id:			97411
accession number:	1916.994
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.994
updated:		2023-01-10 17:01:16.426000

Tetradrachm: Head of Alexander III [The Great] (obverse); Athena (reverse), 306 BC. Greek, Ptolemaic, minted at Alexandreia (Egypt), reign of Ptolemy I Soter. Silver; overall: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade 1916.994

title:				Tetradrachm: Head of Alexander III [The Great] (obverse); Athena (reverse)
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			306 BC
creation date earliest:		-306
creation date latest:		-306
current location:		
creditline:			Gift of J. H. Wade
copyright:			

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culture:	Greek, Ptolemaic, minted at Alexandreia (Egypt), reign of Ptolemy I Soter
technique:	silver
department:	Greek and Roman Art
collection:	GR - Greek
type:		Coins
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

	inscription:	ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ
	translation:	
	remark:		

	inscription:	HP
	translation:	
	remark:		

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Portraiture: The Image of the Individual
	opening date:   1983-11-22T05:00:00
	<i>Portraiture: The Image of the Individual</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 22, 1983-January 22, 1984).

	title:		Stories From Storage
	opening date:   2021-02-07T05:00:00
	<i>Stories From Storage</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-May 16, 2021).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

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fun fact:
The image of Alexander the Great in an elephant headdress references his Eastern conquests.

digital description:
Much like his former commander Alexander III (the Great) showed connections to Herakles and Zeus, Ptolemy I Soter (the Savior) used coins to validate his succession to power. Thus, in place of Herakles with lion-skin, this coin shows Alexander in an elephant headdress, referring to their shared Eastern triumphs. On the reverse is Athena Promachos, striding forward with shield and spear. Before her are a helmet and an eagle, and behind her the inscription ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, “of Alexander.”

wall description:

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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Neils, Jenifer. "The Twain Shall Meet." <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 72, no. 6 (1985).
	page number: 	p. 239
	url:		https://www.jstor.org/stable/25159914

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.994/1916.994_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.994/1916.994_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.994/1916.994_full.tif