Ituraean Coinage in Context

The Ituraeans first came to the notice of the Classical writers as highland bandits who disrupted Alexander the Great's siege of Tyre. Throughout the later Hellenistic and early Roman periods, they are referred to only in their capacity as rapacious brigands and this negative bias is perpetuated by most modern publications in which they are discussed. The outward expression of the Ituraeans, as displayed through their coinage (produced between 73/2 and 20 BC) presents a picture which contrasts with the written history: Hellenisation rather than barbarian recalcitrance and legitimacy in the face of external imperialism rather than insurrection. This paper examines the imagery employed on Ituraean coinage in its political and cultural context and discusses the significance of the exploitation of different dating conventions. It demonstrates that the Ituraean tetrarchs prized their political autonomy above all else and perceived themselves to be the legitimate successors of the Seleukid state.