Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinoe II

Server Costs Fundraiser 2024

Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Please donate and contribute to covering our server costs in 2024. With your support, millions of people learn about history entirely for free every month.
$3946 / $18000

Illustration

Arienne King
by The British Museum
published on 27 February 2018
Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinoe II Download Full Size Image

This massive gold coin weighing approximately 27.7-8 grams was known as an octadrachm (equivalent in worth to 8 drachmae). Under the Ptolemies, mints in cities like Alexandria and Ptolemais produced ever larger denominations in gold, silver, and bronze. This coin was minted in Alexandria, Egypt between 260-40 BCE. On its obverse, it bears the diademed heads of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II with the legend "Adelphon" (literally Greek for "Siblings"). On the reverse, Ptolemy I and Berenice I are depicted.

British Museum, London.

Remove Ads
Advertisement

Cite This Work

APA Style

Museum, T. B. (2018, February 27). Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinoe II. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8210/gold-octadrachm-of-ptolemy-ii--arsinoe-ii/

Chicago Style

Museum, The British. "Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinoe II." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 27, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8210/gold-octadrachm-of-ptolemy-ii--arsinoe-ii/.

MLA Style

Museum, The British. "Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinoe II." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Feb 2018. Web. 27 Jul 2024.

Membership