founded by Aryu in 132 BC, this dynasty ruled Edessa until the 3rd century AD.

In 163, the Parthian King Vologases IV expelled King Ma′nu VIII from Edessa and replaced him with his brother Wa′el, but the Roman counteroffensive under Lucius Verus′ able general Avidius Cassius soon turned the tide in Ma′nu′s favor again. After reigning a brief two years, Wa′el himself was deposed by the Romans. The kingdom of Osrhoene was incorporated into the Roman Empire by Caracalla in 214 AD, and the final two kings were mere figureheads that ruled at the will of the Romans. The dynasty came to an end circa 242 AD.

Only two coin types, both bronze, are known from the short reign of Wa′el. The first shows the portrait of the Parthian king Vologases IV on the obverse and that of King Wa′el on the reverse. The second type features the portrait of King Wa′el on the obverse and a temple with a sacred cubic object on the reverse.

Exceptional attractive and well-struck for issue,
with wonderful portrait of King Wa′el.
A highly interesting historical coin. Very rare.

BMC 29, p. 91, 2 (Pl. XIII,7) ; SNG.Copenhagen - ;
ZENO 250974 ; Sear GIC 5727 RR
vf+/vf