How many Ancient Greek Cities can we get?

"From the time of Cleopatra VII."
ACHAIA, Patrai. Circa 35 BC. AR Hemidrachm (17mm, 2.2 gm, 2h). Obv: Head of Aphrodite right, wearing stephanos. Rev: ΔA/MACIAC (Damasias, son of Agesilaus, magistrate) in two lines above Patrai monogram; all within wreath. BCD Peloponnesos 525-8. Struck before substantial wear affected this die, as seen on the BCD example.
A major auction house wrote "The date of the issue, in the mid-30s BC, suggests that the issue was made in conjunction with Mark Antony’s preparations for his incipient war with Octavian. The head of Aphrodite may also have the features of Cleopatra VII, as many issues in the region at this time used her likeness in an attempt to flatter the wealthy queen (in fact, another issue of Patrai, BCD Peloponnesos 531-531, were overt issues in the name of Cleopatra)."

 

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Parion = Parium, Mysia. Circa 165-143 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 16.95 g 12); A huge flan: 38x40 mm! Obv: Laureate head of Apollo to right. Rev. ΑΠΟΛΩΝΟΣ ΑΚΤΑΙΟΥ /ΠΑΡΙΑΝΩΝ Apollo, laureate and draped to the waist, holding a laurel branch in his right hand and resting his left on a bow propped on the ground behind; on the left, ΔΙ above flaming altar; on the far left, monogram of ΤΕΥ. Interestingly, that monogram is found also on a tetradrachm of Smyrna, Circa 155-145 BC; Milne, Autonomous 156 and SNG Lewis 948! That tends to possibly verify the date of mintage as postulated by A. Meadows. From the same obverse die as A. Meadows, Parion in R. Ashton et al, "Some Greek Coins in the British Museum," NC 158 (1998) pp. 41-46 and p. 42, 1 = pl. 15, 10, and Numismatica Ars Classica 29, 2005, 29 (those two coins share the same reverse die, which differs from the one used for the present coin). Extremely rare. The only known example from this reverse die, and only five known of the type. Lightly toned and struck on a very broad flan. Ex Nomos Auction 5, #179.

Dr. Alan Walker of Nomos wrote:
"Beginning in the mid 3rd century the diameters of tetradrachms began to get larger and larger - by the mid 2nd century they had become enormous. Theirtypes, especially the heads of the gods or goddesses who adorned their obverses, are found centered on flans that provide very wide borders, thus giving the coins a very decorative quality. The Hellenistic tetradrachm coinage of Parion is extremely rare and consists of two issues, both with standing figures of Apollo on their reverses but with either a head of Apollo or of Demeter on their obverses. Astonishingly enough, the Apollo/Apollo issues first came to light when the example in the Hunt collection (now in the ANS) appeared in 1991; another, from a Spink sale in 1994, came to the British Museum in 1996. A further two varieties appeared more recently (including a second example of the BM Coin in the 2005 NAC sale). The present coin shares the same obverse die as the BM example but is struck with a reverse die that bears the same monograms though differently placed. The fact that all these Parian Apollo tetradrachms are very distinctly different stylistically indicates that they were all struck from dies cut by different engravers, and were, thus, produced at intervals rather than being struck in a single group. The fact that they are, as a class, extremely rare today indicates that not only were their original numbers small, but that they must have gone out of circulation very rapidly and been melted down."

 

SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Antiochos IV Epiphanes. 175-164 BC. Serrate Æ (16mm, 3.83 g, 1h). Ptolemaïs (Ake) mint. Struck 175-circa 173/2 BC. Obv: Veiled and diademed bust right of Laodike IV; monogram behind her head. Rev: Elephant’s head left; Δ above elephant’s trunk; below, prow left. BMC 4. 43, 3 (var).

 

Another unlisted "M":
LYCIA, Masikytes. 1st century BC. Æ (17mm, 3.21 g, 12h). Head of Apollo right / Head of Artemis right. Troxell 224; SNG Copenhagen 101-102.

 

I know these were covered but I can't resist...


Thessaly, Pharsalos, AR Drachm, Superb classical style, both dies signed by the master engraver Telephantos, 5.794g, 19.0mm, 195o, Pharsalos (Farsala, Greece) mint, late 5th-mid 4th century B.C.
Obverse: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with raised cheek-piece, small TH behind neck.
Reverse: Φ-A-R-S (clockwise from lower right), Thessalian cavalryman on horse prancing right, wearing petasos, chlamys, and chiton, lagobolon over right shoulder in right hand, reins in left hand; TELEFANTO small, retrograde, and low relief in exergue.
References: Lavva 105 (V51/R58); BCD Thessaly II 640 (same rev. die); BMC Thessaly p. 43, 6 & pl. IX, 9 (same); HGC 4 624; BCD Thessaly I -.
The tiny letters on the obverse left and reverse exergue are the initials and signature of Telephantos.


Lycia, Phaselis.
AR Stater, 4th century BC, 21mm, 10.40 g, 10h.
Obverse: Prow of galley right, fighting platform decorated with facing gorgoneion; to right, cicada upward.
Reverse: Stern of galley left, with wreath hanging from pole mounted on the deck.
References: Heipp-Tamer Series 6, unlisted variety; Triton XIX, lot 256 (same obv. die); CNG 100, lot 1521 (same obv. die); CNG 99, lot 280 var. (cicada downward).

Oriented stern to stem to emphasize how the design starts on one side and continues on the other. They should have made a coin with the mast, sail and some rowers to represent the middle.

John

 

CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS, Pantikapaion. Time of Pharnakes. Circa 63-47 BC. Æ Obol (27mm, 12.43 gm, 12h). Obv: Wreathed head of young Dionysos right. Rev: Eagle standing left, head right, on thunderbolt; monogram to left, star to right. MacDonald 187; SNG BM Black Sea 945 var. (ethnic in two lines).

 

SPECTACULAR!!!!

 

Thanks Pete, it is one of my all time favorites.

Just popped up one day on Forum's shop.

John

 

Pherai, Thessaly, hemidrachm, ca. 302–286 BC. Obv: Head of Ennodia left, torch behind. Rev: ΦΕΡΑΙΟΥΝ, the nymph Hypereia left, touching the top of lion's head fountain right, from which water pours forth, ΑΣ/TΟ within wreath to lower left. 15mm, 2.72g. Ref: BCD Thessaly I, 1321; BCD Thessaly II, 714; SNG Copenhagen 239; BMC 20. Ex CNG, e-auction 432, lot 27; ex BCD collection.

Note the philological oddity on the reverse: in the wreath left of the nymph Hypereia, you can read the letters AΣTO. Two other coins from Pherai, beautifully illustrated in BCD Thessaly II (no. 712, 713), indicate that this is an abbreviation of a magistrate’s name, AΣTOMEΔON. Now, the name ‘Astomedon’ doesn’t make much sense in Ancient Greek, unless you take a specifically Thessalian linguistic and orthographic phenomenon into account. Thessalian inscriptions regularly abbreviate the prefix “aristo-”, which goes back to the adjective ἄριστος (meaning ‘best’), as “asto-”. The name ‘Astomedon’ thus should be read as ‘Aristomedon’, translating roughly into ‘the best ruler’ – quite a promising name for a magistrate.

 

Perge, Pamphylia, AE17, ca. 50–30 BC. Obv: Cult statue of Artemis Pergaia facing within distyle temple. Rev: AΡTEMIΔOΣ / ΠEΡΓAIAΣ, Bow and quiver. 17mm, 4.04g. Ref: SNG France 373–378; SNG Copenhagen 308.

 

It seems to me that the numismatic community should get together on the spelling of the city name Perge/Perga. As I mentioned above, M.J. Price spells it PergA. Yet, you can do a search on the "Resources" search link of a major auction house and find numerous coins using both names.
Perhaps it is too late. Too many expensive books are committed to either PergA or PergE! That would make researching tricky....requiring both names to be searched. Just a "heads up" for our CT friends.
In Greek, it is spelled ΠΕΡΓΑΙΟΝ. This lends credence to the spelling as PergA......to me.

 

Just an attempt to resurrect this thread:


Pitane, Mysia, AE11, 4th–3rd c. BC. Obv: Horned head of Zeus Ammon r. Rev: Pentagram, pellet in center, [Π]–I. 11mm, 1.26g. Ref: BMC 2–3. Ex Savoca.

 

I posted a coin of IONIA, Phygela here a while back (among the "P"s), but I note it has not been added to the list of Greek cities.

 

Side Tetradrachm 200-175 B.C. Obv Head of Athena Rv. Nike adv.l.

 

Totally forgot about this thread due to the lack of time. I will update everything soon and I will afterwards start with the next letters. Thank you for bumping the thread!

 

This example has remarkably fine style for this issue!

John

 

if you're either finished with the "P's" or it's not forbidden to post specimens for upcoming letters, I offer this unattractive-but-rare Roman Provincial Æ21mm of Trajan Decius from Rhaesana, Mesopotamia:

http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album270/15_Rhesana_Traj_Decius_AE_21?full=1
If I have posted this inappropriately (I'm late to the "game") feel free to delete it.

 

Stratonikea Ar Hemidrachm 133-129 B.C. Meadows 77

 

I hope we can bring this thread back to being active again and share all out beautiful Greek coins!

We still have to finish the last 5 letters, however if you have any other coin from a city with a previous letter in the alphabet that is not yet registered, then please post it as well.

Please post your coins coming from Ancient Greek cities starting with the letter R and S!

I will start:
Rhodos

Rhodes. Plinthophoric Drachm (Circa 190-170 BC). magistrate Onasandros.
Obverse: Radiate head of Helios right.
Reverse: ONAΣANΔPOΣ / P - O. Rose with bud to right. Control: Butterfly to left; all within incuse square.
Reference: Jenkins Group A, 5; HGC 6, 1457.
Weight: 3.09g
Size: 16mm

Sidon

Demetrios II Nikator. First reign, 146-138 BC. AR Tetradrachm. Sidon mint. Dated SE 168 (145/4 BC)
Obverse: Diademed and draped bust right.
Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY. Eagle standing left; palm frond behind; to left, HΞΡ (date) above ΠΑ monogram; to right, ΣΙΔΩ above aphlaston.
Reference: SC 1954.2b; HGC 9, 969; DCA 152.
Weight: 13.60g (Phoenician standard).
Size: 29mm, 12h.

Samos

Ionia, Samos AR Drachm / Tetrobol (210 B.C. - 185 B.C).
Obverse: Facing lion scalp.
Reverse: ΣAMIΩN; Forepart of ox charging right; krater, grape bunch, and grain ear below.
Reference: HGC 6, 1241; Barron 2.
Weight: 2.96g
Size: 17mm

 

Syracuse:


SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles
struck 310-305 BCE
AR tetradrachm, 17.40 g, 24 mm
Obv: head of the nymph Arethusa left, wearing grain wreath, earring and necklace; around, three dolphins; under, monogram (NK?)
Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, fast chariot charioteer leads to left, holding reins and kentron; above, triskeles; in exergue, monogram
Ref: Ierardi 12 (O2-R8); SNG Copenhagen 573 var., SNG ANS 637
The story of its acquisition is here.


SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysius I (400-345 BC)
Æ 20 mm, 8.23 gm
Struck c. 390 BCE
Obv: head of Athena left, wearing wreathed Corinthian helmet pushed back on head
Rev: hippocamp left
Ref: Calciati 35. SNG ANS 426


Sicily, Syracuse. Dionyisos I, tetras. Nymph / octopus


Sicily, Syracuse. AE 13, c. 425 BCE. Arethusa(?)/hippocamp & octopus