Featured Artemis/Diana of Ephesus & the question of quality vs quantiti

Daughter of Zeus and Leto. She is Apollo's twin sister. Being Zeus's daughter she's basically every God's sister (Hera rolls her eyes and jabs Zeus in the ribs with her elbow). However, being Apollo's, God of idealized youthful male beauty, twin gives us a unique insight into what the Greeks ideal youthful female should be. Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, Wild animals, later on, the moon and chastity (why are the good girls always smoking hot?).


(A Roman copy of a Greek statue)

Though a maiden, she was known as a protector of young woman and a goddess of childbirth.
She was one of the most worshipped of all the Greek and later Roman deities.


C. Postumius
At or Ta, Denarius, Rome, 74 BC;
AR (g 3,56; mm 18; h 5); Draped bust of Diana r., with bow and quiver over shoulder, Rv. Hound running r.; below, spear; in ex. C POSTVMI / AT (or TA). Crawford 394/1a; Postumia 9; Sydenham 785

So popular was she that her massive Temple at Ephesus, despite no longer existing, is remembered today and was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.
(Artists rendering based on ancient descriptions of the majestic Temple, sans images of beer guzzling frat boys vomiting down the steps)



The temple was burned by some jack wagon arsonist (actually named Jack Wagon... No need to fact check this one) whom did so intentionally as he wanted history to remember his name. This happened on the same day that the greatest conqueror the world would ever know was born! Don't worry, Alexander would later rebuild the temple.
The Roman equivalent, Diana, is still revered in religions to this day!


(Hey girl. Why don't you put that bow and arrow down so I can holla atcha fo a minute)



Boy, did the Greeks get it right in their assessment of true beauty...
Cut to, current times:



I'm gonna level with you all here: I am A HUGE Aurelian fan. He makes my top ten Emperors list ten out of ten times. And the dude was only around for 5 years!
The empire was splintered and done for. And if he hadn't came along when he did I bet dollars to pennies that Rome not only looks vastly different, but never recovers from the position it was in.
What the heck does Aurelian have to do with this exquisite write up on your wanna be ex girlfriend Artemis, Ry to the to???
Well, if I'd let me FINISH, I'd tell me, you.
That said, this coin could've featured about any Emperor and I would've been just as down like Charlie Brown to acquire it.
Though, it has a weak strike on the obverese, in hand that reverse jumps out at you like a coked up kangaroo!


Pisidia. Kremna . Aurelian AD 270-275.
Bronze Æ
32mm., 14,18g.
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports.
nearly very fine
Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien II 1621-3.

At 32 mm she's a brick House. Who says, more than a handfuls a waste??? With her 4 levels of bosoms, it's more than a hands and hands full is certainly no waste!



Just to keep you abreast of the situation, I'd mentioned earlier that she was goddess of the hunt. Well, she's also goddess of childbirth. Hence, clearly a goddess of fertiltitties. And Mertals don't get more fertils than her!





Please post all those Artemisian coins, Diana, fertility goddesses, Aurelian, TOP heavy coins or whatever you feel adds to the fun!

 

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I'll never again be able to say fertility correctly .



Roman Republic, C. Postumius
73 BCE, Rome
AR denarius, 18.74 mm, 3.6 gm
Obv: bust of Diana right, bow and quiver over shoulder
Rev: hound running right, spear below; C. POSTVMI, TA in exergue
Ref: Crawford 394/1a


L. Hostilius Saserna
48 BCE
AR denarius, 19 mm, 4.1 g, 6 h. Rome
Obv: Bare head of a Gallic woman to right, with long disheveled hair; behind, carnyx; in field to right, 3 test cuts.
Rev: L.HOSTILIVS / SASERNA; Artemis (Diana) standing facing, holding stag with her right hand and spear with her left
Ref: Crawford 448/3. Sydenham 953.
Ex W. F. Stoecklin, Amriswil, Switzerland, acquired prior to 1975.


MOESIA INFERIOR, Markianopolis
Macrinus and Diadumenian, CE 217-218
AE pentassarion, 27 mm, 12.3 gm
Obv: AYT K M OΠEΛ CEV MAKPEINOC K M OΠE ANTΩNINOC; Laureate head of Macrinus left and bare head of Diadumenian right, confronted
Rev: VΠ ΠONTIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛEITΩN; Artemis advancing right, reaching for an arrow in quiver at shoulder and holding bow, hound at foot, E in left field
Ref: Varbanov 1159 var. (obverse legend); Megaw MAR5.12d; Hristova/Jekov 6.24.13.1

 

You can always count on @Ryro for an entertaining and enlightening thread here at CT!! Lovely Diana and hound denarius and a cool, BIG provincial depicting the Ephesian Artemis!

I do love me some Artemis/Diana!

Artemis has many guises, as you've noted above. The goddess Artemis of Ephesus was not the quite the same as the one worshipped in Greece. The Artemis of Ephesus was the product of syncretism between aspects of Artemis and of Cybele and was therefore worshipped as a goddess of fertility. This coin depicts the cult statue in the Artemision in the city of Neapolis. The similarities to the cult-statue in Ephesus are unmistakable.


Faustina Jr., 147-175
Roman provincial AE 20
Samaria, Neapolis, AD 161/162
5.32 gm; 19.8 mm
Obv: ΦΑVCΤЄΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: ΦΛ ΝЄΑC ΠΟΛЄѠC CVΡ ΠΑΛЄ, cultus-statue, resembling Ephesian Artemis, standing facing, flanked by stags; her head-dress surmounted by small temple; across field, ЄΤ-Ϟ (= year 90 of the Era of Neapolis = AD 161/162).
Refs: SGI 1801v; BMC 67-69.

Although my coin has too much wear to appreciate it, the statue of the goddess in Neapolis, like that in Ephesus, was apparently adorned with multiple breasts and other symbols of fruitfulness. This "multimammiferous" feature of the cult statue led a poet with the pseudonym of Senex Caecilius to write this snide double dactyl:

The Artemision

Higgledy-Piggledy
Temple of Artemis,
Wonder of Wonders, in
Ephesus stood;
Housed in the shrine was a
Multimammiferous
Symbol of fruitfulness
Carved out of wood.

Artemis Tauropolos, in ancient Greece, was an epithet for the goddess Artemis, variously interpreted as "worshiped at Tauris", "pulled by a yoke of bulls", or "hunting bull goddess." A statue of Artemis "Tauropolos" in her temple at Brauron in Attica was supposed to have been brought from the Taurians by Iphigenia. The Tauropolia was the name of the festival of Artemis in Athens. She is depicted here on a couple of coins:


Macedonia, Amphipolis, ca. 187-131 BCE
Æ 21.4 mm 7.57 gm
Obv: Head of Artemis Tauropolis, right
Rev: ΑΜΦΙΠΟ-ΛΙΤΩΝ, bull bounding right
Refs: SNG ANS 113.7.83; Lindgren Europe 933; BMC 35; SNG Cop 72


Macedon, Pella, ca. 187-131 BCE
Æ 17.5 mm, 4.99 g
Obv: Helmeted head of Artemis Parthenos, right
Rev: ΠΕΛ-ΛΗΣ, bull grazing, right; monograms below and above.
Refs: SNG Cop 266 ff.; BMC 97, 17 ff.; Moushmov 6453.

And then there's Artemis in her usual role, as Artemis the Huntress, typically depicted in a thigh-length chiton, boots and carrying weapons, accompanied by hounds and stags:



Trajan Decius. AD 249-251.
Roman provincial Æ 32.5 mm, 18.74 g, 6 h.
Cilicia, Tarsus, AD 249-251.
Obv: ΑV ΚΑΙ Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ, Π Π, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ Γ Β, Α Μ Κ. Artemis standing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow and arrow; at feet on either side, deer standing left and dog running right with raised paws, head left.
Refs: RPC 1346; SNG Levante 1156 ; SNG France 1754; SNG von Aulock 6065; SNG Cop 33; Ziegler 808.16.33; Lindgren III, 926.


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman provincial Æ tetrassarion, 9.53 g, 24.2 mm, 1 h.
Thrace, Hadrianopolis, AD 238-244.
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC AVΓ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛEITΩN, Artemis standing left, holding patera and bow; stag at side.
Refs: BMC 30; Moushmov 2685; Varbanov 3888; Jurukova 476; SNG Cop --; Lindgren --; GIC --.
Notes: Obverse die match to Varbanov plate coin.

And last, but not least, here she is in her guise as the goddess of the moon. Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm round of applause for Miss Diana Lucifera!


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 3.09 g, 18.1 mm, 11 h.
Unknown eastern mint (Antioch?), AD 196-202.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: DIANA LVCIFERA, Diana, crescent on shoulders, standing left, holding long torch in both hands.
Refs: RIC 638; BMCRE 598 var. (no crescent); RSC 27a; RCV 6578; CRE 312.


Lucilla, AD 164-182/3.
Roman orichalcum Sestertius, 25.93 g, 30.0 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 164-166.
Obv: LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: DIANA LVCIFERA, Diana standing right, holding transverse torch in both hands.
Refs: RIC 1735; BMCRE 1143-45; Cohen 17; RCV --.

 

Awwww, schucks @TIF
Was a fun coin to write about and even more fun to receive in the mail!
And you continue to humble me with the amazing array of coins that only an expert, with a much keener eye than I, would gather to honor such an important deity
Everytime I see that Saserna of yours I just salivate over that wicked Artemis!
But why would the Romans equate her (Diana/Artemis) to the recently conquered Gauls, as these coins are purported to be of? Why is this very unique rendering of her exclusively on this type?
Here's my spooky (reminds me of Jack Skelington's wife) well used girl:

 

Diana


Campania, CAPUA
AE Uncia
Attribution: SNG ANS 210
Date: 216-211 BC
Obverse: Bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder
Reverse: Boar right, one pellet above, KAPV (retrograde) in exergue
Size: 20.72 mm
Weight: 6.56 grams
2nd Punic War - Hannibal promises Capua as Capital of Italia after Rome destroyed.
Scarce



RR C Hosidius C F Geta 68 BCE Diana bow quiver Boar Hound spear Sear 346 Craw 407-2



RR Allius Bala 92 BCE AR Den Diana Biga Stags Sear 221 Craw336-1 scarce



RR Anon Half-Litra 235-230 BCE
AE 11.1mm, 1.41g
Obv: Head of Diana right, Phrygian Helmet
Rev: Dog right w/ left foreleg raised; Roma in ex
Sear 598 Craw 26-4

 

Good to see something by Senex again .

If I knew, I've forgotten .

 

ARTEMIS


RI Prv Lydia Hierocaesarea 54-59 CE Capito under Nero Artemis STAG Leaping RPC 1 2391-2



Syracuse Tyrant Gelon 478-458 BCE AR Tet 24mm 16.7g Slow Biga Victory Artemis-Arethusa 4 dolphins Sear-Greek 914

 

Wickedly epic thread! Some of my favorites with Artemis/Diana...


MACEDONIA, Roman Protectorate. First Meris
AR Tetradrachm. 16.84g, 32.7mm. MACEDONIA (as Roman Protectorate), First Meris, Amphipolis mint, circa 167 - 149 BC. SNG Cop 1313; Prokopov 127. O: Diademed and draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder, in the center of a Macedonian shield. R: Club; monogram above, two monograms below, MAKEΔONΩN above, ΠPΩTHΣ below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left.

ANTONINUS PIUS
Billon Tetradrachm. 12.71g, 22.5mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 5 = AD 141/142. Dattari-Savio pl. 108, 8094 (this coin); Emmett 1362.5; RPC Online 14246 (2 spec., this coin cited). O: Laureate head left. R: L-E, Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow from quiver at shoulder, holding bow.
Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1981.513); ex Giovanni Dattari Collection


SALONINA
AE29. 9.26g, 29.5mm. IONIA, Ephesus, AD 254-268. Karwiese 1184 (this coin cited and illustrated). O: · CAΛΩN · XPVCOΓONH · CЄBA ·, diademed and draped bust right on crescent. R: EΦECIΩN Γ N-EΩ-KOPON, Artemis, standing facing, head right, raising right hand and holding bow; tree behind her, stag at her side.
Ex N. M. McQ. Holmes Collection; ex "Bavarian Collection" (Numismatic Fine Arts XXXI, 18 March 1993, lot 1141)


POPPAEA
AE17. 3.3g, 16.7mm. PHRYGIA, Acmoneia, circa AD 62. Loukios Servenios Kapito, archon, with his wife Ioulia Severa. RPC I 3175. O: ΠOΠΠAIA CEBACTH, Draped bust of Poppaea to right, wearing wreath of grain ears; before, forepart of lion to right. R: CEPOYHNIOY KAΠITΩNOC - KAI IOYΛIAC / CEOYHPAC – AKMONEΩN, Artemis advancing right, holding bow in her left hand and drawing arrow from quiver with her right; to left, monogram; to right, monogram above lyre.


ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius. 4.03g, 18.8mm. Rome mint, 64 BC. C. Hosidius C.f. Geta, moneyer. Crawford 407/2. O: Draped bust of Diana right, wearing stephane, earring, and double necklace of pendants; bow and quiver over shoulder; III VIR down left, GETA down right. R: Calydonian Boar standing right, pierced by spear and harried by hound below; C HOSIDI C F in exergue.


ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius. 3.2g, 18.8mm. Rome mint, 42 BC, P. Clodius, moneyer. Crawford 494/23 (363 obv, 403 rev dies); Quidenham Hoard (Norfolk, 2014) 16 (this coin). O: Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, lyre. R: P.CLODIVS / M·F, Diana standing facing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, holding lit torch in each hand.
Ex Quidenham Hoard (Norfolk, 2014)

 

Neato post. Here is Artemis and her gear:



Seleucid Kingdom Æ 19
Demetrius I Soter
(162-150 B.C.)
Antioch Mint
Bust of Artemis wearing stephane right, bow & quiver over shoulder / BASILEWS
DHMHTRIOU, Bow & quiver.
SC 1645; HGC 826; BMC 3.
(9.07 grams / 19 mm)

Artemis does not appreciate Peeping Toms:



(Actaeon found out the hard way). https://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K6.1B.ht

 

Great write up and pics Ryro, thanks.

and since you are such a big Aurelian fan:


Macedonian shield:

 

Once in my collection.2nd Year of Mad King Attalos. Cistaphorus of Ephesus with high hatted facing bust of Artemis Ephesia. So is this a real portrait of the Hellenistic statue-should be.
The breasts have been called eggs and bull's testicles in their time. In the foundation deposits of the original temple were found very early coinage in electrum-a useful dating source.

 

Very nice detail on that example @NewStyleKing

 

@Ryro , amazing write-up...I love the Artemis reverse on that big provincial (and the Total Recall gif).

I’ll add another fertility goddess, Demeter, to the thread.



Hadrian, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm, circa 136-137 (year 21), (24.5mm., 13.20g). Laureate head of Hadrian, right/ Rev. Demeter wearing peplos standing left; holding corn-ears and sceptre.

 

Excellent follow up and coins, @Roman Collector!
Your knowledge of the ancients, their deities and poetry of Multimammiferous ladies is astounding! And thanks for pointing out the syncretism with cybele. I missed that
LOVE the Faustina ii! The reverse type seems much more natural on an empress. Very good selection of the various Artemissss.
@Alegandron, I don't recall that Arethusa also possibly being an Artemis. And it gives me an excuse to roll out this fav of mine:


But that Diana RR that you and @zumbly have in common is something else
As well as, @zumbly and @Andres2, excellent silver Artemis Shields. I will have one... Someday
Cool coin and pics @Andres2. I've got a few Roman Aurelians:

As @Bing said, excellent example @NewStyleKing I have a hard time seeing those dangling things off her chest as coming from some MASSIVE bull or chicken. But have read those theories.
Thanks @Shea19! Based on one of many excellent Philip k Dick (one of my favorite writers) stories, Total recall is, IMHO, a classic of the future SciFi genre. Sadly, I think the risque gif and meme might've turned off a good amount of the audience. Ah, well, I'm doing this for fun. Anywhoob, BEAuuuutiful Alexandrian Hadrian. Thanks for the additional furtility deity

 

This thread reminds me of this!



One more coin, if I may! I like a Diana and dog scene:


Gallienus, AD 153-268.
Roman billon antoninianus.
Mediolanum, AD 264-265.
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, Narrow radiate head right, both ribbons behind.
Rev: DIANA FELIX, Diana standing right, holding spear and bow; at foot, hound.
Refs: RIC 473K; Göbl 1146m(2): Cohen/RSC 173; RCV 10197; Hunter pl. lxvi.