Gold at Christies - The Ten Thousand

Prices for two plaques exploded past estimates. An Achaemenid gold appliqué of a winged bull, reign of Artaxerxes II, 404-359 BC. was estimatd £100k-150k. It made £1.4m. A lamassu was estimated the same and made £1.6m. HERE. Spectacular objects were reputedly discovered during an excavation at the city of Hamadan, in northwest Iran, in 1920. Among the trove of 23 gold items were two plaques, coming to auction at Christies.

Artaxerxes II was a powerful leader who defended the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen — stretching from Greece to India — against his brother, Cyrus the Younger, and his army of Greek mercenaries known as ‘The Ten Thousand’. Between 401 and 399 BC, the Ten Thousand marched across Anatolia, fought the Battle of Cunaxa, and then marched back to Greece. Artaxerxes II also waged successful campaigns against the Spartans, Athenians and Egyptians.

Achaemenid gold applique of a winged bull. Iran, reign of Artaxerxes II, 404-359 B.C.

The Gate of All Nations (Gate of Xerxes), in the ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis, Iran, is flanked by a pair of lamassus.