Lycia had a history mostly unknown by historians of the 19th century before the decipherment of Hittite and ancient Egyptian, and the discovery of government records pertaining to Lycia. The records do not offer positive insight of them. In reports of official transactions with Lycians in the late Bronze Age, the Hittite and Egyptian empires described them as rebels, pirates, and raiders. The Lycians have left no written records of themselves at all from this period, which suggests that they probably were illiterate. Ancient Egyptian records describe the Lycians as allies of the Hittites. After the collapse of the Hittite Empire, Lycia emerged as an independent "Neo-Hittite" kingdom. The latter term was assigned to remnant states that continued after the fall of the Hittite Empire, although they were not Hittite in any way. For the most part they spoke languages of the Luwian family. According to Herodotus, Europa had (at least) two sons, Sarpedon and Minos. When they contended for the kingship of Crete, their native land, Minos drove Sarpedon and his people, the Termilae, into exile. They landed in Milyas, bearing the ancient name of the country known later as Lycia. Lycian rock cut tombs of Dalyan The "Harpy Tomb" of Kybernis, a solid sandstone pillar with the sarcophagus of Kybernis on top (c.480 BC). Lycia appears elsewhere in Greek myth, such as in the story of Bellerophon, who eventually succeeded to the throne of the Lycian king Iobates. Lycia was frequently mentioned by Homer as an ally of Troy. In Homer's Iliad, the Lycian contingent was said to have been led by two esteemed warriors: Sarpedon (son of Zeus and Laodamia) and Glaucus (son of Hippolochus). The name of Mithrapata, which is Persian, is known from Lycian coins and also from inscriptions. During the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., the Lycian nobility used Persian names, so Mithrapata may have been one of them. However, it has also been suggested that he may have been a Persian sent to rule Lycia by Artaxerxes II. The triskelion symbol appears in many early cultures and is an ancient symbol used even today. Pliny the Elder attributes the origin of the triskelion to the triangular form of Sicily. Even the Celtic symbol of three conjoined spirals may have had it's origins traced to the triskelion. Gold cup from Mycenae decorated with triskelions Triskèle Saint-Marcellin (in Isère / France) Flags of Sicily and the Isle of Man My latest acquisition and my first for 2020 DYNASTS OF LYKIA, MITARAPATA AR Diobol OBV: Facing lion's scalp REV: Triskeles, Lycian script around; all within incuse square (possible arrow in field?) Struck at Lycia, 425 BC - 360 BC 1.25g; 14mm Müseler VI, 86-90 var. Thank you for taking a gander at my newest coin. Post your Triskelions or Lycian examples.
Excellent right-up to start the year with a coin depicting an ancient civilization which is new, at least to me
That's an attractive example of a Lycian 1/6 stater! An abundance of these seems to have entered the market recently, so now is presumably the right time to get one. I'm fascinated by the reverse variety on these. So far, I got a plain three-letter example and another one with a dolphin control mark. What I'm still looking out for is one with an astragalos on the reverse. As far as I know, a study and catalogue of the varieties of this type is still missing. Dynasts of Lycia, Mithrapata, AR 1/6 stater, ca. 390–370 BC: Obv: Lion scalp facing. Rev: METRAPA[T]A in Lycian script; triskele; in field, dolphin. 13mm, 1.13g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen Suppl. 476 var. Dynasts of Lycia, Mithrapata, AR 1/6 stater, ca. 390–370 BC: Obv: Lion scalp facing. Rev: [M]ET in Lycian script; triskele. 13mm, 1.18g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen Suppl. 476 var. Dynasts of Lycia, Perikles, AR 1/3 stater, ca. 380–360 BC: Obv: Lion scalp facing. Rev: PERIKLE in Lycian script; triskele. 14mm, 2.76g. Ref: SNG von Aulock 4254–5.
Yeah, I find them fascinating as well. I have two other examples that have really very poor obverses, but not too bad on the reverses .
Great write up, thanks. I really need to revisit the Illiad with a good mythological dictionary and some old maps to try and make something more of all the references to different cultures. Excellent acquisition.
Great coin! With a fun and eye opening write up. It just boggles the mind to think of the things we didn't know or lost before that Rosetta stone came along! I have always loved that type. No tricycle My closest would be these guys:
Nice way to start of 2020! Very informative writeup/ photos, the history is truly amazing. Thanks for sharing! John
Thanks for sharing the coin and the interesting report @Bing. I definitely have learned something new today.
All I got on LYKIA LYKIA Dynast Perikles 380-360 BCE AR 1/3 Stater 20x14mm 2.8g Facing lion's scalp Triskeles BMC 157 Here is a HITTITE Fascinating history... (But, BEFORE coins...) Hittite Steatite Head of a Man Amulet 2nd Millennium BCE 15 x 20 mm Intact front-Side
Holy cow! I didn't know the hightitties had left anything acquirable? I need this... Now!!!(excellent coin, btw)
Neat pickup, Bing. Interesting example... I don't actually see a control symbol on yours? There's a variety with no control symbol, but that one has only three letters on the reverse. I've not seen one without a control symbol that has four letters. Here's mine, with the labrys control symbol. LYCIA, Dynasts of. Mithrapata AR Sixth Stater (Diobol). 1.4g, 13.7mm. LYCIA, Uncertain mint, circa 390-370 BC. CNG E-398, lot 291 (otherwise unpublished). O: Lion scalp facing. R: Triskeles; labrys in one section, legend around; all within incuse square.
Great write up! My only Lycian coin: Dynasts of Lycia (Perikles, c 380-360 BC) Denomination: AE11, minted: Uncertain mint; 380-360 BC Obv: Horned head of Pan, to the left Rev: ΠE-PE-KΛ Lucian triskeles to left Weight: 2.24g; Ø:11mm Catalogue: Falghera 219–23. Müseler VIII, 52–5. SNG von Aulock 4257–8 Ex. @AnYangMan Triskeles were used in Celtic coinage as well. This one is barely visible (on the obverse), on a Rainbowcup (Regenbogenschüsselchen), found in the Netherlands. CELTS, Annonymous Denomination: BI Regenbogenschüsselchen, minted: The Netherlands and Western Germany; ca. 100 BC Obv: Triskelion with dots at end of spirals. Wreath around, with encircled dots at two ends. Rev: Three encircled circles, pyramidal zig-zag line around. Dotted circles below Weight: 5.6g; Ø:1.7mm Catalogue: Flesche 404. Kellner IX C. LT 9439-9441. SLM 1097ff Provenance: Found near Geldermalsen, the Netherlands. Ex private collection 09-2019.; acq.: 08-2019
