Ptolemaic Kingdom ~ AR Tetradrachm Ptolemy II ~ 285-246 BC ~ NGC ~ Fine ~ Sidon

Description

This is a Ptolemaic Kingdom Tetradrachm (AR=Silver) of Ptolemy II (285/4-246 BC); minted in Sidon, Lebanon. After minting it received counter-marks and graffiti. It is Certified by NGC and graded as Fine, but polished. The obverse has the portrait of Ptolemy I, and the reverse is of an Eagle with the mint-mark and emperor’s name.
My history notes:
285 – 246
PTOLEMY II, Philadelphus (Lover of his brother)
– Took over when his father abdicated
280
– The
Pharos Lighthouse (Ancient Wonder) was built in the Alexandrine harbor and
expanded library
– “Cleverest merchant to ever control
Alexandria” (Caravan Cities, p. 57)
278
– Instigated
the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek – The Septuagint (means 70)
274 – 271
– First Syrian War against Antiochus I
266 – 260
– Lost Cyrene and Libya to his half-brother Magas,
thus making him King of Cyrene
260 – 253
– Second Syrian War against Antiochus II – Captured
Cyprus, Tyre and Sidon from the Seleucids
259
– The
Zenon Archive contains letters of his year spent in Palestine and Jordan
–
Zenon was the agent of Apponius, the Finance Minister
–
He settled his Greek war veterans in Faiyum and transformed its prosperity
–
Built a great gate at the
Temple
of
Karnak
leading to the
Sanctuary of Mut
–
Built numerous sanctuaries, including the Temple of Isis, and repaired many
others
–
Extended a previous canal, from the
Med.
Sea
to the
Bitter
Lakes
, to the Red Sea
–
Established on the Red Sea the port of Berenike, named for his daughter,
250
–
Peace was made with the Seleucids, and he gave his daughter, Berenice, to
Antiochus II
–
Daniel 11:6 “
They will form an alliance… and the daughter of the king of the
south
.”