CYRENAICA. Cyrene. Ophellas, as Ptolemaic Governor (ca. 322/1-308 BC). AV hemidrachm (11mm, 2.15 gm). NGC Choice XF S 5/5 - 4/5, edge scuff. Attic standard. Chairius, magistrate. XAIPI-, head of Athena left, wearing pendant earring and crested Corinthian helmet pushed back on head / K-Y-P, three silphium plants arranged with bases around central pellet. SNG Copenhagen -. BMC 135a. Expertly centered on bright, satiny surfaces. From the Wetmore Collection of Gold and Electrum. Ex Collection of a Northern California Gentleman (Triton XX, 10 January 2017), lot 398; Abe Kosoff, private purchase (August 1968). Born in Eordaea, a region in Macedonia, Ophellas was an accomplished military officer and an ally of Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Great's successors. His pivotal journey into North Africa led to the establishment of Cyrenaica, modern-day Libya, as a Ptolemaic stronghold. His rule was characterized by an effective administration and noteworthy prosperity, contributing to the Greek presence along the North African coast. Ophellas embarked on a broader quest for power when he joined Agathocles of Syracuse in his military campaign against Carthage, but his ambitions were cut short. His death in 308 BC, under circumstances historians still debate, ended his efforts to extend his influence across the region. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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