Coin of King Ballaios — Pharos type

Novac kralja Balajosa — farski tip

Coin of King Ballaios — Pharos type

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Historical period
c. 260–230 or 195–175 BC (dating disputed)
Location
Pharos mint type (Hvar)
Dimensions
Ø 16 mm (katalog) · 3,09 g · debljina 1,77 mm (izvedena)
Material
bronze
Held at
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Coins, Medals and Antiquities (Paris)

Ballaios also struck coins at Pharos, on the island of Hvar, with a different reverse: Artemis running in a short chiton, with a torch and a spear. This is the type closest to the warlike, hunting Artemis — and the Ulcinj altar is dedicated to Artemis Elaphabolos, “the deer-shooter”.

The obverse of this specimen is worn, so the king’s portrait survives on the model only in outline; the reverse is legible.

The 3D model was made from two photographs of the specimen (obverse and reverse) in the collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The relief height was derived from the shading in the photograph, so the model is a faithful drawing in three dimensions, not a measured survey of the coin. The photograph is applied to the model as its colour. For 3D printing, obverse and reverse were prepared as separate flat-backed plaques, enlarged 3:1, at true and at emphasised relief height.

Technical drawing — Coin of King Ballaios — Pharos typeOpen PDF (A3) ↓
Obverse: photograph of the specimen (BnF) and the relief derived from its shading
Obverse: photograph of the specimen (BnF) and the relief derived from its shading
Reverse: photograph of the specimen (BnF) and the relief derived from its shading
Reverse: photograph of the specimen (BnF) and the relief derived from its shading
  • Fotografije: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Monnaies, médailles et antiques — https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8572968j (javno vlasništvo).
  • J. Wilkes, The Illyrians, Oxford 1992.