GREEK. CILICIA. Tarsus. Datames, as Satrap (385/4-362/1 BC). Silver stater (10.63g). Struck ca. 378-372 BC. Female head, hair in sphendone and wearing necklace, facing slightly left / Helmeted and bearded male head right (Ares?); grape bunch to left, ethnic to right. SNG Levante -. SNG von Aulock 5937 var. (grape bunch). Unpublished with grape bunch to left on reverse. aEF. A choice cabinet blue-grey toning. Issued at Tarsus during the satrapy of Datames. This silver stater stands as a remarkable testament to one of the most capable and independent-minded governors of the Achaemenid Empire. Struck circa 378-372 BC, during a time of political unrest and local assertion against imperial authority, this coin reflects Datames' efforts to solidify his power and regional identity while still operating nominally under Persian rule. As both a military commander and a skilled administrator, Datames balanced loyalty to the Great King with ambitious local governance. His coinage, marked by a distinct blend of Persian and Hellenic influences, speaks to a dynamic moment in Anatolian history when satraps like Datames began to express their autonomy through artistic and political mediums, setting the stage for the eventual fragmentation of Persian control in the region. For the exact type see; Heritage Auction 3035/29101, hammered US$3750. From the Titan Collection. (P)

Estimate: AUD 2500