JUBA II AND KLEOPATRA SELENE, SNG 567, Date 19 BC - 6 AD, Silver Denarius Caesarea, Star, Crescent

★ Rare type of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene - extremely fine, near extremely fine condition - well sharply strucked - nice Juba II portrait at the obverse - fantastic fine details at the reverse - nice darker silver patina color toning - all together a great handsome and not common coin of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene ★
★ The reverse may have been inspired by the denarius of Augustus (RCV. 1640) by Turpilianus, with the same symbols on the reverse (luni-solar: star and moon). Variety with large crescent moon and star. The legend is stereotyped, with the K in the shape of an I and the A's open in the shape of a Lambda ★
King Juba II with Kleopatra Selene (daughter of queen Cleopatra VII and the Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius)
Reign: Juba II, Kingdom of Mauretania
Mint: Iulia Caesarea
Date: c. 19 BC / 6 AD
Nominal: Denarius
Material: Silver
Diameter: 18mm
Weight: 2.69g
Reference: MAA 97
Reference: Mazard 299
Reference: SNG Copenhagen 567
Obverse: Diademed head of Juba II right
Inscription: REX IVBA
Translation: King Juba
Reverse: Six-pointed star within crescent
Inscription: BACIΛICCA KΛЄOΠATPA
Translation: Basilissa Kleopatra
Translation: Queen Cleopatra
Comment: Juba II (born c. 50 BC; died 23 AD) was King of Mauritania from 25 BC to 23 AD. Juba was born the son of King Juba I of Numidia. After his father's defeat at the Battle of Thapsus (46 BC) by Gaius Iulius Caesar and his suicide, he was carried along as a child in Caesar's triumph. He grew up in Rome in the care of Octavia, the sister of the Roman Emperor Augustus and widow of Marcus Antonius, and received an excellent education. The household included Alexander Polyhistor and Athenodorus of Tarsus. In 25 BC, after being granted Roman citizenship, Juba was installed by Augustus as king of Mauritania. He was dependent on Rome as a client-king, Pliny therefore emphasises that he was more famous as an author than as a sovereign ruler. In Mauritania, Juba promoted Hellenistic culture by founding cities. His capital was Iulia Caesarea, which was laid out according to the Hellenistic pattern. Juba was married to Cleopatra Selene, daughter of the famous Cleopatra VII and of Marcus Antonius, who also grew up under Octavia's supervision from 30 BC. The exact date is unknown, but in 20 BC a denarius was minted celebrating this marriage. Their son was named Ptolemaeus, clearly indicating Cleopatra's Ptolemaic roots. After Cleopatra's death, Juba married the widow of the prince Alexander of Judea, executed by his father in 7 BC, the Cappadocian princess Glaphyra. However, Glaphyra soon left him to marry the ethnarch Herod Archelaos, a half-brother of her late husband. Jubas and Cleopatra Selene's mausoleum, a round columbarium, is located at Tipasa. Their son Ptolemy succeeded Juba on the throne.
Cleopatra Selene (also Cleopatra Selene II or Cleopatra VIII) (born 40 BC; died 1st century BC or 1st century) was a Ptolemaic princess, the only daughter of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII and the Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius, and the twin sister of Alexander Helios. After the double suicide of her parents in 30 BC because of their defeat by Octavian (later Emperor Augustus), Cleopatra Selene was brought up by Octavian's sister Octavia and married by Augustus to Juba II around 20 BC. At his side she ruled as queen over Mauritania.