[ancients] The Building of Carthage

What this coin lacks in quality it makes up for in history. Struck in Phoenicia under emperor Elagabalus, the reverse depicts Queen Dido overseeing the construction of Carthage. It’s a fascinating story of a legendary woman.

The abbreviated version:

Born to Tyrian King, the beautiful Dido (also known as Elissa) was to be co-heir with her younger brother Pygmalion. Upon the king’s death, however, Pygmalion was made sole ruler. Dido married her rich uncle Acerbas (also known as Sychaeus); Pygmalion murdered Acerbas in hopes of finding his reported hoard of buried treasure. Sensing trouble if she stayed, Dido devised a clever ruse to escape Tyre with the treasure.

She did escape, treasure in tow, and fled to coastal North Africa. There she persuaded King Iarbas to grant her some land. Her request was modest: only as much land as could be encompassed by an ox hide.

Dido cleverly cut the ox hide into fine strips and used that as a perimeter rope. It was long enough to surround and entire hill*. Local Berbers and nearby Phoenicians joined her. She enlisted their aid in construction; thus was born the magnificent and powerful city of Carthage.


J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851); Dido Building Carthage, 1815

This otherwise clever woman did something quite foolish at the end though. She killed herself in order to avoid marrying King Iarbas. History and legends say it was because she wanted to remain faithful to her first husband and because of this, she was deified and worshipped for honor her self-sacrifice.

A somewhat different and more poetic story of Queen Dido is told by Virgil in Aeneid. After his murder, Acerbas appeared to Dido in a dream and warned her to flee. He revealed where his gold was buried. Dido heeded the dream, took the treasure, and fled.

After establishing Carthage, notable visitors arrived… the last prince of Troy, Aeneas, along with various companions. The gods Juno and Venus conspired to make Dido and Aeneas fall in love.


Pierre-Narcisse Guérin (1774-1833, France); Aeneas Relating to Dido the Disasters of Troy, 1815.

King Iarbas wanted to marry Dido but she declined; she was in love with Aeneas. Angry that she preferred another, Iarbas banished Aeneas from the land.

Aeneas fled, leaving Dido heartbroken and scorned. Upon seeing his ship leaving she cursed him and promised endless hate between Carthage and Aeneas’s homeland, Troy. This legend lays the foundation for the impending Punic Wars.

As for this coin’s obverse— the very colorful emperor Elagabalus— I will save that story for the next coin, which I hope to post within the next few days.

*Commemorated in modern mathematics, “Dido’s Problem” deals with how to enclose the maximum area within a fixed boundary.

Elagabalus Æ29 of Tyre, Phoenicia. AD 218-222. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Dido building Carthage; she stands to front before the arched gate of the city, looking left, holding a rule and transverse sceptre; above the gate, a mason at work, [below, a man digging with pick]; murex shell in upper field, palm tree to right. Rouvier 2375; BMC 409; AUB 245; Price & Trell 748. 13.4g, 29mm, 6h. Very Fine. Rare.

Post your coins of Carthage, Tyre, Elagabalus, or whatever else you feel fits the thread

 

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Sweet pickup, I like it and the history.

We all know Elagabalus story. One of my favorite bad boys....or girls, depending on the stories you read, lol.

 

TIF, thanks for the wonderful tale(s) ... and I also liked the sweet old paintings (they added some extra-charm to your already charming new coin)

I've never seen that reverse (I'm assuming it is somewhat rare, or at least uncommon?) ... it is very cool

I'm already looking forward to seeing your next new addition (you rock)

... here is my donation to your "Building of Carthage" thread ...

Carthage AE20, Tanit & Horse-head
300-264 BC

 

I love a coin with a reverse that tells a story like this one. Fantastic write-up.

CARTHAGE/SICILY-PUNIC Æ15
OBVERSE: Head of Tanit left, wreathed with corn
REVERSE: Horse right, palm behind
Struck at Carthage, 3d-4th Century BC
2.2g, 15mm
Sear 6444; SNG Cop 109


JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right.
REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium
Carthage 47 to 46 BC
4.0g, 17mm
CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402


CONSTANTIUS I AE Follis
OBVERSE: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right (large head type)
REVERSE: SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthago standing facing, head left, in long robe, holding fruits in both hands. Mintmark Gamma
Struck at Carthage 298-299 AD
7.41g, 28mm
RIC VI 32a

 

Very cool Tif!

 

That coin is in superb condition for its type, actually. One of the best I've seen. Most any ancient coins of the Levant pique my interest, and this one definitely qualifies! I don't often feel envious about other members' acquisitions, not even AJ's, but this one's got me a bit green.

 

By way of contrast, here is Elagabalus with the dullest of reverses, typical of Antioch...

 

And a much earlier coin, a Ptolemaic bronze, club series of the Tyre mint...

 

Excellent character on that piece Tif, and nice write up!

 

Very cool!

 

Excellent coin! Of course it drove me to research a bit and discover that the type was continued for quite a while (through Gallienus?) and is even found for several women. Of these I found the Otacilia example sold last year most interesting. Roma estimated it at 200 GBP but it sold for 3200 GBP which takes us back to the old thread about unrealistic estimates and what happens when two bidders want a coin.
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1780778

The research also shows that Tyre had quite a few reverses of large bronzes of which most have better than average interest types and are found quite worn. If you like them big and flashy, Tyre is your town.

Should we note the legends are in Latin?

 

Hello Tif,

Thank you again for posting a very interesting writeup With dito coin, you make me look broader on collecting ancients..

 

I have only scratched the surface in terms of researching this coin. I do intend to track down the references and full legend.

You're correct in that there are several rulers who issued coins with this reverse. I have another one from a different ruler and will post it in a couple of weeks

Regarding the Otacilia Severa example cited above... wowza, that's quite a price tag. I do however believe that estimate was unrealistically low; the coin has much greater detail than any others I've seen.

 

Your coin was estimated 'unreasonably low'; the Otacilia was obscenely so. I can't say it should have been estimated at hat it realized but 1000 at least???

 

Love the coin and writeup! Eagerly looking forward to seeing that next one. And perhaps after that, you could stop buying them all up so I'll be able to pick up one of my own .

 

Ruh roh. Were you also bidding on that Valerian? I hate going up against friends.

I do really like the type and it would be fun to try for one from each issuing ruler...

 

Nah, I wasn't intending to bid but did keep an eye on the lot and noticed you defended it with a last minute bomb. I'll wait for the next Elagabalus or Valerian .

 

Fascinating write up and imagery. Thank you.

 

I usually don't pre-bid but I lifted my leg on this one as soon as the auction was published. That bid was tested but stood until the last few hours, necessitating a last-minute bid bomb.

 

fantastic color and what an awesome reverse, wasn't aware of it at all.

here are some coins from carthage given to me by a coin buddy....thanks coin buddy!