The much-maligned Cistophoric Tetradrachm

I just have a small bronze, but it does have a Cista Mystica in rather excellent shape.

 

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I don't know a good reference for dating this ATTA series. I do like Dionysos holding a bunch of grapes and thyrsos, with panther at feet.

 

Great cistophorii, all!

I gravitate toward the Imperial issues because generally I feel they deliver excellent value for your dollar, plus they have some of the finest portraiture around.

Marcus Antonius and Octavia, the only one that actually has a cistophorus on it


Augustus


Claudius (IMO, his cistophorii sport the best portraiture of any of his coinage)


Domitian, with Domitia

 

I suppose the reason why there's been so much effort expended towards dating the PTOL- series of Tralleis cistophoric tetradrachms -- work that was already ongoing when BMC 22 Lydia was published in 1901, as well as when Pinder was published in 1856, and has continued up to the present day -- as compared to other cistophori of Tralleis, is that the PTOL- series bears dates (1-9), and the others don't. It must be irresistible to try to establish when the dates began (just as it has for the dated cistophori of Ephesus) -- and. in the case of Tralleis, why they ended so quickly. The most recent theory of a "Sullan Era," reflected in our posts above, seems to work very well and has apparently been generally accepted in academia, but hasn't even begun to penetrate the consciousness of most dealers and collectors. And who knows if some different theory may take hold at some future time, based on further discoveries?

 

Wonderful! But I am curious: exactly who decided that the "cistophoric tetradrachms" bearing Imperial (or Imperatorial) portraits should continue to be described as "cistophoric" even though, as you point out, only one of them actually depicts a cista mystica and serpents? It seems rather odd to me!

 

Thanks to an excellent book with die study by Lucia Carbone, Hidden Power, published by ANS, that arrived in my mailbox today, I can now share a better date for your coin, 87-75 BC. Issue XXX, Obv 63, Rev 153 looks like a decent match for your dies. It would take a bit more squinting at dies to be sure.

I can also narrow the dates on my OP coin to 83-82 BC, ΠTOΛ Γ Obv O82 and reverse R198 appear to be the die matches for the OP coin.

Examples of ΠTOΛ coins for E, C, Z, and H are cataloged and illustrated in plates.

Although I have only had it for a day, I am already pleased to add to my shelf next to Noe and Metcalf.

 

Any change in the presumed date of my "H" example?

 

I think it's a beautiful and underrated type. Here's my example from Apameia:


Phrygia, Apameia AR cistophoric tetradrachm
Circa 150-140 BC
Obverse: Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within ivy wreath.
Reverse: Bowcase between two serpents; civic monogram to left; cap of Dioskouros to right.
References: SNG von Aulock 3451 var. (no star above); HGC 7, 655-8; Kleiner & Noe Series 21.
28 mm; 12.68 g.

 

Possibly because it continued the same weight standard/exchange rate: 1 cistophorus = 3 denarii.

 

78-77 BC and you can now count your coin as a "plate coin" on Plate 130:

 

An excellent coin from the festivities at the end of the conquest of Pontus!

"Lucullus, after filling Asia full of law and order, and full of peace, did not neglect the things which minister to pleasure and win favour, but during his stay at Ephesus gratified the cities with processions and triumphal festivals and contests of athletes and gladiators. And the cities, in response, celebrated festivals which they called Lucullea, to do honour to the man, and bestowed upon him what is sweeter than honour, their genuine good-will."
-Petrarch, Life of Lucullus, 23.1-2

 

FYI - an interesting video from L. F. Carbone
"Cistophoric Mysteries Solved: The Contribution of the R B Witschonke Collection"

 

I am a new to ancients (oxymoron I know) and picked these up today. I was interested to know why the obverse is usually weak and two snakes reverse is often stunning. Also.....mine seem to have different monograms and I just read they denote mint. Anything else noted about these four would be appreciated.