Sounds like a silly made up Holiday? Well, it it isn't. And if you look at the importance these big eared, long tailed Brainiacs have had on history and how they've been decisive to victory for countless ancient battles you to will agree, elephants are AWESOME! Cut to: you're out on a long stretch of land with some thousands of your countrymen/mercenaries/fellow soldiers that your Commander/King/Ruler has deemed fitting for a fight. You've got your best wicker/wooden/metal shield and another weapon or 2 at your side. The big dog says it's time to get in battles formation as the enemy is getting into theirs. But as you do, the Earth below you trembles. You hear your fellow comrades in arms begin to shout in fear. The guy next to you points and screams out in a language all to foreign to you, "For the love of the gods, LOOK OUT!!!" And coming straight for you is... It's no wonder that the second most complained about smell of the battlefield is the gore. I don't need to tell you what the first is. These poor massive beasts of burden were featured in so many battles, I cheated and found a quick wiki link (not that kind) Some notable battles involving war elephantsinclude: 331 BC, Battle of Gaugamela 326 BC, Battle of the Hydaspes River 317 BC, Battle of Paraitacene 316 BC, Battle of Gabiene 312 BC, Battle of Gaza 305-303 BC, Mauryan-Selecuid War 301 BC, Battle of Ipsus 280 BC, Battle of Heraclea 279 BC, Battle of Asculum 275 BC, Battle of Beneventum 272 BC, Siege of Sparta 265-264 BC, Kalinga War 262 BC, Siege of Agrigentum 255 BC, Battle of Tunis 251 BC, Battle of Panormus 238 BC, Battle of Utica 238 BC, Battle of "The Saw" 239 BC, Battle of the Bagradas River 219-218 BC, Siege of Saguntum 218 BC, Crossing of the Alps and the Battle of Trebia 217 BC, Battle of Raphia 207 BC, Battle of the Metaurus 202 BC, Battle of Zama 197 BC, Battle of Cynoscephalae 190 BC, Battle of Magnesia 167-160 BC, Revolt of the Maccabees 164 BC, Battle of Beth-zur 153 BC, Roman siege of Numantia (Spain) 149-146 BC, Siege of Carthage 108 BC, Battle of the Muthul 46 BC, Battle of Thapsus And as artists love to point out, art imitates life: So I thought it a must to stamped out some of my favorite Olys: Antiochos III Megas Seleukid Kingdom. Uncertain (military) mint 60. 223-187 BC. Struck 202-187 BC Bronze Æ 17mm., 4,60g. Macedonian shield with gorgoneion in central boss / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑNΤΙΟΧΟΥ, elephant walking right, anchor above, monogram of ΠΑ below. very fine SC 1089.3a; HGC 9, 490 Former: Savoca Antiochos IV Epiphanes 175-164 B.C. AE 13 (12.7 mm, 2.50 g, 11 h). Ake-Ptolemaïs mint, Struck 175-ca.173/2 B.C. Diademed, veiled and draped bust of Laodike IV right; monogram behind / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, head of elephant left; prow to lower right; monogram above elephant's trunk . SC 1477.2; Kadman 19; SNG Spaer 1102. VF Lysias BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Circa 130-125 BC. Æ (20x20mm, 8.82 g, 12h). Indian standard. Head of Herakles right, lion’s skin tied around neck, club over shoulder / Elephant advancing right; monograms in exergue. Bopearachchi 8A; SNG ANS 1040-7. VF, dark green patina.Ex: Timeline Auction Taxilla, post mauryan era, A lion with swastika and elephant. 1 1/2 karashpana. Caecilia Denarius. AR. Rome. (125 BCE). A / Head of Rome to the right, behind ROMA and in front X. R / Macedonian shield, around M. METELLVS Q. F., all within a laurel wreath. 3.70g. FFC.204. Banker's punch. Limited. BC / BC +. Ex Pliego Julius Caesar 49-48 BCE AR denarius (18 mm, 3.43 g, 2 h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. CAESAR in exergue, elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Simpulum, sprinkler, axe (surmounted by a dog's head), and priest's hat. Crawford 443/1; HCRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49. Banker's mark on obverse, porous. Near fine. From the Expatriate Collection Now how about you show off your massive monsters on ancient Coinage!
..i would, but its illegal(well, cheatin' anyway) if you don't have any..on the list and kool coins tho..'To the majestic Elephant", none the less!
Related to Ipsus Seleucus I Apamea on the Axios 300 to 281 BC Obvs: Elephant right, dotted border. Revs: BAΣIΛIEΩΣ ΣEΛEYKOY, bridled & horned horse head left. Horizontal anchor below. AE 19x20mm, 8.57g SC 35; HGC 10, 79(R1)
Q. CAECILIUS METELLUS PIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CAECILIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: Diademed head of Pietas right; stork standing right before REVERSE: Q C M P I beneath elephant walking left w/bell hanging from neck Northern Italy, 79 BC-77 BC 3.75g; 18mm Caecilia 43; Crawford 374/1; Syd 750; Sear 301 TITUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right REVERSE: TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, elephant walking left Struck at Rome, 80 AD 2.5g, 17mm RIC 115 PHILIP I AE Sestertius OBVERSE: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right REVERSE: AETERNITAS AVGG, elephant and driver walking left, SC in ex. Struck at Rome, 247-8 AD 20.6g, 28mm RIC 161a
Super write up and coins, @Ryro ! Love the Battles listing... cool. I see the Carthage - Mercenary/Libyan War got 3 places! Here is one of my Elephants... Etruria 3rd C BCE AE Quartuncia 18mm 4.76g Head of African r Elephant r letter below SNG COP 48 HNI 69 SNG Paris 138-140 SNG Morcom 44 RARE CNG Write-up for a very similar coin (I purchased from another source): "ETRURIA, Arretium (?). The Chiana Valley. Circa 208-207 BC. Æ Quartunica. Head of African right; monogram to left / Indian elephant standing right, bell around neck; monogram below. HN Italy 69; SNG ANS 41 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen 48. rare. This enigmatic issue has been much discussed. It was Sestini in 1816 who first indicated their area of circulation in and around the Chiana (Clanis) valley and lake Trasimeno, dominated by the cities of Arezzo, Chiusi and Cortona. The traditional attribution of the issue to 217 BC, as representing the propaganda of Hannibal’s approach to Etruria, was modified by Robinson (op. cit.), who saw it as a provocative seditious type of Arretium, which was in a state of high tension with Rome in 209/8, in the hoped for arrival of Hasdrubal from Spain with reinforcements. However, the reverse depicts an Indian rather than African elephant with a bell around its neck reminiscent of the elephant/saw aes signatum issue (Crawford 9/1) of about 250-240 BC and associated with the battle of Maleventum (soon to be called Beneventum) in 275 BC when the captured elephants of Pyrrhus were brought to Rome in triumph. A similar Indian elephant is also depicted as a symbol on the Tarantine nomos issue (Vlasto 710-712), indicating the presence of Pyrrhus in the city in 282-276. The Barcid coinage of New Carthage (Villaronga CNH, pg. 65, 12-15) and that of Hannibal in Sicily (SNG Cop. 382) clearly depict African elephants belonging to the elephant corps from about 220 BC. As Maria Baglione points out in "Su alcune parallele di bronzo coniato," Atti Napoli 1975, pg.153-180, the African/elephant issue shares control marks with other cast and struck Etruscan coins of the region, she quotes Panvini Rosati in ‘ Annuario dell’accademia Etrusca di Cortona XII’, 1964, pg. 167ff., who suggests the type is to be seen as a moneyer’s badge or commemorative issue in the style of Caesar’s elephant/sacrificial implements issue of 49/48 BC (Crawford 443/1). The elephant, an attribute of Mercury/Turms, is an emblem of wisdom and is also a symbol of strength and of the overcoming of evil.”
I've got an elephant on this serrate AE of Antiochus VI: And on this Indian bronze of the Satavahanas: But I think I prefer the real, live animals, like this mother and child I photographed in Tanzania in 2015:
AUGUSTUS/TIBERIUS, SESTERTIUS, RIC, Vol. I, Rome, No. 68, AD 36-37 Cataloged in Wildwinds under Augustus - Sear 1784 Cataloged in BMCRE under Tiberius - No. 126 Obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate, togate, holding laurel branch in r. hand and long sceptre in l., seated on throne, placed on a car, drawn l. by four elephants, each bearing a mahout on its neck. The side of the car is ornamented with shields. Inscription across top in three lines DIVO AVGVSTO SPQR Reverse depiction: Large, centered S C Inscription clockwise from top: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST PM TR POT XXXIIX
Happy Elephant Day! JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius. 3.91g, 18.4mm. Military mint traveling with Caesar (in northern Italy?), April - August 49 BC. Crawford 443/1; Sydenham 1006. O: Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent; CAESAR below. R: Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Ex Michael Kelly Collection SELEUKID KINGDOM Antiochos VI Dionysos AE24 Serrate. 7.03g, 23.8mm. Antioch mint, circa 143-142 BC. SC 2006; HGC 9, 1043. O: Radiate and diademed head of Antiochos VI right, wreathed with ivy. R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY above elephant walking left; ΣTA above cornucopiae to right, EΠIΦANOYΣ ∆IONYΣOY below. ANTONINUS PIUS AE As. 11.75g, 27.8mm. Rome mint, AD 148-149. RIC 862a; Sear 4308. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII, laureate head right. R: MVNIFICENTA AVG, Elephant standing right; COS IIII S C in exergue. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom Demetrios I Aniketos AE Trichalkon. 12.14g, 31mm. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, circa 200-185 BC. SNG ANS 209-11. O: Head of elephant right, wearing bell around neck. R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ; Kerykeion (caduceus); N to inner left.
Alright! An opportunity to show off my elephant coins! This is my oldest and tiniest: Antiochos III, 223-187 BC. Seleucid Æ 2.41g, 13.6 mm, 11 h. Lydia, Sardes. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Rev: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY, legend above and below elephant advancing left; upturned anchor before. Refs: SC 979; HGC 9, 560; Newell, WSM 1114; SNG Spaer 615. This is a Houghton* plate coin: Laodike IV, wife and sister of both Seleucus IV and Antiochus IV. Selucia in Pieria, 175-164 BC. AE 3.33 gm; 15 mm. Obv: Veiled bust of Laodike IV, r. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (of King Antiochus), elephant head l.; prow. Refs: Houghton, CSE 113 (plate coin); Forrer 183. My most-recently acquired: Philip I, AD 244-249. Roman AR Antoninianus, 3.73 g, 22.4 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 247. Obv: IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate and draped bust, right. Rev: AETERNITAS AVGG, elephant guided by mahout with goad and wand, walking left. Refs: RIC 58; Cohen 17; RCV 8921; Hunter 31. *Houghton, Arthur. Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection of Arthur Houghton. The American Numismatic Society, 1983. And my favorite of all, because it has Lady Godiva! It's pretty clear that this English die-engraver had never seen an actual elephant: Great Britain (Conder) Warwickshire, Coventry Halfpenny 1792
Happy elephant day! Here is a skinny Sunga elephant. Someone needs to make this guy a sandwich. Sunga Kingdom, cast AE unit, 175-75 BC O: elephant, R: Three arched hills, crescent above. 16 mm, 2.3 g. Mitchiner 4366-4370 Here's a good video to watch if you feeling a bit down.
Man O man, what a diverse pack of pachyderms! @ominus1, I see what you did there... Bwahahaha!!!! @David@PCC excellent coin and reminder of just how one of the truly great diadochi, Antigonus monophthalmus met his end. The elephants of Seleucus were the difference in a hotly contested battle. Here's another purple people eater of his son: Antiochos I Soter Shield with Anchor Æ20 6.09 grams 20mm Obv. Macedonian with Anchor motif Rv. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY Above and below elephant walking right OME monogram (obscured by Anchor counter stamp) and club above Jaw bone of boar in exergue BMC 37 Former fvrivs.rvfvs And @Bing bringing the heat (and the heft)! Wonderful Metellus. Who knew they made coins with elephants Appreciate it @Alegandron! You never fail to surprise me, except when you do. But never with coins. Golly! Another rare beauty right there my man. Thanks for sharing her. Not sure what I'm more jealous of @Parthicus, the Antiochus VI or the trip to Africa. JK. Amazing coin, but that pic you took is a piece of wonderment. WoWiE @jamesicus, that is a highly sought after Augustus sest. Glad you shared it Is it just me or is there something spooky special and s little strangeabout that Baktrian of yours?? Now I NEED one. But doubt anything will have the same Je ne sais quoi as yours... @Roman Collector over here with tiny coins, plate coins and wonderful New coins. And still the coin that gets the biggest reaction from me is that beautiful/hilarious lady Godiva/slothephant! Cute video @chrsmat71 and I've got a hungery boy with a big head (that's the name of my new home movie) too!
I love these elephant types! But I only have a pair in my collection. :-( Antiochus III drachm, & Antiochus VI serrated AE type seen twice above already.
Cool @chrsmat71 ! You reminded me that I had one of those decrepit Sunga elephants also... INDIA Sunga Dynasty 187-78 BCE Cast Copper 1-2 Karshapana 15mm 2.5g Elephant flag swastika taurine symbol - Tree 3-arched hill hollow cross MACW 4378
My Antialkidas of Baktria drachm has the smallest (half) elephant in my collection. I do not know the connection with Zeus that caused it to be on the coin.
I just read the Wiki article on Antiaklidas. It includes a paragraph titled "Coins", in which this is stated: 'According to some interpretations (Grousset), the baby elephant may symbolize the Buddha Siddhartha, who took the shape of a small elephant to enter the womb of his mother Queen Maya, a scene often depicted in Greco-Buddhist art. In that case the coin scene would represent a victory of Buddhism. According to other interpretations the elephant was the symbol of the city of Taxila.'
