Alexander (unidentified Seleucid king)

Antioch

1/4 Mina

Lead

Cast

Disc or similar (ellipse, etc.)

5.80 cm

5.80 cm

- cm

Mass (g)	Mass (grain)	Date of measurement	Reference	fragmented	cleaned	reference weight
127.00	-	-	Auction Nomos 2020	No	No	Yes

Symbol	Technique	Direction	Position	Number	Synecdoche
Anchor	Relief
Dolphin	Relief	LEFT
Scale pattern	Relief

Auction Nomos 2020: Seleukid Kings of Syria. Period of Alexander I Balas or Alexander II Zabinas. Weight of 1/4 Mina (Lead, 58 mm, 127.00 g, 3 h), uncertain city in southern Anatolia or the Levant. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΟΝΤΟΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ / ΤΕΤΑ - ΡΤΟΝ (= during the reign of King Alexander / 1/4 [Mina]) On a central raised boss, anchor with its crown above and stock below; around, on a lower level, inscription. Rev. ΡωΠΙΚΟΝ (= “for minor items”) Dolphin swimming to left; around, pattern of hemicircles (waves?). Apparently unpublished. An intriguing and unusual piece. With a creme-colored patina. Minor marks and casting flaws, otherwise, good very fine.

No

Language	Technique	Legend type
Greek	Relief	Authority, Denomination, Standard

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΟΝΤΟΣΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ

ΤΕΤΑ   ΡΤΟΝ

Ρ𝈢ΠΙΚΟΝ

Βασιλεύοντος Ἀλεξάνδρου. | Τέτα–ρτον. || ῥωπικόν.

GREEK

FROM -150 TO -122

Reign of Alexander I Balas (150–145 BCE) or Alexander II Zabinas (126–122 BCE).

Name	Date of acquisition	Inventory number
Antiquities Trade	July 10, 2020	None

Reference	Page/Column	Reference (number)	Plate / Figure	Comment
Auction Nomos 2020	None	268	None	None

Auction Nomos 2020: This weight must be Seleukid because its type is the dynastic anchor; additionally, it bears the name of a King Alexander – though which one it does not say! It would be helpful if either of the types – the anchor and the dolphin – appeared specifically on either king's coins, since that might provide a clue to the date of the weight, but neither type does. The nautical flavour of the designs might indicate that this weight was made in a port city. The weight’s ancient description, tetarton - ropikon, running from the obverse to the reverse, means “a 1/4 [mina] for minor items”, which means that this weight was designed to be used for weighing ordinary, everyday items, rather than for more important or valuable ones (i.e., this weight was accurate enough for simple purchases, but not for serious things like precious metals).
ChD: The word ῥωπικόν seems to be a standard (see ἰταλικόν). It derives from ῥῶπος, “petty wares”.

https://nomosag.com/nomos-20/268