Editing Atargatis (section)

=== Numismatics ===
[[File:Derketo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|The reverse of a coin of [[Demetrius III Eucaerus|Demetrius III]], depicts fish-bodied Atargatis,<ref name="wright" /> veiled, holding the egg (cf. birth of Syrian Venus from egg, [[#Mythology|§Mythology]] ) flanked by [[Barley#History|barley stalks]].]]
[[File:Atargatis & lion.JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.8|The reverse of a coin from [[Cyrrhestica]] depicts Atargatis riding a [[Asiatic Lion|lion]], wearing a [[mural crown]], and holding a [[sceptre]].]]

The [[tetradrachm]] issued under [[Demetrius III Eucaerus]] (96–87 BCE, coin image above) shows a fish-bodied figure on the reverse side, which scholarship identifies as Stargateis.<ref name="wright" />{{efn|The inscription " BAΣIΛEΩS / DHMHTPIOY / ΘEOY - ΦIΛOΠATOPOΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ" refers to the monarch, but does not label the goddess as such.}} The cult statues of Stargateis and her consort Hadad were commonly employed on as the motif on the reverse of tetradrachm coinage by this monarch and by [[Antiochus XII Dionysus]] (87– 84 BCE) who succeeded him.{{sfnp|Wright|2009|p=199}}

Hieropolis Bambyce was one of the cities which minted its own coins.{{sfnp|Wright|2009|p=196}} And some of the Hieropolitan coinage portray "Atargatis as indeed seated between lions and holds a scepter in her right hand and probably a spindle in her left", just as Lucian had described.{{sfnp|Downey|1977|p=175}}<ref>{{harvp|Wright|2009|p=196}} only writes that Hieropolitan coins typically depicted "Zeus", but the lion was also added as a sub-type, and "the lion was known as the companion and avatar of Atargatis".</ref> [[Palmyra]] coinage also depicts a [[Tyche]] on the obverse and strolling lion on the reverse; one coin also depicts a goddess mounted on a lion, and the lion symbolism suggest that Atargatis is being represented.

Coinage of Palmyra, some of which were found in the Palmyrene colony at [[Dura-Europos]], may depict the goddess. The coin with Tyche on the obverse and a strolling lion on the reverse, and one with a goddess riding a lion points to Atargatis, based on the lion motif.{{sfnp|Drijvers|2015|pp=106–107}}{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|A crescent moon may be depicted on the coin, together with the goddess.{{sfnp|Oden|1977|p=145}} A crescent surmounted on a lead standard [[El Ain, Beqaa, Lebanon|ʾAin Djudj]] has been commented on as possibly symbolizing Stargateis in the guise of moon goddess [[Selene]], one of the many mentioned by Lucian as her analog.<ref>{{harvp|Rostovtzeff|Bellinger|1929|p=}}, ''The Excavations at Dura-Europos, 1st season'', pp. 119–120</ref>}} There has also been found one Palmyrene [[tessera (commerce)|tessera]] (token) inscribed with Atargatis's name (Aramaic: {{transliteration|arc|ʿtrʿth}}).{{sfnp|Drijvers|2015|p=106}}