This is "number three" of three new posts ... things were slow, so I thought I'd start a few "paste-pages!! If you wanna contribute, then please post any ancient Greek coins from the region of "CILICIA" ... awesome (thanks) => here is my first and oldest Cilicia offering: CILICIA, Uncertain, AR Obol 4th century BC Diameter: 10 mm Weight: 0.60 grams Obverse: Youthful male head (Triptolemos?) left, wearing grain wreath Reverse: Eagle left on lion's back, all within dotted square border Reference: SNG France 474; SNG Levante 230 Other: 9h … toned. From the Kelly J. Krizan, M.D. Collection
CILICIA, KORYKOS CITY COINAGE AE19 OBV: Turreted head of Tyche right; A behind. Circle of dots REV: ΚΩΡΥΚΙΩΤΩΝ, Hermes standing left, holding caduceus, ΕΥ/ΕΠΙ/ΕΡ in left field Struck 1st Century BC (100-30 BC) 5.87g, 19.42 mm SNG France 1075
Cilicia, Tarsos AE22 Circa 100 BC Diameter: 22 mm Weight: 9.78 grams Obverse: Turreted head of Tyche right, Countermark: Radiate head of Helios right (CM: Howgego 11? Hierapolis Phrygia circa 50AD) Reverse: "TAPSEWN" Pyre of Sandan in the form of a pyramid, Sandan on a lion within Reference: SNG Levante 951ff
CILICIA, Soloi AE25 Circa 100-30 BC Diameter: 25 mm Weight: 9.30 grams Obverse: Aegis with winged facing gorgoneion in center Reverse: Aphrodite riding galloping bull right; monogram to upper left Reference: SNG France 1195 var. (owl to right); SNG Levante 870 var. (same) Other: 12h, dark green patina
Cilicia, Aigeai AE22 1st century BC Diameter: 22 mm Weight: 6.26 grams Obverse: Turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right Reverse: Horse's head left, ethnic above, monogram to right Reference: Ex: Vecchi 14, lot 647 Other: large flan
CILICIA, Ninica-Claudiopolis Severus Alexander, with Julia Maesa, Æ37 AD 222-235 Diameter: 37 mm Weight: 17.83 grams Obverse: , draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right; c/m’s: Nike, holding wreath, standing right within oval incuse (3) and six-pointed star Reverse: Laureate / Draped bust of Maesa right Reference: SNG France –; SNG Levante –; SNG Levante Supp. 167 (same obv. die); for c/m’s: Howgego 262 and 451 Other: 6h … dark green patina.Rare From the Kelly J. Krizan, M.D. Collection
The first two are very small silvers listed as 'Uncertain, Cilicia' The first has an animal looking back and a Satrapal head facing left but is not terribly clear. a bit under .2g Next is equally 'uncertain' but a lot more clear. .2g My 4th century Kelenderis obol is huge compared to the first two. Another obol, Mallos has a winged torso and a swan in its .7g. The 4th century Tarsos stater with Baal countermark is one of my favorite coins. I've seen this listed as satrap Pharnabazos or his assistant Datames depending on how you read the listings. Again this requires not only reading reference books but deciding which books have the story straight in all the details. Another stater of Tarsos from the 4th century was tested to see what was inside. It is solid silver. This is attributed to satrap Arsames. Sear lists this as a 4th century 3/4 obol at .6g with Baal and a wolf I believe Steve has a better one but I like my scorpion, too. I'm still calling it 'Uncertain, Cilicia' after the ones in Rosen (#402 & 403). At. .5g, it is the larger size (see Rosen 404 which is a bit under half that).
Wow, Doug => fantastic group of coins!! (I like 'em all, but treally like those Tarsos babies!!) ... thanks for sharing
Doug, you may have been remembering my lion/scorpion coin. The attribution it came with indicated Caria (Karia), Mylasa as the place of origin. Almost every site and (online) resource I see has it listed as from Mylasa or occasionally "uncertain Asia Minor". Do you feel that Rosen is a more complete or up to date authority? I certainly don't have enough information or books to make the call. (attribution from seller) CARIA, Mylasa. Hemiobol (Circa 450-400 BC). Weight: 0.5 g. Diameter: 9 mm. Obv: Facing forepart of lion. Rev: Scorpion within incuse square. SNG von Aulock 7803; Klein 429 (Milet).
Just for the sake of accuracy this type was minted by Balakros under Alexander the Great. Not Arsames. But still from Tarsos as denoted by the Greek T under the throne.
ARMENIA, Cilician Armenia. Royal. Levon I. AR Tram (Coronation issue) 1198-1219 AD Diameter: 22 mm Weight: 2.75 grams Obverse: Levon seated facing on throne decorated with lions, holding cross and lis-tipped scepter Reverse: Two lions rampant back-to-back, each with head reverted; between, cross pattée set on spear Reference: AC 289 Other: 5h … toned
That is a great coin. For its attribution I accept the attribution to Datames (373/4-373/2 BC) in the 1986 ANSMN volume 31 article by Robert A. Moysey, "The silver stater issues of Pharnabazos and Datames from the mint of Tarsos in Cilicia." It basic type is on plate 2 #20 with countermark 7 "BAAL" given on page 61. The die-study of the type found 296 examples extant from 106 different dies. Only some have this countermark. Your countermark is extremely well placed to avoid damage to the main type. All in all, it is a wonderful coin.
Heavens, no. Rosen is a catalog from 1983. Sear (whence the Arsames ID) is 1979. You have a much better chance getting up to date information online. The obvious question is who the coin will be given to the next time the next student publishes the next latest survey of the coinage. I remember being told by my dentist that I must use a hard toothbrush and by my teacher that Pluto was a planet. Science marches on. I am in no position to know whether the latest rethinking is an improvement or just another spin.
