Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 121. Estimate CHF20000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF22000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Alexander I Balas, with Cleopatra Thea. 152-145 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 16.81 g 12), Ake-Ptolemais, 150 BC. Diademed and veiled bust of Cleopatra Thea, as Tyche, wearing pendant earring, pearl necklace, kalathos and with cornucopiae over her shoulder, jugate to right with the diademed head of Alexander Balas; behind their heads, Α Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ Zeus seated left on throne, holding long scepter with his left hand and, in his right, a facing figure of Nike holding a thunderbolt. Houghton, Double 16-20 var. (reverse die unlisted). Jameson 1715. SC 1841. SNG Spaer 1483. Very rare. Slightly rough surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.

Ex Triton IX, 10 January 2006, 1033.

Alexander I Balas was a usurper who was backed by the Attalids and the Ptolemies against the legitimate Seleukid king, Demetrius I. Balas prevailed and to seal his alliances, received the hand of Cleopatra Thea (c. 164-121), the eldest daughter of Ptolemy VI. The wedding took place in Ptolemais in 150: rare tetradrachms and even rarer gold staters were struck to commemorate the event. Interestingly enough, while Balas wears the royal diadem, his spouse not only has a diadem but the attributes of a goddess, thus showing quite how much higher she ranked over him; and she knew it. Cleopatra Thea had quite a career. After marrying Balas, and producing a son, Antiochos VI, she repudiated him; following his defeat and murder by an Arab sheik she married the young Demetrius II, son of Demetrius I. With him she had Seleukos V and Antiochos VIII. After some interminable infighting, Demetrius II was captured by the Parthians and Cleopatra proceeded to marry his younger brother, Antiochos VII, with whom she had Antiochos IX. After Antiochos VII was killed in battle, Demetrius II returned to Cleopatra; by 125 she was fed up with him and had him murdered. He was succeeded by his son Seleukos V, but as he proved to be rather independent his mother had him murdered as well.

She then decided to become sole ruler of Syria, legitimizing her position by associating herself with her younger son (by Demetrius II), Antiochos VIII. Tiring of him as well, she made several attempts at eliminating him but, in the end, was forced to drink a cup of poisoned wine she had herself prepared for him and died in 121.

The portrait on this coin shows Cleopatra Thea as a young woman of 16, though she must have been hard as nails even then - if she had more time or power she probably could have single-handedly wiped out the entire Seleukid royal house!