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Description
During the Hellenistic period, the tradition of Carian coinages with three-quarter facing heads dated back already at least a century, to the final years of the 5th century and the Rhodian three-quarter facing Helios coins. On the other hand, during the 4th century the Hecatomnids also issued coins with a three-quarter facing Apollo. Later still, in the 3rd century, a new wave of three-quarter facing heads, allegedly of Helios, sprung up in different mints across Caria. This phenomenon has been interpreted as a consequence of the growing Rhodian hegemony and its emission even as a sign of a submission of a polis to this regional power. But in this paper, we will address the possibility that this coinage was used by Carian poleis and communities not just as a sign of the Rhodian economic and political domination, but also as a strategy to face and negotiate with this power.
