Kyrene, Cyrenaica (Magas in Revolt; 282-261 BC.)

Kyrene, Cyrenaica (Magas in Revolt; 282-261 BC.) AE 16 Obv: Laureate head of Apollo; facing right. Rev: K-Y-P-A legend surrounding four-stringed lyre; eight-pointed radiant star above. Attribution: BMC Cyrenaica Pl.XXVII,4; SNG Cop. 1266 Provenance: ex. Ancient Imports, Inc. (#15235), 12.20.06 Weight: 3.4 gm. Maximal Diameter: 16.58 mm. Axis: 12 Note: In 303-2 BC., Ptolemy's half-brother Magas (son of Berenice) captured Kyrene and established himself as governor. After a time, Magas fashioned himself as king of Kyrene (283/277 BC) and planned an invasion of Egypt. Ptolemy hired mercenaries and garrisoned the frontier in anticipation of their advance, but the Kyrene army was forced to turn back to deal with the revolt of the Marmaridae, a tribe of Libyan nomads. His military plans thwarted, Magas turned to political intrique. Using his marriage ties to Apame, daughter of Antiochus, Magas persuaded Antiochus to break the treaty which his father Seleucus had made with Ptolemy and to attack Egypt. Although Antiochus' plans failed to come to fruition, the threat distracted Ptolemy's attention from Kyrene. Magas ruled until his death in 250 BC, whereupon Cyrenaica formed a loose federal government aided by Demophanes and Ekdemus of Arcada (i.e., KOINON). GK248