Mother and Child Reunion: Roman Republican Medusa and Pegasos

Very cool addition, Z-Bro (great thread)

Medusa and Pegasus? ... well okay ...

Here are a few Medusa examples ...




... and a few Pegasus examples (Pegasii?)

 

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Thanks, Steve, I always enjoy seeing your headless harem .

 

Arriving a few days ago in my mailbox was this toned little colt from Anaktorion, one of the Corinthian colonies in Akarnania. I'm posting it here because it's a Pegasos type and was bought during my brief hunt for coins with Medusa and/or Pegasos a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to eventually gather at least one example of these staters from the all the various colonies that struck them.

There are some raised bumps at around 6-7 o'clock on the obverse that on first glance appeared to be general roughness. On looking closer at how they're aligned, I suspect now that they're vestiges of an undertype and that this coin was overstruck on another issue. I may never figure out for sure, but it's one of those little details that adds another interesting aspect to the coin .


AKARNANIA, Anaktorion
Circa 320 - 280 BC
AR Stater
8.44g, 24mm
Calciati, Pegasi 58; BCD 108
O: Pegasos flying left; AN monogram below.
R: Head of Athena left; API above, ΔΩ and lit altar at right.

 

Nice coin Z. I particularly like the small devices and monograms on this type. The altar is extreme man!

 

Thanks, Bing. The symbols are really one of the highlights of the series. Corinth itself has well over a hundred different ones, so you can really take your pick. The colonies often had symbols not used at Corinth too. Ambrakia has some fantastic ones.

 

Super coin Z, this is on want list to! love it!!

 

It's a terrific coin 'Z,' for all the reasons already expressed------I LOVE IT !!!

 

I picked up one of the Seleukos I bronzes mentioned earlier in this thread and finally got around to photographing it. The Medusa head on this one is less like Elvis, more like Alexander the Great.


SELEUKOS I NIKATOR
AE Half-Unit
2.35g, 14.3mm
Sardes mint, circa 312-281 BC
SC 6.1; HGC 9, 107a.
O: Winged head of Medusa (resembling Alexander the Great) right.
R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΕΛΕΥΚOY, bull butting right; ΣΙ between hind legs.

 

I would like these coins more if they where mine...

 

And while I'm at it, another little Pegasos for the stable .


CARIA, Alabanda (as Antiocheia)
Circa 197-190 BC
AR Drachm
3.88g, 18mm
Cf. Sear Greek 4764
O: Laureate head of Apollo left.
R: Pegasos flying left, ANTIOHEON above, TIMOKLES below.

 

Mine from Corinth. The Obverse is excellent but the reverse is comical at best.

 

Well, that Pegasos is just superb, and you have a nice clear control (astragaloi?). Like the song goes...

 

Great observation Z! Indeed an astragloi! (Gaming Token)

 

This is a beautiful coin, and it brings up the point that not all raised bumps are an indication of casting. This is clearly a genuine coin. On cast coins, the bumps are spread randomly over all the surfaces.

 

My only Pegasos lives on this little Syracusian bronze. It's a little rough, but I love the intermittent sky-blue patina. It looks like Pegasos is flying through the air with a mountain range underneath. This is the actual color of the coin...

 

That's quite an incredible color! I'd welcome this coin into my stable anyday.

 

that blue is awesome!

 

Both of the facing Medusas shown above are the variation with the snake at the sides of the face. Mine is the more common snakeless type. Unfortunately coins of this general period are often poorly struck or off center. I really would like a well made coin with snakes and all four horses on the reverse clear.

 

@John Anthony the blue patina is pretty awesome!!