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As - Massinissa or Micipsa with punic letters
| Issuer | Numidia |
|---|---|
| Year | 203 BC - 118 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Bronze |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A horse rearing up on its hind legs, depicted in left profile with muscular forequarters and flowing mane, a motif emblematic of Numidian coinage and reflecting the region's celebrated equestrian culture. Below the horse, Punic letters appear in the lower field, serving as a mint or authority identifier. The strike is bold though somewhat uneven, consistent with hammered bronze production. The overall composition is contained within an irregular, roughly circular flan displaying a rich green patina. |
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| Mintage | ND (203 BC - 118 BC) |
| Additional information |
Numidia never operated a mint in the Greek or Roman sense — coinage here emerged as a political instrument during and after the Second Punic War, when Massinissa's alliance with Rome transformed his kingdom from a fractured client territory into the dominant power in North Africa. These bronzes circulated across a kingdom that stretched at its height from Mauretania to the borders of Carthaginian territory, and the Punic script reflects the administrative reality of a court that conducted much of its official business in that language despite Rome's growing influence.
The near-century span of attribution between Massinissa and his grandson Micipsa makes individual assignment nearly impossible without die study. Micipsa reigned until 118 BC, at which point the kingdom was divided among three heirs — a partition that effectively ended unified Numidian power.