Chersonesus Thracica, quarter-siglos — Quadripartite incuse square (CN type 22885)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
c. 357–320 BC
Issuing entity
ThraceQuarter-siglos in silver struck at Chersonesus Thracica in Thrace, dated c. 357–320 BC. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 22885 (period: Classical Period; issuing authority type: league).
Obverse: Forepart of a prancing lion, right, head left. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square; two opposite squares lower. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 1.29 g (mean of 3 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 9.7–10.5 mm (from 3 recorded specimens). The corpus assigns the type to the reduced Persian weight standard. Recorded findspots: Plovdiv region. Published references cited by the corpus: Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum Kopenhagen 6/2, Kopenhagen, nr. 824, pl. 17, pic. 824; Tzvetkova, The war over the Chersonese. Zur Chronologie und Periodisierung des athenisch-odrysischen Konflikts um die thrakische Chersones, Αθήνα 2007, p. 17-31; Minkova et al., Numismatic collection of the Regional Museum of history Stara Zagora (ancient Augusta Traiana): Thracian, Macedonian, Greek and Roman republican coins from 6th to 1st century BC, Stara Zagora 2019.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 5
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 3
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The Thracian Chersonese, known in Latin as Chersonesus Thracica, was the ancient name for the Gallipoli Peninsula situated in East Thrace. Protected across its narrowest point near Agora by the Long Wall, the peninsula stretched between the Aegean Sea and the Dardanelles. The siglos was an ancient Persian silver denomination that formed part of the bimetallic monetary standard of the Achaemenid Empire, which struck coinage from 520 BCE–450 BCE down to 330 BCE.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- silver
- Denomination
- quarter-siglos
- Recorded diameter
- 9.7–10.5 mm (from 3 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 1.29 g (mean of 3 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Chersonesus Thracica
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- League
- Weight standard
- reduced Persian
Design
- Obverse type
- Forepart of a prancing lion, right, head left.
- Reverse type
- Quadripartite incuse square; two opposite squares lower.
Identification
- Period
- Classical Period
- How to identify
- Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
- Recorded findspots
- Plovdiv region
- Type corpus record
- https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/22885
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 22885
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Recorded
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Recorded
- Mint or printer
- Recorded
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Recorded
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 824, pl. 17, pic. 824
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographyp. 17-31
- Corpus Nummorum bibliography
Research required
- Legends not transcribed in the source corpus
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution