A Celebration of Music

John Anthony · Aug 30, 2015

zumbly said: ↑

Love the coin and writeup!

This clip features no ancient music, but like Hermes, Ibanez thought to make a wicked 7-string 'kithara'...

Click to expand...

That's wonderful, virtuosic playing, but I got tired of watching her wander around. Just stand still and play the damn song.

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Cucumbor · Aug 30, 2015

Once again, I'm speechless looking at such a beauty !

Q

AncientJoe · Aug 30, 2015

Great coins everyone, and thanks for the additional musical context @John Anthony ! It would appear that a mini-collection of musical themed coins would be larger than I anticipated. As a cellist myself, I've toyed with the idea of a collection of all musical instruments/references, including the various medals and modern coins referencing music as well as ancients. Based on this thread, it seems like it will end up being quite a lengthy endeavour!

Mat · Aug 30, 2015

Whats not to say? A beauty all around.

Orfew · Aug 31, 2015

AncientJoe said: ↑

Fearful of Athens and the growing power of the Macedonian Kingdom, Olynthus and the other free cities of the Chalcidice banded together in 432 BC, forming the Chalcadian League as a defensive coalition. Athens failed to break up this union due to its focus on the Peloponnesian War and its general disinterest in the region, helping solidify the strength of the League.

The capital was placed at Olynthus on a peninsula of northern Ancient Greece, on the shores of the Aegean Sea. The name Olynthus originates from the Greek “olunthos”, a fig which matures early, as this fruit was plentiful in the area.

The Chalcadian League was at the height of its power in the late fifth century BC but soon became the center of conflict. In 393 BC, Amyntas III of Macedonia was under attack by the Illyrians and temporarily transferred territory to Olynthus for protection. When he regained control, the League refused to return his lands and he called upon Sparta to intervene. At the same time, there was unrest in the League and some members claimed that they were being forced to remain in the League against their will.

This forced Sparta to act and after a lengthy war, the cities were subjugated by Sparta in 379 BC, with their power divided. Despite being summarily defeated, the Chalcadian League quickly began to regain power, which frightened Philip II of Macedon. To ensure his continued success in the region, Philip proactively attacked Olynthus, destroying the city in 348 BC and disbanding the League permanently.

This coin was minted at Olynthus during the period in which the Chalcadian League was under Spartan oversight but regaining strength. They minted their own silver coinage on the Macedonian standard, functioning as legal tender within all cities of the League.

The overall design elements remained consistent but style varied substantially over time. This coin’s depiction of the head of Apollo is a superb example of die engraving, remarkable for the strength and beauty of its style. These heads served as the predecessor for the portraits on the gold staters of Philip II.

The reverse depicts a professional version of the lyre, a kithara. As opposed to the standard lyre, which was predominately used as a folk instrument, the kithara was reserved for skilled musicians called kitharodes and the singers of Greek epic poetry. The name “guitar” is derived from the Greek kithara.

The kithara was an attribute of Apollo and symbolized wisdom. It resonates in its box-shaped body which holds two parallel arms connected by a crossbar. Depending on the type and desired complexity, up to a dozen strings could be attached. It was played vertically, plucked with a plectrum in the right hand with the left hand damping the strings.

According to mythology, the kithara was invented accidentally by the Greek messenger god Hermes, Apollo’s brother. Mere hours after being born, Hermes immediately embarked upon a journey to steal oxen from his brother who was away from his herd.

During his trip, Hermes brushed against a turtle shell on the ground, and thought to stretch seven strings across it. He plucked them and was instantly able to play exquisitely, creating the kithara.

After reaching the herd, Hermes attempted to steal fifty oxen but Apollo discovered the theft and the brothers began to quarrel, only to be interrupted by their father Zeus. To repay his brother, Hermes offered Apollo his kithara. Having only ever heard a standard three string lyre before, Apollo was so enthralled by the beautiful sound that he not only forgave Hermes, he granted him full dominion over all flocks and herds.

Hermes agreed and formally became the god of herdsmen, swearing to never steal the kithara. Apollo fully devoted himself to the art of music and was said to bring stability and order into chaos with his playing.

This coin resided in the collection of René Baron, the head of a French hospital, who focused on collecting artistic and historic coins.

Olynthus, 355-352. Chalcidian league, 432-348. Tetradrachm, silver, 14.40 g. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo to right, his hair flowing down the back of his neck / Rev. Kithara with five strings; below, επι αριστωνοσ. Traité IV, 942; BMC Macedonia 68, 10; SNG ANS 496-497; SNG Copenhagen - ;AMNG III/II, 85, 8, pl. 17, 12; D.M. Robinson, P.A. Clement, groupe V, 130 (A80-P111), pl. XVI, 130 (same dies); Boston 582 (same dies).
Beautiful style, finely toned, and well centered. Extremely Fine.
Ex. René Baron Collection, acquired at Crédit de la Bourse, Paris, March 1990
Click to expand...

Lovely coin and a great writeup. Thanks very much

John Anthony · Sep 1, 2015

Here's a coin I acquired some months ago, but only got around to photographing recently, a bronze of Ionia, Teos, with griffin, kantharos, grapevines, and lyre. I believe this would be a lyre for the less musically gifted, as opposed to a kithara, as I see only three strings.

This is one of those tiny coins that look better in small pics, at least to my eyes...

ro1974 · Sep 1, 2015

Music Nero

Daniel Jones · Sep 1, 2015

Great history lesson, great looking coin, and great photo, AncientJoe! Even though the coin looks slightly porous, it still looks like it would make a great museum piece.

Ancientnoob · Sep 1, 2015

AncientJoe said: ↑

Fearful of Athens and the growing power of the Macedonian Kingdom, Olynthus and the other free cities of the Chalcidice banded together in 432 BC, forming the Chalcadian League as a defensive coalition. Athens failed to break up this union due to its focus on the Peloponnesian War and its general disinterest in the region, helping solidify the strength of the League.

The capital was placed at Olynthus on a peninsula of northern Ancient Greece, on the shores of the Aegean Sea. The name Olynthus originates from the Greek “olunthos”, a fig which matures early, as this fruit was plentiful in the area.

The Chalcadian League was at the height of its power in the late fifth century BC but soon became the center of conflict. In 393 BC, Amyntas III of Macedonia was under attack by the Illyrians and temporarily transferred territory to Olynthus for protection. When he regained control, the League refused to return his lands and he called upon Sparta to intervene. At the same time, there was unrest in the League and some members claimed that they were being forced to remain in the League against their will.

This forced Sparta to act and after a lengthy war, the cities were subjugated by Sparta in 379 BC, with their power divided. Despite being summarily defeated, the Chalcadian League quickly began to regain power, which frightened Philip II of Macedon. To ensure his continued success in the region, Philip proactively attacked Olynthus, destroying the city in 348 BC and disbanding the League permanently.

This coin was minted at Olynthus during the period in which the Chalcadian League was under Spartan oversight but regaining strength. They minted their own silver coinage on the Macedonian standard, functioning as legal tender within all cities of the League.

The overall design elements remained consistent but style varied substantially over time. This coin’s depiction of the head of Apollo is a superb example of die engraving, remarkable for the strength and beauty of its style. These heads served as the predecessor for the portraits on the gold staters of Philip II.

The reverse depicts a professional version of the lyre, a kithara. As opposed to the standard lyre, which was predominately used as a folk instrument, the kithara was reserved for skilled musicians called kitharodes and the singers of Greek epic poetry. The name “guitar” is derived from the Greek kithara.

The kithara was an attribute of Apollo and symbolized wisdom. It resonates in its box-shaped body which holds two parallel arms connected by a crossbar. Depending on the type and desired complexity, up to a dozen strings could be attached. It was played vertically, plucked with a plectrum in the right hand with the left hand damping the strings.

According to mythology, the kithara was invented accidentally by the Greek messenger god Hermes, Apollo’s brother. Mere hours after being born, Hermes immediately embarked upon a journey to steal oxen from his brother who was away from his herd.

During his trip, Hermes brushed against a turtle shell on the ground, and thought to stretch seven strings across it. He plucked them and was instantly able to play exquisitely, creating the kithara.

After reaching the herd, Hermes attempted to steal fifty oxen but Apollo discovered the theft and the brothers began to quarrel, only to be interrupted by their father Zeus. To repay his brother, Hermes offered Apollo his kithara. Having only ever heard a standard three string lyre before, Apollo was so enthralled by the beautiful sound that he not only forgave Hermes, he granted him full dominion over all flocks and herds.

Hermes agreed and formally became the god of herdsmen, swearing to never steal the kithara. Apollo fully devoted himself to the art of music and was said to bring stability and order into chaos with his playing.

This coin resided in the collection of René Baron, the head of a French hospital, who focused on collecting artistic and historic coins.

Olynthus, 355-352. Chalcidian league, 432-348. Tetradrachm, silver, 14.40 g. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo to right, his hair flowing down the back of his neck / Rev. Kithara with five strings; below, επι αριστωνοσ. Traité IV, 942; BMC Macedonia 68, 10; SNG ANS 496-497; SNG Copenhagen - ;AMNG III/II, 85, 8, pl. 17, 12; D.M. Robinson, P.A. Clement, groupe V, 130 (A80-P111), pl. XVI, 130 (same dies); Boston 582 (same dies).
Beautiful style, finely toned, and well centered. Extremely Fine.
Ex. René Baron Collection, acquired at Crédit de la Bourse, Paris, March 1990
Click to expand...

I love the fine print on the reverse of this coin. Thats awesome.

zumbly · Sep 1, 2015

The sistrum was a percussive instrument that was often used in ancient Egyptian religious festivals. On coins it's commonly seen as a symbol associated with Isis.

Here's Isis holding up a sistrum from a bronze of Marcus Aurelius from Tium in Bithynia.

Aegyptos holding a sistrum on a denarius of Hadrian.

A Roman period sistrum.

What it might have sounded like.

Ancientnoob · Sep 1, 2015

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A Celebration of Music

John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

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Cucumbor Well-Known Member

AncientJoe Well-Known Member

Mat Ancient Coincoholic

Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

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A Celebration of Music

John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

Guest User Guest

Cucumbor Well-Known Member

AncientJoe Well-Known Member

Mat Ancient Coincoholic

Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

ro1974 Well-Known Member

Daniel Jones Well-Known Member

Ancientnoob Money Changer

zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

Ancientnoob Money Changer

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