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
Portraiture: The Image of the Individual. 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
Stories From Storage. 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." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 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