Ready to see 128 ancient coins with Cleopatra’s image?
First group of coins.
Cleopatra issued all the following coins when she was in her twenties. They were minted in Alexandria, Egypt, between 50 and 40 BC.
They are all different because the minting process was manual.
Nevertheless, these are probably the ones that most accurately represent her.
Second group of coins.
They were minted in Patrae, Greece, when Cleopatra and Antony were wintering there in 32-31 BC. Officially, Antony minted them.
One one side of the coin is Cleopatra. The legend in Greek reads “Queen Cleopatra.” On the other side is the headdress of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who Cleopatra identified with.
Third group of coins.
Cleopatra also appears alone in these. But she did not issue them. Antony gave her several territories, like Syria and Phoenicia. And these nations struck coins to honor their new queen. They probably had not seen her in person and used statues or other coins to create her likeness.
Fourth and last group of coins.
Cleopatra’s Roman husband, Mark Antony, minted these. She appears on one side of the coin, Antony on the other. Cleopatra’s features have been altered to resemble Antony’s. This was a common tactic among royalty to show a united front -in this case between Rome and Egypt.
All of them read: “Queen Cleopatra.” Some have the legend in Greek (which was Cleopatra’s native language), others in Latin (Mark Antony’s native language).
They were minted in Antioch, Syria, in 36 BC.
Phoenicia, 36 BC.
Unknown Eastern mint, 34 BC.
Chalcis, Syria, 32 BC.
Antony’s moving mint, 32 BC.
Read next:
What did Cleopatra Really Look Like? Her Statues and the Descriptions of her Contemporaries
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