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Vasudeva I
INDIA, Kushan Empire.. Circa AD 192-225. Æ Tetradrachm (23mm, 8.93 g, 11h). Vasudeva standing facing, head left, flames on shoulder, sacrificing over altar and holding filleted trident; trident to left / Siva standing facing, holding diadem and raising left hand; behind, the bull Nandi standing left; tamgha to upper right. MK 1005. Good VF, brown patina. Ex: Timeline Auction

Next up: Trident on bronze

 

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Trident on AE

Hieron II


Sicily Syracuse Hieron II 275-215 BCE AE20 Poseidon Trident Dolphin

Next: Trident on AR

 

Here are two tridents on AR.

Himyarite Kingdom, Raidan, about AD 50-150.

Silver scyphate, struck under 'amdan Bayyin. AR 1.65g
Obv: Head right, in field left a monogram with trident
Rev: Small head right, in front, monogram; around, Sabaean inscription

Euboia, AR Tetrobol, Histiaia, 3rd-2nd century BC

Obv: Head of nymph right, with dotted necklace
Rev: IΣTI - AIEΩN, Nymph seated to right on the stern of a galley, holding a naval standard with her left hand, her right hand resting on the stern. She wears a sleeveless chiton, with a himation over her crossed legs, there is a wing on the prow; below a trident and monogram AΛ(?)
Size: 2.30g, 15mm

Next: more tridents (with or without Poseidon)

 

Moar trident....we want moar! Well, ask and you shall receive.



Up next: Roman boat on a coin.

 

Trident moar


Roman Republic
AR Denarius 76 BCE
Moneyer: L Lucretius Trio
18.3mm, 3.6g
Obv: Laurel Head of Neptune r, Trident over Shoulder, control-numeral behind (V as 5... no, not a Quinarius!)
Rev: Winged Boy (deified Palaemon?) riding on back of Dolphin r, L LVCRETI / TRIO below.
Sear 322, Crawford 390/2

Next up: Tetras

 

Uhm, my coin was first and it's got a trident. Nice coin though. Definitely one of the coolest RR reverses in my opinion.

 

Roman Republic
C. Fonteius AR Denarius, Rome, 114-113 BC
Obv: Laureate, janiform heads of the Dioscuri, E to left and mark of value to right
Rev: Galley left with three rowers, gubernator at stern; C•FONT above, [ROMA] below
Ref: Crawford 290/1; RSC Fonteia 1

Cicero mentions that the Fonteii originated from Tusculum, where they were recognized as one of the most distinguished families. The Fonteii also claimed descent from Fontus, the son of Janus. Eckhel & Crawford see Janus as a depiction of the Dioscuri referencing Tusculum as the chief cult-center of the Dioscuri in Latium. The galley is a reference to Telegonus, son of Circe and Ulysses, according to tradition he is the founder of Tusculum, as referenced in this passage from Propertius:

He who sees you sins: so he who can’t see you can’t desire you: the eyes commit the crime. O Cynthia, why else do you search out dubious oracles at Paeneste, or the walls of Aegean Telegonus?

Next: another Odysseus or Ulysses connected coin

 

C. Mamilius Limetanus
82 BC.
Silver Serrate Denarius, 4.06 g., 19 mm.
Obv. Bust of Mercury right, wearing petasus and holding caduceus.
Rev. Ulysses (Odysseus) greeting his dog Argos who wags his tail in recognition, the scene recounted in Odyssey 17.290 ff.
Crawford 362/1; Sydenham 741.

As they were speaking, a dog that had been lying asleep raised his head and pricked up his ears. This was Argos, whom Odysseus had bred before setting out for Troy, but he had never had any enjoyment from him. In the old days he used to be taken out by the young men when they went hunting wild goats, or deer, or hares, but now that his master was gone he was lying neglected on the heaps of mule and cow dung that lay in front of the stable doors till the men should come and draw it away to manure the great close; and he was full of fleas. As soon as he saw Odysseus standing there, he dropped his ears and wagged his tail, but he could not get close up to his master. When Odysseus saw the dog on the other side of the yard, dashed a tear from his eyes without Eumaios seeing it, and said:
'Eumaios, what a noble hound is that is over yonder on the manure heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as he looks, or is he only one of those dogs that come begging about a table, and are kept merely for show?'
'This dog,' answered Eumaios, 'belonged to him who has died in a far country. If he were what he was when Odysseus left for Troy, he would soon show you what he could do. There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their work when their master's hand is no longer over them, for Zeus takes half the goodness out of a man when he makes a slave of him.'
So saying he entered the well-built mansion and made straight for the riotous pretenders in the hall. But Argos passed into the darkness of death, now that he had fulfilled his destiny of faith and seen his master once more after twenty years.
—Homer, Odyssey, Book 17, lines 290-327

Next up: another coin themed from the stories of Homer

 

Lokri Opuntii Ar Stater Obv Head of Demeter left Rv Ajax the Lesser Adv right with sword and shield. He was at the siege of Troy and was involved in one of the atrocities after the fall. Humphry Group 2 9a (this coin illustrated) 12.26 grms 23 mm Next coin One from Greece city that participated in Trojan War

 

too late

 

Great coin, I've seen a coin like this recently, I just can't remember where...

No change in the follow-the-leader game - just unnecessary commentary, a photo of some "museum quality" coins and Hercules on Grecian pottery.

 

The Argives=Argos, were certainly on the scene and mentioned numerous times throughout:


Argolis, Argos
Æ Dichalkon. Circa 280 270/60
BCE Head of Hera
right, wearing stephane inscribed
APΓE/Athena
Promachos left. BCD
Peloponnesos1100-4;
3.90g, 18mm 6h.
Very Fine

Next up: another portrait of Hera

 

Kroton Ar Stater400-375 B.C. Obv Head of Here 3/4 facing right. Rv. Hererkles recling left HN 2167 7.71 grms 23mm Next coin another from Kroton

 

Love that Kroton stater, @Terence Cheesman!

BRUTTIUM, Kroton
AR Triobol. 1.21g, 11.4mm. BRUTTIUM, Kroton, circa 525-425 BC. SNG ANS 327; HN Italy 2127. O: KPO (retrograde), tripod terminating in lion's feet. R: Pegasos flying left; qoppa below.

Next: Pegasos with curled wings

 

Corinth AR drachm with Aphrodite c.450BC ex Frank Robinson 1988


Next: an Archaic Greek drachm of a type more often seen in the larger size stater or tetradrachm

 

Wish I had a different type, but the (coin) show must go on!


CORINTHIA, Corinth
AR Drachm. 2.65g, 15.3mm. CORINTHIA, Corinth, circa 500-450 BC. BCD Corinth 30; SNG Copenhagen 16. O: Pegasos flying right. R: Head of Aphrodite right, in incuse square.

Next: Roman coin from the year consul Lucius Mummius's army destroyed Corinth, massacred its citizens, and plundered its treasures (146 BC).

 

Roman Republican
C. Antestius, AR Denarius, 146 BC
Obv: Head of Roma right, C ANTESTI behind, X below chin
Rev: Dioscuri right, dog running right below, ROMA in exergue
Ref: RSC Antestia 1

Next: dioscuri

 

Dioscuri



Roman Republic
Anonymous.
Circa 270 BC.
Æ Aes Grave Sextans
(37mm, 55.28 g, 12h). Libral standard.
Uncertain mint.
OBV: Head of Dioscurus right; two pellets (mark of value) behind
REV: Head of Dioscurus left; two pellets (mark of value) behind.
Crawford 18/5; ICC 37; HN Italy 283.
Fine, attractive dark green patina.
Ex Auktionshaus Meister & Sonntag 2 (20 September 2004)

Next: non-Roman Dioskuri

 

next Roman dioscuri denarius marked XVI (16 asses)

 

TRANSITION to XVI or 16 Asses

RR L Julius 141 BCE AR Den Roma Dioscuri XVI

Next up: Bar-X Denarius *