Thasos Tetradrachm with Dionysos

This is a Thasos Tetradrachm I picked up at the FUN show this year. I love looking through groups of similar coins to find the one that appeals to me. It is almost too much sensory input and I always worry I will make the wrong choice in the heat of the moment. I am really happy with this one:

Islands off Thrace, Thasos circa 140-110 BC
AR Tetradrachm
Obverse: Wreathed head of young Dionysos right
Reverse: Herakles standing left, holding club, lion skin draped over arm, M to inner arm

I like wine and find the cult of Dionysos fascinating. The Greeks were very smart people and our perception of their beliefs is often reduced to silly "myths" about talking animals and gods behaving badly. There was much more to their religious beliefs than most people realize. This article from Coins Weekly summarizes some of the Greeks beliefs about Dionysos as a god who was very much a part of people's real lives:

http://coinsweekly.com/en/Archive/D...-Greek-Religion-of-Experiences/8?&id=6&type=a

Coins Weekly is a great site with lots of interesting stories.

Post your pictures of coins of Thasos or those depicting Dionysos!

John

 

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Beautiful coin! I know the feeling of worrying about making bad choices at a show given the time constraints. I keep telling myself I'm going to be more careful next time, but when next time rolls around, I invariably come home with a few mistakes.

At any rate, I think your Heracles has great style. He can sometimes look like a cartoon character on this issues, don't ask me why.

 

Very nice, better then my budget example.


Thasos, Thrace, (146 - 50 B.C.)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Young head of Dionysos wearing wreath of leaves and grapes and band across forehead.
R: ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ, Hercules naked standing left holding club, lion skin draped over arm; monogram.
33mm
16.1g
SNG Copenhagen 1040; SG-1759; SNG Ashmolean 3689; Le Rider, Thasos 51Thasos, Thrace, (146 - 50 B.C.)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Young head of Dionysos wearing wreath of leaves and grapes and band across forehead.
R: ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ, Hercules naked standing left holding club, lion skin draped over arm; monogram.
33mm
16.1g
SNG Copenhagen 1040; SG-1759; SNG Ashmolean 3689; Le Rider, Thasos 51

 

Do you folks think that is a die break in the area of Dionysos' ear or is that part of the design? I can't tell and thought later I would rather have picked one without it. There are several hairline die breaks elsewhere on the obverse. I am not complaining though because the overall condition is very good.

 

Definitely looks like a die break to me, but not the least bit distracting in my opinion.

 

While the Dionysos/Herakles type is big and popular, when I think of Thasos, I think of the earlier Satyr and Nymph type staters.

 

Wonderful coin and you shouldn't worry about it if you were happy once you decided. I would be. Like Doug, I also think of other coins from Thasos:

ISLAND OFF THRACE THASOS
AR Trihemiobol
OBVERSE: Satyr running left in three-quarter view, holding kylix
REVERSE: ΘΑΣ − ΙΩΝ Amphora
Struck at Thasos, 411-350BC
0.69g, 12 mm
SNGCop 1030

 

Awesome find!

 

lovely tet! these are some of the more affordable greek tets it seems, and are actually something i can afford..on my list for sure.

i don't have anything from thasos, but this may be a baby dionysus on the reverse of this gordian iii provincial (i'm still working figuring this one out).

 

Here's mine:


Thasos, Thrace, BC 168-148
AR, tetradrachm, 16.12g, 31mm; 11h
Obv.: Portrait of Dionysos
Rev.: ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ to left, ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ to right, ΘΑΣΙΩΝ below; Hercules with lion pelt in arm resting on club. M monogram left

 

Nice pickup! I didn't even notice the die break until you mentioned it. I associate Thasos more with the satyr-nymph types as well, but I do like the later tetradrachms and am still sore about losing out on a nice one last year.

My favorite from Thasos is this little trihemiobol (like the one Bing has shown):



It's all of 11mm and you really need magnification to appreciate the die work. And then, you realize that the satyr may actually be a Ferengi...

 

Wow, Theodosius => that's a very sweet OP-addition (congrats)

Ummm, I don't have a Thasos example, but I d have this sweet Maroneian version of Dionysos (wanna see?)

Maroneia, Thrace, AR Tetradrachm
168-148 BC
Diameter: 31 mm
Weight: 16.5 grams
Obverse - Head of young Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy and with band across forehead.
Reverse - ΔIONΥΣOY ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ MΑPΩNITΩΝ, Dionysus, naked, standing left, holding grapes and two narthex wards; two monogram in field, to left and right.
Reference: Sear 1635
Ex – Forest City Coins, London, Ontario, Proprietor – Mr. Keith Greenham – purchased in the 1980s



=> Oh, and I also have a cool Giggity Thasos to toss-in as well ...

 

Thank you, John for the great article from Coins Weekly. I study the Greek tragedies and since the article does not mention the stunning depiction of Dionysos in Euripides' play The Bacchae, first staged c 408-406 BC, I will recommend it to those interested in this unique Greek god.

A quote from William Arrowsmith's introduction to his translation of the play:

“. . . The Bacchae. . . is. . . a masterpiece; a play which, for dramatic turbulence and comprehensiveness and the sheer power of its poetry, is unmatched by any except the very greatest among ancient and modern tragedies. You have to go to the Oedipus Tyrannus or the Agamemnon or Lear to find anything quite like it in range and power, and even then it remains, of course, unique. . . Elusive, complex and compelling, the play constantly recedes before one's grasp, advancing, not retreating, steadily into deeper chaos and larger order, coming to rest only god knows where - which is to say, where it matters.”

 

I have one of those...


Mine is a bit wavy...
Thasos Tetradrachm

 

I have this scarce coin of young Dionysos. It was struck in Apamea, with Thyrsos on reverse.

 

Count me in.

 

Nice Anoob. Very nice! I like all three, but the bottom one is very appealing. Is that an imitative?

 

Yes Mr. Bing, imitative c/o Danube Celts.

 

Wow... I am of Celtic blood (and German)... Traveled to China for the past 35 years for manufacturing... Hmm the Celts in Ancient Europe must have been like the Chinese during the 80's and 90's... Manufacture copies of EVERYTHING!

 

Lovely and interesting posts!!

Definitely a type I need to add to my 'want list' !!