AR 1/16 Stater 0.87g, 11mm, 9h
Circa 333 BCE
Galley to left, containing two hoplites with helmets and round shields; below, Phoenician letters and hippocamp to left / Lion attacking bull to left, Phoenician inscription above. E&E-B Group IV.3.2; HGC 10, 137
Ex Roma
If you’ve ever read a book, then Byblos has influenced you. The words “Bible” and “book” came from the city, which during ancient times was the major source of papyrus.
As with the other principal Phoenician cities in the Levant (Arados, Tyre, and Sidon), Byblos was an ancient city and archeology has suggested that it may be the most ancient of them, having been continuously inhabited for over 10,000 years. In fact, during a book I recently read about the area, Alexander the Great’s invasion was only broached in the last chapter.
In step with the other Phoenician cities, Byblos readily submitted to the major power in the area in exchange for freedom of trade. The city submitted to Alexander the Great without a fight and minted their own issue of his famous tetradrachms.
The hippocamp, pictured here on the reverse, was a well-known mythological creature during Phoenician times. Here it’s underneath a gallery, presumably with poor intentions in mind.
I’m not exactly sure of the lion and stag imagery, but it also occurs on several Persian issues (notably those of Mazaios) so I suspect it’s a nod to the Persians, who ruled the area at that time.