I added two coins to my collection this week. I was attracted as much to the distinctive toning and patina as the details on the coins. These coins were acquired from Mr. Wayne G. Sayles, Author and President of the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild.
Wahoo! Nice additions DR! Though I don't have an Antiochos IX (I really like your reverse with Athena holding little Nike), I do have a couple Seleukos Is. I do enjoy the image of a winged medusa (often called, mistakenly I believe, Alexander) Here's my favorite.
I think its Alexander , the former boss of Seleukos. Medusa is usually portraited as an ugly evil woman.just my 2 cents.
Could it be Medusa in the face of Alexander, like the obverse below ? I also managed to post another coin figuring Athena and the bull.
The theory about the description as Medusa on this coin , is that somebody saw snakes in the hair of Alexander. Well that shows even stronger in the coins of Lysimachos , but nobody sees Medusa in his coins. Alexander is shown with different headgear on various coins , wings fit very well on the Seleukos I coin, perhaps a Hermes connection ? Are there anymore ?
Very nice coins @Deacon Ray I like them both. Your presentation is also wonderful. I recently picked up Seleukos I Nikator bronze. I think your dates for Antiochos IX are a bit off
Nice! You've got me convinced. I wonder how and where someone saw snakes in the wings or the curly, rebelliously, long hair (not sure who the ruler of the known world has to rebel against?)? There are also some beautiful Seleucis I's with ATG wearing a helmet that I would die for. Would show it if I had it... But! To get back on track, here is one of my favorites from the Seleucid kingdom. I believe my most recent acquisition from an auction a few months ago. Something eerie attracted me to it. Just it's je ne sais quo I suppose... Antiochos I Soter Seleukid Kingdom (281-261 BC). AE (15mm, 2.49g). Smyrna or Sardes. Helmeted head of Athena facing / BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ/ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ. Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm frond, Monogram to outer left. SC 315a; HGC 9, 167. Former: Kairos
Nice Medusa bronze, @Deacon Ray ! Did Wayne tell you the mint? Seven different mints struck this type and there are several different denominations. It is difficult to complete the whole set because the example from the mint of Aï Khanoum is unique. Most specimens are Antioch or less frequently Sardes. Mints can be deduced by edge characteristics, control marks, size, and weight. I have been trying to collect one of each mint. In 1825 E. Q. Visconti identified the winged head as probably Medusa, refuting earlier scholars who believed the head depicted Seleukos himself. Visconti saw the head as a woman. He believed the type refers to the founding of Antioch: “Mount Silphius had an old high altar at which it was said that Perseus honored the father of Zeus when returning from his expedition against the Gorgons. Seleukos founded a temple of Zeus Bottiaios venerated by the Macedonians in the same place where Perseus had left a monument of passage”. Visconti's idea was initially ignored but Ernest Babelon really got behind it. The coin dealer Matt Kruezer believes that the head depicts Alexander, and that the wings symbolize divinity. It’s possible that ancient people themselves were confused about who was depicted on this type. The die cutters’ intention could have been a deified Alexander. The common people, in regions without a tradition of using wings to signal post-human divinity, could have seen a coin depicting Medusa.
Excellent elephant, @TheRed ! Thank you for spotting the date error. I think it's somewhat closer to the ballpark now!
Thank you Ed, for the interesting information and the various opinions as to the identity of the obverse figure. Also, I checked Mr. Sayle's notes again and I don't see any mint information. I'll ask him in a follow-up email and if he knows I'll indicate it on the graphics.
