An interesting depiction of Apollo

The Roman Provincial section of any auction has become the first place I browse when a new auction is posted. This coin stopped me in my tracks. Glorious Apollo, holding his kithara, posing like a... well... posing like a Greek god atop a mythical beast .


TROAS, Alexandria. Trebonianus Gallus
CE 251-253
AE 21 mm, 4.76 gm
Obv: IMP VIB TREB GALVS AV; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: COL AV / TROA; Apollo, head right and holding kithara, seated facing on griffin springing right, head left
Ref: RPC IX 407; Bellinger A403
Only three others found in ACsearch. Sure, T-Bone's portrait is messed up but who cares when glorious Apollo is riding on a griffin?

Apollo...god of music, song and poetry, archery, healing, prophecy and oracles, plague and disease, and the protection of the young. He appears on countless ancient Greek and Roman coins, testament to his importance in those societies. I had trouble recognizing him at first, frequently mistaking his portrait for a goddess. He's always depicted as a beardless youth, usually with curled hair, often twisted around a taenia at the front, with long curlicues hanging on the sides. Very feminine. Even though it's small, you can see that hairstyle on this coin's Apollo.

What's with the position of his right arm? Is it just a pose? His arm wouldn't be curved above his head after drawing his bow or throwing a dart. It looks more like ballet position #4

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Googling for similar depictions, I thought there might be some statues with him holding his arm arched above his head but the closest I found was a 16th century marble by Pietro Francovilla, "Apollo Victorious over the Python".

a.k.a. "Subway Apollo" (she is not impressed)​

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Silliness aside, is this arm-over-head pose a "thing" in Greek and Roman art? It looks so familiar yet I'm not finding abundant examples in ancient art.

As for griffins, I didn't realize Apollo had any association with them nor do I see a logical link but there are other depictions of him on a griffin, such as on this kylix:

Apollo riding Griffin, Athenian red-figure kylix C4th B.C., Kunsthistorisches Museum
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I'm too tired for a big "book report" project although this coin does generate many interesting questions and areas for research and learning.

For now, please trot out your Apollos. Let's see just how pretty he can be

 

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Makes one believe all the things they say about Greeks, eh?

How about the arm position on this Sep Sev provincial?

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
AE27
OBVERSE: AV K L CEPTI CEVHROC P, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: U FL OULPIANOU MARKIANOPOLITWN, Apollo standing facing, head right, bow in left hand, right hand over head, serpent-entwined tree before, altar or statue to left
Struck at Markianopolis, Moesia, 145-211 AD
12.5g, 27mm
Varbanov 824

 

Thanks, Bing! Maybe coins are the primary place I've seen him in this pose. Some of the Apollo Sauroktonos coins show him with arm raised high and ballet-like. Mine doesn't, though:


MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum. Caracalla
Ovinius Tertullus, legatus consularis.
AE 28, 13.05 gm
Obv: AV K M AVP ANTΩNINOC; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: VΠA OOVI TEPTOVΛΛOV ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC Ι; Apollo Sauroktonos standing right, holding laurel branch and leaning hand upon a tree stump with a lizard climbing up it.
Ref: H&J 8.18.7.1; Varbanov -.

 

Another fantastic coin TIF

 

That's a spectacular reverse! Wherever do you find these coins?

Maybe he's just plucked the kithara, and his arm has flung itself into that position?

 

Sorry @TIF, I also believe that coin is marvelous. Great reverse.


PHOKIS, FEDERAL COINAGE
AR Triobol
OBVERSE: Bull’s head facing
REVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo right, Φ-Ω before, lyre behind
Struck at Phokis 357-346 BC
2.50g, 14mm
SNG Cop 121

IONIA, MILETOS
AE17
OBVERSE: Head of Apollo right
REVERSE: Lion right, head reverted, star above
Struck at Miletos 350-300 BC
4.69g, 17mm
Lindgren 513

AEOLIS, AIGAI
AE 10
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo right
REVERSE: Head and neck of a goat, AIΓAE behind
Struck at Aigai, 300-200BC
.9g, 10mm
SNG von Aulock 1593; SNG Copenhagen 1
Ex JAZ Numismatics

THESSALIAN LEAGUE
AR Drachm
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right, ΓAYANA (magistrate) behind
Rev: Athena Itonia standing right, with shield and about to hurl spear, ΘEΣΣA - ΛΩN to sides, bunch of grapes on vine right, Π-O / Λ-Y (magistrate) across lower fields
Struck at Thessaly 196-146 BC
4.0g, 16 mm
BMC 36

 

Well I don't have any Romans with Apollo but here are my Greeks:


Pontos, Amisos
AE20, 8.2g, 12h; 85-65 BC.
Obv.: Head of Dionysos with ivy wreath right.
Rev.: AMIΣOY; Cista mystica with panther skin and thyrsus; monogram in left field.


Thurium in Lucania.
Æ13. 2.65 g, 12h; 270-240 AD.
Obv.: Laureate head of Apollo left.
Rev.: ΘOYPIΩN, Winged thunderbolt, TH monogram below.


Thessalian League, 2nd-1st BC
AE, trichalkon, 20mm, 5.3g; 12h
Obv.: Laureate head of Apollo right
Rev.: ΘΕΣΣ / ΛΩΝ; Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm; ΘΡΑ in right field above, owl in left


Thasos, Thrace, BC 168-148
AR, tetradrachm, 16.12g, 31mm; 11h
Obv.: Portrait of Dionysos
Rev.: ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ to left, ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ to right, ΘΑΣΙΩΝ below; Hercules with lion pelt in arm resting on club. M monogram left

 

Gorgeous coin and interesting write-up!

 

The OP coin is really remarkable TIF, even to my very jaded eyes. Congrats! Since this thread seems to have drifted to more mundane Apollos, here's my favorite. An exquisite depiction; surely the best die out of hundreds of the type:

 

That's a really cool coin @TIF !

 

I'm having a lot of luck with provincials in European auctions, but don't tell anyone

I think that's the most likely scenario. He plucked the last notes with a great flourish.

The pose is also similar to some modern bodybuilder poses. Maybe bodybuilder poses were influenced by Greek and Roman statues and coins?

Maybe the question I should ask is "On ancient Greek and Roman coins, are any gods other than Apollo shown in this pose?"

Nice ones, Bing! All have that unmistakable Apollo hairstyle.

More Apollos:

Slender as a pre-teen girl; roll & locks hairstyle; examining his bow:

KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos III Doson
struck 227-225 BCE, Amphipolis mint?
AR tetradrachm, 32 mm, 17.1 gm
Obv: wreathed head of Poseidon right
Rev: Apollo seated left on prow left, holding bow; monogram below.
Ref: Panagopoulou 50–3 var. (unlisted dies); EHC 436; Touratsoglou 52–3; SNG Saroglos 933; SNG Alpha Bank 1046; SNG Ashmolean 3266

Looking wilder than usual:

PHOKIS, Federal Coinage
c. 357-354 BCE, under strategos Philomelos
AR triobol, 15 mm, 2.76 gm, 12 h
Obv: facing head of bull
Rev: laureate head of Apollo right; branch to left; φ below, Ω right
Ref: Williams – (O–/R193 [unlisted obv. die]); BCD Lokris 463.2 (this coin); HGC 4, 1046
From the estate of Thomas Bentley Cederlind, ex BCD Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 55, 8 October 2010), lot 463.2

Facing portrait but you can still see the trademark hairstyle:

AEOLIS, Grynion (alt. spellings: Gryneion, Gyrnion, Grynium, others)
4th century BC
Æ 17 mm, 3.7 gm
Obi: laureate head of Apollo facing slightly left
Rev: ΓΥΡΝΗΙΩΝ; mussel shell
Ref: SNG Ashmolean 1445-6; SNG Copenhagen 202-4

A generic depiction from the Neronian "ramen noodle" era of Alexandrian style:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Nero
year 13, CE 66/7
tetradrachm
Obv: NEPΩKΛAYKAIΣΣEBΓEP; radiate head right
Rev: Laureate bust of Apollo right; AYTOKPA; LIΓ
Ref: Emmett 110.13, R1, Milne 248

 

The OP coin is absolutely stunning. The reverse is incredible.

 

That reverse really is something. Certainly one of the most artistic depictions of Apollo I've seen. The denarii of Mn Fonteius are said to depict Apollo by some authors, Vejovis by others, but based on how the obverse looks quite similar to the Apollo of the slightly earlier issues of L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi on some dies of this issue I call it Apollo:



Another very different apollo from a quinarius of C. Egnatuleius

 

Let's see if I can find some Apollos in my collection.


Augustus 27 BC - AD 14
Roman AR Denarius
Lugdunum (Lyon) mint,15-13 BC.
3.42 gm; 17.8 mm
Obv: AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head right
Rev: IMP X, Apollo Citharoedus of Actium, wearing long drapery, standing facing, head left, holding plectrum in right hand and lyre in left.
Refs: RIC 171a; BMCRE 461; RCV 1611; Cohen 144


Gordian III, AD 238-244
Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241
20.01 gm; 28.2 mm
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre.
Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; RCV --; Banti 72.


Cornelia Salonina, wife of Gallienus
AE decassarion
Pamphylia, Side AD 254-268
18.50 g; 29 mm
Obv: ΚΟΡΝΗΛΙΑ CΑΛΩΝΙΝΑ CΕΒΑ, diademed and draped bust, r., I (=10) before.
Rev: CΙΔΗΤΩΝ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ, Apollo standing, facing, head l., holding patera and resting on scepter surmounted by flower(?).
Refs: BMC 163, 123 var.; SGI 4647 var.; SNG von Aulock 4861.
Die match to lot #80, CNG electronic auction 137, 12/04/2006.

 

Super coin TIF! Your eye for coins is top shelf!

Apollo's femine traits seem to carry over to his breasts. Do you think this was intentionally done?

Here are some epithets of Apollo.

Phoebus

Thrace, Deultum. Gordian III. Phoebus Apollo
Thrace, Deultum. Gordian III. 20mm.
Obv: Gordian bust l., IMP GORDIANVS FEL AVG.
Rev: Phoebus Apollo stg. r., holding branch in l. arm, bow under r., serpent coiled round stump of tree to l., COL FLP A C DEVLTVM.
Varbanov (Eng.) 2617, R5.

Kitharoedes

Ionia, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Julia Mamaea AE26.
Obv: IOYLIA MAMAIA CEB. Bust of Julia Mamaea r.
Rev: MAGNHTWN E - PI GRA TYXIK, in l. and r. field O - Y. Apollo Kitharoedos standing r., clad in long chiton, holding lyre and plectrum.
Grammatikos TYXIKOC.

Smintheus

Troas, Alexandria. Caracalla AE23. Apollo Smintheus
ANTON[....]. Laureate head right / COL ALEXAN AVG. Statue of Apollo Smintheus right on small base, holding bow and patera over lighted altar.

Lairbenos / Kitharoedes

Phrygia, Hierapolis. Pseudo-autonomous AE26. Apollo Lairbenos/Apollo Kitharoedos
LAIRBHNO C; Bust of Apollo Lairbenos r., radiate, shoulders draped.
IERAPO LEITWN; Apollo Kitharoedos (Archegetes) in long chiton and mantle, standing r., holding in lowered r. plectrum, and carrying lyre with l.
26mm. 12.0 gm.
Time of Caracalla (?) and later.

 

Holy crow!! => that coin is fricken amazing (you really are the Coin-Princess, eh?)

Congrats on yet another solid Alexandrian TIF winner!! (chicken dinner)

 

Congrats TIF , great Apollo riding a griffin and playing the kithara coin

I think he's relaxing his arm and take the tension of his arm muscles after playing the kithara for hours on end

Apollo in the same position on this Nero as:

 

Oh, and here are a few Apollo offerings from my humble coin-camp ...




Here's lookin' at you, my sweet coin-friend!! (fantastic OP-coin)

 

Interesting coin, really outstanding reverse. Here is my Apollo coin


and his big head.

 

Turns out I was wrong, I have one from Caracalla! Also here are some others featuring Apollo.


Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE31, 16g, 12h; Serdica.
Obv.: AVT K M AVR SEVH ANTΩNEINOC Laureate head right.
Rev.: OVΛΠIAC CEPΔIKHC; Apollo standing facing, head left, holding patera in right hand and palm-branch in left.


Antiochos I Soter, Seleucid Kings of Syria; 281-261 BC
Æ, 16mm, 4.01 g; 3h; Antioch mint
Obv.: Diademed head right
Rev.: Apollo Delphios seated left; monograms to left and right


Alexander Balas, 150-146 BC
AE18, 5g, 12h; Antioch mint.
Obv.: Head of Alexander right, in lion skin headdress.
Rev.: BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔΡOY; Apollo standing left, holding bow and arrows, palm branch in left field, monogram below.