Athenian Coin of Aristion and Mithradates
In 88 B.C. Mithradates VI of Pontus massacred about 80,000 Roman and Italian settlers in what is now western Asian Turkey. He soon took Athens from the Romans, installing a ruler named Aristion. Rome forbade subject territories to mint gold coins so Mithradates minted this gold stater, similar to long-familiar Athenian types. It shows Athena (obverse) and her owl with inscription “of Athens, King Mithradates, [and] Aristion” (reverse). In 86 B.C. the Romans counterattacked, executed Aristion, and leveled much of Athens, firmly taking control there.
Acts 2:9, Acts 17:15–18:1, 1 Pet 1:1, 2 Macc 6:1, 2 Macc 9:15
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