Featured "By law of the council of the number one greatest, most beautiful city of Tarsus."

Unpacking a Greek Inscription on a provincial AE 33 of Tarsus

I was enamored by the hunting scene on the reverse of this sestertius-sized provincial of Trajan Decius minted in Tarsus and acquired it earlier today from a British auction firm. Confused by the alphabet soup of abbreviations in its inscription, I cracked out BMC 21 and Sear and read the introductory materials to learn more about it. The research proved fruitful and I'd like to share what I learned about the various letters and abbreviations.


Trajan Decius. AD 249-251.
Roman provincial Æ 33 mm, 18.78 g.
Cilicia, Tarsus, AD 249-251.
Obv: ΑV ΚΑΙ Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ, Π Π, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ Γ Β, Α Μ Κ. Artemis standing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow and arrow; at feet on either side, deer standing left and dog running right with raised paws, head left.
Refs: RPC 1346; SNG Levante 1156 ; SNG France 1754; SNG von Aulock 6065; SNG Cop 33; Ziegler 808.16.33; Lindgren III, 926.

OBVERSE INSCRIPTION: ΑV ΚΑΙ Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ, Π Π

- AV is short for αὐτοκράτωρ, the Greek equivalent of Imperator (approximately equivalent in meaning to "Emperor").

- KAI is short for καῖσαρ, the Greek transliteration of Caesar.

- Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ is a Greek abbreviation of Gaius Messius Quintus Decius Traianus, the name of the emperor.

- Π Π is short for πατήρ πατρίδος, the Greek equivalent of Pater Patria ("father of the country").

REVERSE INSCRIPTION: ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ Γ Β, Α Μ Κ

- ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ is Greek for "of the Metropolis of Tarsus."

- Γ Β is a Greek abbreviation that is subject to some controversy as to its meaning, but probably is short for γράμματι βουλῆς, taking γράμμα in its sense of laws or rules and βουλή in its sense of Council of elders, Senate. Hence, "by law of the council." This abbreviation only appears on bronze coins of the city, not billon, and I have to wonder if it is therefore the local equivalent of senatus consulto (S C), such as appears on the bronze denominations during the Roman principate and on the reverses of coins from Antioch.

- Α Μ Κ is known from non-numismatic sources to be abbreviations for official titles of Tarsus:

- A (here used as an ordinal number, first, number one, corresponding to the Greek title πρώτης).
- M is short for μεγίστης, meaning greatest, biggest.
- K is short for καλλίστης, meaning most beautiful.​

Basically, the reverse inscription means "by law of the council of the number one greatest, most beautiful city of Tarsus." Ain't that a mouthful!

Post your comments, coins of Tarsus, Trajan Decius provincials, or anything you feel is relevant!

~~~

Bibliography

Hill, G.F. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Greek Coins of Lycaonia, Isauria, and Cilicia. British Museum, London, 1900, pp. lxxxviii, lxxxix, xc-xci.

Sear, David. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values. Seaby, London. 1982, p. xi.

Vagi, David L. Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, c. 82 B.C.- A.D. 480. Volume One: History, Coin World, 1999, p. 333.

 

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I wish I could post a coin that is relevant. But I learned something in regards to Latin and Greek translations so its a win! Thanks for sharing!

 

This Gordian III is similar from Tarsos.


For Herennia Etruscilla there is AMK on the reverse nut, appropriately no obverse Π Π. The condition of this coin obscures the Γ Β reverse right but it is there.


I gave away this Valerian which has a weaker AMK but Γ Γ in place of Γ Β on the reverse suggesting that γράμματι βουλῆς may not be a correct reading. I would look for something like a third neocorate temple accounting for the change.


In the back of my head but obscured by cobwebs, I recall there was another city rivaling Tarsos for AMK status but I can't recall details. I'm forgetting as fast as I am learning these days.

 

Fascinating coins, @dougsmit , and more than relevant to the thread! Thanks!

Hill addresses the coins with the Γ Γ inscription and states it is short for γράμματι γερουσίας, which I translate as "by law of the elders."

 

Caracalla Ae 36 Tarsus Obv. Bust rght laureate Rv Wolf standing right head reverted suckling the twins Romulus and Remus SNG France 1503 215-217 A.D. 22.48 grms

 

What is DEK?

 

Hill notes their presence on a couple of examples in the museum but doesn't speculate a meaning. Here's the relevant paragraph from page xcv:


Before moving on to what I propose is the meaning of Δ Α Κ, I'd like to comment on footnote 9 (above). I postulate that Γ Π stands for γράμματι πρεσβυτέρων (by law of the elders) and Γ Π B stands for γράμματι πρεσβυτέρων βουλῆς (by law of the council of elders).

Now, back to your question. As a footnote to his discussion of the meaning of A M K (p. lxxxviii), Hill quotes the full string of titles of the city:



Now, this is my own personal speculation, but I note three titles in a row that begin with Δ, Ε, then Κ: δημιουργίαις (demiurges/creators), ἐπαρχικῶν καὶ ἐλευθέρω (ruled by an eparch and free) κοινοβουλίω (by common deliberation). Most importantly, as Hill notes (p. xcii), the titles ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΝ ΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟΝ (free by common deliberation) and ΕΠΑΡΧΙΚΩΝ (ruled by an eparch) appear fully written out on some coins of this city.



Tha leaves only the Δ to explain, and δημιουργίαις seems most likely to me.

 

Reminds me of the town in a western US city which boasts highway signs on its approaches which proudly proclaim, " Weather Best by Government Test". The Government Agency so uncovering this finding? Perhaps the local Boule.

 

Here is a Valerian with Α Μ Κ and Γ Β:


Obverse: AY KAI P L OVAL[ERIAN]ON SE P P; Valerian radiate, draped and cuirassed right.
Reverse: TARSOY MHTROPOL[EW] A M K Γ B; Kronos walking left, crowned, harpa in right hand.
Ref: SNG Levante 1183

I purchased this believing the reverse figure was Perseus. I was initially unable to identify it. The identification of the reverse figure as Kronos is by Imhoof-Blumer (his entry in Roscher's Lexicon and 1898 article in the Journal of Hellenic Studies) who cites Stephen of Byzantium and coins of Mallos and Flavopolis as evidence that Kronos was worshipped in Cilicia. [ http://www.jstor.org/stable/623723 ].

In The Golden Bough Sir James Frazer suggests Kronos on coins of nearby Mallos are a Greek replacement for the Phoenician harvest god El.

 

Concerning the commentary on DEK this is what is suggested in SNG Levante Plate 66 Lot 1043

 

That's helpful. At least everyone agrees on Koinoboulion.

 

Great write up!
I have one coin from Tarsus- a lady of course

 

Great Provincial @Roman Collector !

I kinda have a "dog's breakfast" of the elements you mentioned, but here are mine:


Well bummer... mine is 400 years too early for the party...

TARSOS

Cilicia - Tarsos turret counterstamped Bow Pompey Pirates AE 19 164 BCE Tyche-Zeus seated


ARTIMIS

RI Prv Lydia Hierocaesarea 54-59 CE AE 15 Capito under Nero Artemis STAG Leaping RPC 1 2391-2


My only Trajan Decius (not a Provincial)

RI Trajan Decius 249-251 CE AR Ant Dacia draco standard

And his Wife, Hernia-Baby

RI Herennia Etruscilla 249-251 BCE w-Trajan Decius Ant crescent Fecunditas cornucopiae child RSC 8

 

"In the back of my head but obscured by cobwebs, I recall there was another city rivaling Tarsos for AMK status but I can't recall details. I'm forgetting as fast as I am learning these days."
It was Anazarbus, which jealously also used AMK.

 

Tarsus? Have patience, two are in the post.

 

Thanks. I thought I had one but I was wrong. I have two. Too many coins...

 

Thanks for the hard work. I printed that off as a PDF and filed in a folder for numismatics.

 

This is the first.