Looking Back

Wonderfull posts! Love coins depicting animals!

 

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Is per chance the lion on Brian's last Leo looking back at a cross? To me it looks like there is a cross right next to the lions's head.

 

There definitely is a cross in the field above the lion. This particular coin I believe is unlisted in RIC, as only the lion standing right variety (not crouching) with cross above is referenced.

 

Not the prettiest coin, but a rare example of a man-faced bull looking back:

THESSALY: Metropolis, Early 3rd century BC, AE Trichalkon. OBV: Head of Apollo facing right. REV: Forepart of Acheloios Pamisos as a man-faced bull to left, monogram below, MHT-ROPOLITWN surrounding. Rogers 411; MSP I, 497.

 

Well, while we are at it:

 

As others have noted, the animal-looking-back pose probably became a convention on ancient coins because the curved silhouette of the neck follows the curved contour of the edge of the coin. Simply put, it is good design.

However, from an artistic standpoint, it is quite a challenge to pull off convincingly because it involves foreshortening and overlapping of forms. The result is much more visually exciting than a mere animal profile where the animal is standing with all four legs on the ground, tail straight down and head facing forward; children draw animals posed like that! It is boring and takes almost no skill.

Classical Greek and Roman artists were interested in naturalistic representations of humans and animals. Judging by the coins I've seen, most of the engravers were accomplished anatomists capable of rendering figures convincingly in a wide variety of poses.

The animal-looking-back is a dynamic, realistic, and visually interesting pose that served to showcase the artist's skill and would have delighted the ancient viewer, just as it delights are modern eye.

 

Iona Miletos
Late 6th C
AR Obol
Recumbent Lion looking back

 

Roman Republic
AR Quadrigatus Didrachm
225-215 BCE
Obv: Beardless Laureate Janiform Head - Janus: He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past...Looks forward and back.
Rev: Jupiter and Victory in Quadrigatus Right
Ref: Sear 31; Crawford 28/3


Roman Republic
AR Quadrigatus Drachm
216-214 BCE
Obv: Beardless Laureate Janiform Head - Janus: He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past...Looks forward and back.
Rev: Jupiter and Victory in Quadrigatus Left
Ref: Sear 35; Crawford 29/4
(Prior to the Victorati issues, Roman Drachmae are difficult to find...)

 

@Alegandron those are some very nice coins my friend and both I would like in my collection some day.

 

Thank you! I have over half of the RR Didrachmae, only one RR Drachmae, and almost all of the Quadrigati variants... Not all in the greatest shape, but fun to have! (Got the message via @ also)

 

Sorry, I meant to write "our modern eye" not "are modern eye"! Apparently the editing option goes away after a while.

 

benhur767: Excellent take from the ancient artists' point of view. Never thought of it that way.

 

Cherronesos
HemiDrachm / Tri-Obol
ca. Long Time Ago
Sear Greek Vol 1 1606

 

Sort of looking back?

 

IONIA, MILETOS
AE17 OBVERSE: Head of Apollo right
REVERSE: Lion right, head reverted, star above
Struck at Miletos 350-300 BC
4.69g, 17mm
Lindgren 513

 

SEXTUS POMPEIUS FOSTLUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS POMPEIA
AR Denarius OBVERSE: Head of "Minerva or Pallas" (personification of Rome) with winged helmet, earrings and necklace, looking to the right.
Below the chin, it is the "X" (although its value then was 16 aces) and behind the bust is a small jar
REVERSE: FOSTuLVS left and Sextus. Pompeius. to the right of the field. She-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.
Behind Ruminal fig tree is represented with three birds in their branches. On the left, the pastor Faustulus figure in an attitude of admiration for the wonder he sees. ROMA in ex
Struck at Rome 137 BC
3.63g, 19.5mm
Cr235/1a; Syd 461; Pompeia 1

 

M. PLAETORIUS M.F. CESTIANUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS PLAETORIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Bust of an Vacuna right, wearing a wreathed and crested helmet, bow and quiver on shoulder, cornucopiae below chin
REVERSE: M PLAETORIVS M F AED CVR Eagle right, on
thunderbolt, head left
Rome 67 BC
3.7g, 18 mm
Cr409/1; Syd 809; Plaetoria 4

 

Wow, looks like a bankers mark right in the choppers!