I haven't started a thread for awhile, so here goes: http://grammarist.com/usage/octopi-octopuses/ There are plenty of fish, crabs, prawns, and other marine animals on ancient coins. Here's my octopus and I'll bet he's not too happy about being dragged along like that: Tarentum, Calabria, AR stater, c 425-415 BC, 21 mm, 8.09 g, 5h. OBV: Nude Phalanthos seated left on dolphin, right arm outstretched, holding an octopus in his left hand; scallop shell below / REV: Oecist (founder) seated left on diphros (stool), with himation (drapery) around his waist, balancing wool distaff or spindle [“a reference to the famous Tarentine textile industry”, Vlasto in work listed below*] on back of right hand and holding aryballos or lekythos [pottery jar for oil or ointment; overflowing?] suspended by a string from left wrist. *Vlasto, Michel P., Taras Oikistes, a contribution to Tarentine Numismatics, NNM 15, 1922, page 175, Type No. 59A; Vlasto 256; Fischer-Bossert 280j (this coin; 10 specimens total from one obverse and three reverse dies); SNG ANS 860; Historia Numorum Italy III 844. Ex: Leu LHS Numismatik, Zurich, Auction 100, April 23, 2007, Lot 39. Ex: Dr. Athos D. Moretti Collection. Ex: Dr. Roland Maly Collection, Hess-Leu 19, April 12, 1962. Ex: Bank Leu, fixed price list, 1960, 49.
That's an envy-inducing coin! Evil octopus plotting to attack nymph: Sicily, Syracuse. Dionysos I 390 BCE Æ tetras, 14 mm, 1.8 gm Obv: head of nymph facing slightly left, wearing necklace Rev: octopus Ref: CNS 29; SNG ANS 385 I wish this one was nicer but the type is hard to find in decent condition-- hard to find in any condition. The reverse isn't too bad though. Sicily, Syracuse. c. 425 BCE (during the Peloponnesian War) Æ tetras, 13 mm, 1.9 gm Obv: Female head right; XXX before Rev: Hippocamp right, octopus below Ref: CNS 30; SNG ANS 1382
I forgot that I have another octopus - on the reverse of this Akragas hemilitron which I posted in an earlier thread: Akragas, Sicily, AE hemilitron, c 420-406 BC, 25 mm, 16.15 g, 2h. OBV: Eagle with wings raised, standing right on hare, head lowered / REV: Crab, holding snake in claw; conch shell and octopus below, six pellets around. HGC 2---; SNG ANS---; Sear GC---. Unpublished in the standard references, but see Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger Auction 296, February 13, 2014, Lot 1545.
How about a squid? IONIA, Ephesos. 1st-3rd century AD PB Tessera (21mm,5.66 g) Squid Blank Gülbay & Kireç -
Quick question, how can you differentiate Tarentum, Calabria starters with Taras on the obverse from those with Phalanthos?
Both Phalanthos and Taras are described as a the mythical hero who founded the ancient city of Tarentum. I haven't been able to determine whether they are two different people or two different names for the same person. Reference books and auction catalogs describe the dolphin rider either as "Taras" or "Phalanthos", but some catalogers acknowledge the problem and describe him as "Phalanthos or Taras" or simply "dolphin rider".
