Cleopatra at Ascalon: Recent Finds from the Leon Levy Expedition

Abstract

All known specimens of the autonomous tetradrachms of Ascalon minted during the first
century BCE are presented. Included are the specimens depicting royal male portraits
(type immobilisé of Antiochus VIII) minted between 99/8 and 50/49 BCE, at which point
there was a radical break with the appearance of portraits of Cleopatra VII on the city’s
silver. These tetradrachms are very rare and so far only four issues of year 55 (50/49
BCE) and one of year 66 (39/8 BCE) were known. Three recently identified specimens of
an unpublished year (65=40/39 BCE) have also been recorded.