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SELEUKID EMPIRE. Molon. Usurper, 222-220 BC. Æ (20.5mm, 7.35 g, 6h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Struck circa 221-220 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Apollo Kitharodeos, draped, standing right, holding plektron and cradling kithara in arm; monogram to outer left. SC 949.3 corr. (monogram as 949.2); ESM 228β (same rev. die); HGC 9, 430. Earthen dark green patina. VF. Extremely rare, three noted in ESM (all in public collections [Athens, BM, and Berlin]), with none in SCO, and only two in CoinArchives.
Molon was a Seleukid noble who was elevated to satrap of Media by Antiochos III, shortly after his acclamation as king. After Antiochos departed Babylonia to receive his crown in Antioch, Molon and his brother, Alexander, who was satrap of Persis, revolted. Molon defeated two armies sent against him, and entered Seleukeia on the Tigris in 221 BC, at which time the present issue was struck. Eventually, Antiochos, who had been campaigning against the Ptolemies, was forced to turn his attention to the revolt. Molon was compelled to move his army east, towards Media, as Antiochos approached from the west, but the Seleukid king was able to confront and defeat Molon’s forces near Apollonia (Sittake). Although Molon and his brother survived the confrontation, they committed suicide upon realizing the futility of their position.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 127 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 17-18 September 2024. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 17 September at 9 AM ET.
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