Demetrios II Nikator, tetradrachm, silver, reign 129–125 BC, minted

Demetrios II Nikator, tetradrachm, silver, reign 129–125 BC, minted 129–125 BC, weight 16.8 g, diameter 27 mm. Obverse: diademed bust of Demetrios II facing right, legend in Greek “ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΝΙΚΑΤΟΡΟΣ” surrounding. Reverse: Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in extended right hand and scepter in left, with additional control marks; legend in Greek in field. Strike: centered with complete legends and device. Toning: light silver-grey with localized darker patination in recessed areas. Reference: SNG Spaer 2162; Seleucid Empire issues of Antioch on the Orontes (anepigraphic mint control). This coin was issued under Demetrios II Nikator during his second reign over the Seleucid Empire, following his return from Parthian captivity. Minted at Antioch on the Orontes, the principal royal mint of the Seleucid kingdom, the tetradrachm was a primary medium for large-scale payments and trade in the eastern Mediterranean. The obverse portrait follows the Hellenistic royal convention of depicting the ruler with a diadem as a symbol of kingship. The reverse type of Zeus Nikephoros emphasizes divine sanction and military victory, continuing Seleucid iconography established under earlier rulers. These coins circulated widely within the empire and neighboring states, forming part of the broader post-Alexandrian monetary system.