Byblos, Phoenicia - Ancient Coin Stories

Phoenicia, Byblos ‘Urimilk III
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.

2150 BCE

Pharaoh Pepi I of Egypt mentions Byblos in texts, reflecting ongoing trade relations.

1850 BCE

Egyptian Pharaoh Senusret III continues relations with Byblos, with inscriptions confirming Egyptian influence in the city.

1300 BCE

Byblos appears in the Amarna Letters, diplomatic correspondences from this period, reflecting its role in the regional politics of the Late Bronze Age.

1200 BCE

Arados, Byblos, and Sidon are pillaged by “sea peoples”.

1100 BCE

Ahiram (Ahirom), a Phoenician king of Byblos, is buried in a sarcophagus with one of the earliest known inscriptions in the Phoenician alphabet.

876 BCE

Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria makes Arados, Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos tributaries.

738 BCE

The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III conquers Manbog. Byblos becomes a tributary.

701 BCE

Byblos, along with Sidon, and Arados, become vassal states to the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib. He fails to take Tyre.

586 BCE

Byblos, Arados, and Sidon are under Neo-Babylonian control after the fall of the Assyrian Empire, becomes part of Nebuchadnezzar II’s territories. Tyre is put under siege.

539 BCE

Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, establishing Persian control over the former Babylonian Empire, which includes the Phoenician cities of Arados, Byblos, Tyre, Edom, and Sidon.

525 BCE

Cambyses II, son of Cyrus the Great, uses Phoenician naval support, including ships from Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, for his conquest of Egypt and Memphis.

490 BCE

Arados, Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon continue to contribute ships and resources to the Persian navy under Darius I, playing a key role in the Persian military preparations for the Greco-Persian Wars.

480 BCE
September 26

Aegina plays a significant role in the Greek naval victory against the Persian Empire in the Battle of Salamis. Byblos, Arados, Tyre, Halikarnassos under Artemisia, Kos, and Sidon support Darius. Chalkis and Kythnos support the Greek effort. Alexander I serves as a peace negotiator on behalf of the Persians.

411 BCE

Arados and Byblos face internal unrest as various local rulers assert their influence under the overall control of Persia. Tyre and Sidon maintain loyalty to Persian rule during this period, continuing their contributions to the Persian navy.

343 BCE

Artaxerxes III Okhos sends his satraps Belesys and Mazaios to retake Sidon, Tyre, and Byblos. The Persians are defeated by the Phoenicians, supported by Nektanebo II and Mentor of Rhodes.

332 BCE

Sidon, Byblos, and Arados under Gerostratos submit to Alexander the Great as he travels through Phoenicia.

305 BCE

Byblos, Tyre, Sidon, and Arados become part of the Ptolemaic Empire following the division of Alexander’s empire, aligning with Egypt.

241 BCE

The Ptolemaic Kingdom takes vast territories as a result of the Third Syrian War against the Seleukids. Tyre, Byblos, Sidon, Mallos, Soloi, Tarsos, and Aigai come under Ptolemaic control.

200 BCE

Byblos, Arados, Tyre, and Sidon fall under Seleukid control after the Battle of Panium, as the Seleukids gain dominance in the region.

64 BCE

Pompey incorporates Byblos, Arados, Sidon, Yehud, Edom, and Tyre into the Roman Republic as part of the province of Syria following Rome’s annexation of the eastern Mediterranean.

14 CE

Byblos, Arados, Sidon, and Tyre are formally incorporated into the Roman Empire upon Augustus’ consolidation of the region, gaining status as a Romanized city.

70 CE

Roman emperor Vespasian honors Byblos for its loyalty during the Jewish Revolt, providing certain privileges to the city.