The first has our favorite sea-goat Capricornus, the goat that suckled the infant Zeus after he was rescued by his mother Rhea, from being devoured by his father Cronos. The goat's broken horn was transformed into the horn of plenty, or cornucopia. Capricornus is attested as far back as the 21st Century BC. (Ancient coins really aren't that ancient in the larger picture, are they?) The second has a panther carrying a thrysus. What is a thyrsus and why would a panther be carrying one? Well I'm glad you asked. A thrysus is a staff of giant fennel, decorated with ivy leaves and topped by a pine cone. It is phallic in it's symbolism, the cone representing the the head of the penis and the seeds within representing fertility. The panther was one Dionysus' favorite rides, as in this ancient mosaic from Pella... Dionysus was of course the god of extreme partying. and y'all know about Caligula already... Caligula AD 37-41 AE17, 3.6g, 12h; Philadelphia, Lydia. Magistrate Moschion Moschionos. Obv. ΓAIOY KAICAP; Bare head right. Rev. ΦIΛOKAICAP ΦIΛOΔЄΛΦЄWN MOCXIWN MOCXIWNOC; Capricorn left. Reference: RPC I, 3027. Caligula AD 37-41 AE17, 2.1g, 1h; Philadelphia, Lydia. Magistrate Artemon, son of Hermogenos. Obv. ΓAIOC KAICAP ΓEPMANIKOC; Laureate head right. Rev. APTEMΩN EPMOΓENOVC NEOKAICAPEΩN; Panther walking right, head turned left, thyrsus over shoulder. Reference: RPC I, 3033. Please post your scrappy, obscure coins that nobody else on the forum has.
There nice little coins, have not seen much of this type in the past, just by coincidence a couple of hours ago I googled to see what a capricorn was as it is on one of my Zeugma coins, LOL I must have known you were going to post this...
LOVE the OP and write-up JA !! Coincidentally, I just ordered and placed on layaway a type (bronze assarion) that seems to apply here. I had never heard of this and it intrigued me....A description of the reverse: "Thanatos as a winged boy, very much akin to Cupid, with crossed legs and an inverted torch, became the most common symbol for death, depicted on many Roman sarcophagi." Meanwhile, I'll try to go through my 'stash' and see if I have any in hand that are relevant.
Love "scrappy" coins! And your two are great. Cool history and devices. I got this one the other day for its historical reasons. I had no coins from Mithra! Mithra / Mithraism was actually a RIVAL religion contending for the Emperor's nod when Constantine decided he would control the minds of the Empire through Christianity (hey, he was not baptized until his deathbed...commitment?) Mithraism was an Eastern religion that was adopted by many within the Legions. The elements of the religion was very similar to Christianity, but ultimately lost out. Bithynia, Kios Circa 250 BC, AE11 1.06g Laureate head of Mithras right Kantharos with two grape bunches hanging down, "K-I" below, all within a wreath. SNG Cop 382
Hey! Scrappy is my middle name! Cool coins JA! I also have a Caligula from Philadelphia. Lydia, Philadelphia. Caligula AE18. Dioscuri Obv: ΓAIOΣ KAIΣAΡ, bare head right, star behind Rev: ΦIΛAΔEΛΦEΩN ..., laureate and jugate busts of the Dioscuri right. Lydia, Philadelphia. Pseudo-autonomus AE22. Magistrate DOKIMOS Tyche bust right. Dionysos standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus; panther at his feet. Time of Septimius Severus. Lydia, Philadelphia. Pseudo-autonomous AE18 Obv: CYNKL-HTOC Young male bust of Senate r., draped. Rev: FILADE-LFEW Stag standing r. BMC 28 var. or SNG Aulock 3063 var. Aeolis, Aegae. AE13. Athena/Zeus Obv: AIGA EWN / Helmeted bust of Athena r. Rev: Zeus standing, facing l., holding eagle in r. and scepter. 13mm., 1.4g. Time of Augustus. Magistrate Diphilos Phaita. Unrecorded type. Bithynia, Nicomedia. Septimius Severus AE22. Hygieia 22mm and 4.2gm. Obv. AVKLCEP CEVHROC. Bust of Severus r. Rev. [DIC NEWK]OP - WN NIKOMHDE around, W - N across field. Hygieia standing r. feeding serpent. Recueil général records no type of Hygieia holding and feeding serpent at Nicomedia for SS, Domna, Caracalla, or Geta. Mysia, Parion. Bust of Parios AE22. Capricorn. Obv: Youthful male head r. of founder Parios. Rev: CGIHP / Capricorn r., holding globe, behind cornucopia. Time of Valerian (253 to 260 A.D.)
