Persia, Achaemenid Empire. Sardes – Time of Artaxerxes II to Artaxerxes III (375-340 BC) – AR Siglos. Lydo-Milesian standard. Obv: Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding dagger in right hand, bow in left – 5 banker's punch. Rev: Incuse rectangular punch. Reference: Carradice Type IV, Group C (pl. XIV, 46); BMC Arabia pl. XXVII Weight: 5.23 g Diameter: 14.5 mm Metal: Silver Very Fine – 5 banker's punch. Siglos was the Greek transliteration of the Semitic denomination „shekel” which became a standard weight unit for silver in the Achaemenid Persian Empire after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C. Ironically, silver sigloi seem to have been struck primarily in the western part of the empire and the standard went on to influence several Greek civic and royal coinages in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Provenience: ex private collection. See the pictures for more details and correct impression