I must say that this is a quite extraordinary way to present the bust of Perseus. Iconion, Lycaonia Bronze AE (1st Century B.C.) Obverse: Bust of Perseus right, wearing winged and griffin-crested helmet, harpa and head of Medusa over left shoulder. Reverse: Zeus seated left, nude to the waist, himation around hips and legs, thunderbolt in extended right hand, long scepter vertical in left hand, ЄIKONIЄΩN downward on right. Reference: vA Lykaoniens 195, SNG BnF 2270 corr. (same rev. die), SNG Tüb 4512, SNG Cop 2 var. (magistrate), SNGvA 5384 var. (same). It is actually a quite rare coin, and I must say, the region of Lycaonia was not really a region that was thriving with it's coinage. The people who lived there were quite unique, and isolated from the Hellenic world. For anyone who does not know where the region Lycaonia and the city Iconion lies, it is here: Lycaonia was a large region in the interior of Anatolia, north of Mount Taurus, bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, and on the south by Cilicia and in the Byzantine period Isauria, but its boundaries varied greatly at different times. The Lycaonians appear to have been in early times to a great extent independent of the Persian empire, and were like their neighbors the Isaurians a wild and lawless race of freebooters; but their country was traversed by one of the great natural lines of high road through Asia Minor, from Sardes and Ephesos to the Cilician gates, and a few considerable towns grew up along or near this line. After the defeat of Antiochus the Great, Lycaonia was given by the Romans to King Eumenes II of Pergamon. About 160 BC, part of Lycaonia was added to Galatia; and in 129 BC the eastern half was given to Cappadocia. Its administration and grouping changed often under the Romans. In Acts 14:6 Paul, after leaving Iconion, crossed the frontier and came to Lystra in Lycaonia. The mention of the Lycaonian language in the Acts of the Apostles (14:11) shows that the native language was spoken by the common people at Lystra even in 50 A.D.; and probably it was only later and under Christian influence that Greek took its place. However, some researchers believe that Lycaonian language was actually a Greek dialect, the remnant of which can still be found in the Cappadocian Greek language which is classified as a distinct Greek dialect. In 371, Lycaonia was first formed into a separate Roman province. The ancient coinage of Lycaonia is quite limited. Judging from the number of types and known issues, coins appear to have been struck sporadically and perhaps mostly for prestige or important occasions. But why is the bust of Perseus on the coin? Perseus is a local hero at Iconion. Here, Perseus showed the image (icon) of the Gorgon head, after which icon the city was named. On Iconian coins the representations of Perseus are taken evidently from a statue in the city (which Furtwängler considers to be a copy of the Perseus statue made by the famous sculptor Myron). Show your coins from the region of Lycaonia!
Another beauty right there Pavlos! And a write up that shines light on an obscure place in the Hellenistic world. At the risk of posting a coin that's barely hit the post, here is a wonderful rare Macedonian shield coin of Perseus issued under Philip IV that I found (listed as Gorgoneion boss, but I knew better) with a bit of a resemblance, though not nearly as beautiful, to your coin: Philip V. 221-179 BC. Æ (15.5mm, 2.80 g, 7h). Pella or Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 211-201 BC. Macedonian shield, boss decorated with head of the hero Perseus right, wearing Phyrgian cap / Macedonian helmet facing. Mamroth, Bronzemünzen 9; Touratsoglou, Macedonia 7; HGC 3, 1087. VF, dark green patina, some roughness
Great coin! I've been attracted to a few Iconion bronzes in the past, but have never seen one with an obverse like this before. Congrats on the score.
@Pavlos your example is very nice! I don't think I have seen a better preserved example. The "over-the-shoulder" pose of Perseus was also used on a later Provincial coin: Iconium (as Claudiconium), Titus, 79-81 AD, AE19 6.23g Obv: AYTOK[RATWR TITOS KAISER] Titus bust Rev: KLAYD EI[KONIEWN] Head of Perseus von Aulock Lykonians 286-8 Sir William Mitchell Ramsay wrote in The Cities of St. Paul (1908) that coins of Iconium featuring Perseus probably depict a Hellenistic statue modeled after the famous 500-400 BC figure of Perseus by Myron. Ramsey’s claim seems dubious. The coins show Perseus in a variety of poses. Which depicts the hypothetical statue, if any? The over-the-shoulder artistic convention at Iconium must have been inspired by some statue, painting, or artistic convention. Here is later coin with the same style, but this time it is not Perseus over-the-shoulder. Iconium (as Claudiconium). Hadrian (117-138 AD). AE. Weight: 2.36 g. Diameter: 17 mm. Obv: ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС ΚΑΙСΑΡ. Bare head left. Rev: ΚΛΑΥΔЄΙΚΟΝΙЄωΝ. Perseus standing facing, head right, holding harpa and severed head of Medusa. Ref: RPC III 2825 ex-Numismatik Naumann, Auction 45, July 3rd 2016, lot 536 The heroic from-the-back bust of Hadrian is surprising. Note that two earlier coins of Iconium feature a bust of Perseus depicted from the back. Hadrian has been rendered in the same pose as the city founder. Supposedly Iconium is named for an "Icon" of Medusa that Perseus himself brought to Iconium. The 12th century medieval writer Eustathius of Thessalonica records that Dionysius Periegetes claimed Perseus brought the image of Medusa to Iconium. Dionysius Periegetes probably wrote during the time of Hadrian. Here is a coin that may depict that image on the reverse: Lycaonia, Iconium, 100 BC - 54 AD, AE16, 3.90g. O: Beardless head of Dionysos right, crowned with ivy, thyrsos behind shoulder, within beaded border. R: Winged icon of the gorgon, facing, two snakes above, snake ties below chin, ЄΙΚΟΝΙЄΩΝ around, within beaded border. Ref: Lindgren & Kovacs A1376A, von Aulock Lycaonians 200 The pairing of Dionysos with a gorgon is surprising. Perseus battled Dionysos in mythology but the story is not well known. Dinarchus of Delos, writing in the 4th century BC, claimed that Perseus killed Dionysos and buried him in a tomb at Delphi. In the third century Euphorion, a poet, wrote that Dionysos destroyed Perseus’ city. Pausanias claimed Dionysos fought Perseus but later made peace. Pausanias actually saw the tomb of one of Dionysos’s intoxicated female soldiers. This coin, and another with Dionysos depicting Perseus on the reverse, may relate to that mythological story.
Interesting that the local language is controversial. The reverse inscription on your coin is clearly Greek. So where does this fit into the argument?
Thanks Pavlos for an excellent writeup that makes me curious to learn more about the region and coins, and a very nice looking coin with an unusual bust of Perseus.
Thank you @Bing Awesome @Ryro your shield collection keeps increasing with interesting and nice speciments. Thank you @Ed Snible and a very interesting write up of your Iconion coins. It is nice to know that it is unlikely that the Perseus was inspired by a copy of the statue by Myron, I was quite doubtful about that as well. Yes I totally agree with you. I think it is controversial because of the text about it in the bible, talking about the "speech of Lycaonia". I highly doubt this is a separate language. As you indicated, the inscription is Greek, and the people were also very aware of Greek mythology and religion. The "speech of Lycaonia" is probably just a Greek dialect spoken in that region, like many other Greek dialects around the Hellenic world. Thank you @Sulla80, it indeed is an interesting and quite obscure region.
