Satraps of Cilicia. Tarkondimotos I 39-31 BC. Bronze Æ

Satraps of Cilicia. Tarkondimotos I 39-31 BC.
Bronze Æ

22 mm, 9,18 g

Diademed head of Tarkondimotos I right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΑΡΚΟΝΔΙΜΟΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ Zeus seated left, holding Nike and sceptre.

Very Fine

RPC I 3871; SNG France 2, 1913-6.

Tarkondimotos I was a ruler of ancient Cilicia, a region located in the southeastern part of modern-day Turkey, during the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC. He is known primarily from inscriptions and coins found in the region. Tarkondimotos I ruled as a satrap, or governor, under the Persian Achaemenid Empire, which had control over Cilicia at the time. His reign coincided with a period of Persian dominance in the region. Tarkondimotos I is notable for issuing coins in his name, which bear inscriptions in the Aramaic language. These coins provide valuable evidence of his rule and the administrative structures of Cilicia under Persian control. During his reign, Tarkondimotos I would have been responsible for overseeing local governance, collecting taxes, maintaining order, and ensuring the loyalty of the region to the Persian king. While relatively little is known about Tarkondimotos I himself, his coins and inscriptions serve as important historical artifacts that shed light on the political and administrative dynamics of ancient Cilicia under Persian rule.