Chalkis in Syria, 73-72 BC., Kingdom of Chalkis, Ptolemaios I, tetrarch, Æ 19, SNG Cop. 413.
Chalkis sub Libano in Syria, Kingdom of Chalkis, Coele-Syria, Ptolemaios I, tetrarch (85-40 BC.), dated year 240 of the Seleucid Era = 73-72 BC.,
Æ 19 (18-19 mm / 6,52 g), bronze, axes about medal alignment ↑↑ (ca. 20°),
Obv.: laureate head of Zeus (or Ptolemaios I of Chalkis) right.
Rev.: L M[Σ] , the Dioskouroi standing facing, each holding a spear, heads turned to each other; date L M[Σ] to right.
SNG Cop. 413 ; BMC - (cf 20. 279-80, 3-4) ; Sear GC - (cf. 5897) ; SNG München - ; Herman, "The Coins of the Ituraeans," in INR 1 (2006), 1 .
Chalcis sub Libano (Mejdel ‘Anjar), at the foot of Antilibanus. This city, together with the neighbouring Heliopolis, the valley of the Marsyas and the mountainous region of Ituraea, constituted a Tetrarchy, the whole or portions of which were governed in the first century B.C. by rulers who took the titles of τετÏοÏχης and αÏχιεÏευς. Ptolemy I was succeeded by his son Lysanias, who was put to death by Marc Antony. Antony gave the kingdom to Cleopatra as a gift. The attribution of some of the countermarks to Cleopatra is speculative, but the evidence seems to fit. Countermarked bronzes with the head of Cleopatra are known for Antioch, Chalkis, Seleukia and Laodicea. From B.C. 36 to 30 the dominions of Lysanias were in the hands of Cleopatra. After her death they were farmed by Zenodorus, who, however, in B.C. 24 lost Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis on their being handed over by Augustus to Herod I. He retained Oulatha and Paneas till his death in B.C. 20.