★ The astronomer Aratos of Soloi ★

CILICIA. Pompeiopolis. Philip I, 244-249. Hexassarion (Bronze, 30 mm, 12.57 g, 7 h), CY 311 = 245/6. AYT K IOY ΠΙΛΙΠΠOY ЄY CЄB / Π - Π Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip I to right. Rev. ΠΟΜΠΗΙΟΠΟΛ ΙΑΤ ς Bare-headed and draped bust of the astronomer and poet Aratos to right. P. R. Franke: Chrysippos und Aratos aus Soloi, in: JNG 61 (2001), p. 4-5, no. 3 ( this coin ). SNG Levante -. SNG Paris -, cf. 1250 (CY 306). SNG von Aulock -. Extremely rare and of great interest. Very fine.

From the collections of Dr. P. Vogl and Prof. Dr. P. R. Franke, ex Grün 64, 20 November 2014, 2164 (with original ticket).

Aratos of Soloi (circa 310-245 BC) was an astronomer and didactic poet, whose major extant work is his poem Phainomena, which describes the starry heavens in 1154 hexameters.