Bostra Decapolis

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by 7Calbrey, May 5, 2020.

  1. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    The following coin was struck under Julia Mamaea in Bostra which is currently known as "Busra" in Southern Syria near the Jordanian borders.It was part of the "Decapolis" or the ten cities to which Jesus Christ advised his apostles to escape during times of vast persecution. The reverse shows Tyche draped and turreted left, holding cornucopia over her left shoulder. It weighs 7.67 g. Spijkerman 54, Rosenberg 46.

    JuliaMamaea Tych Spij 54.JPG JuliaBostra R  rosenb46.JPG
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Nice coin @7Calbrey and that's an interesting collecting angle. I wonder if any folks have collected the coins of the decapolis, indeed if all of them struck coins? Perhaps interesting for those with a bliblical focus - outside of the usual practice of getting a tribute penny of Tiberius, leptons of the Herods or the procurators, Tyrian shekels, and so forth.
     
    Carl Wilmont, Parthicus and 7Calbrey like this.
  4. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Nice Bostra for Julia Mamaea you got there, 7Calbrey. I have one like it, with Tyche:

    Julia Mamaea Bostra Tyche Feb 18 (0a).jpg
    Julia Mamaea Æ 21
    (222-235 A.D.)
    Bostra, Arabia

    IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right / COLONIA BOSTRA, turreted and draped bust of Tyche left, cornucopia over shoulder.
    Refs: SNG 1231; Kindler 40; Spijkerman 54; Rosenberger 46
    (8.89 grams / 21 mm)


    Also, coming in at a lighter weight, Julian Mamaea with Zeus Ammon. It is lighter at 5.11 grams, so I am assuming it is a different denomination?

    Julia Mamae Bostra Tyche Mar 2018 (0a).jpg
    Julia Mamaea Æ 19
    (222-235 A.D.)
    Bostra, Arabia

    IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA draped bust right with stephane / COLONIA BOSTRA, bust of Zeus Ammon rt., draped, ram's horn and disk on top of head.
    SNG 1237; Spijkerman 52.
    (5.11 grams / 19 mm)
     
    cmezner, Pellinore, DonnaML and 9 others like this.
  5. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Charles, VERY cool coin.

    I only have one Bostra to offer up. I captured it because of the Camel and, of course, Trajan.

    upload_2020-5-6_8-34-50.png
    Roman Empire
    Arabia Petraea, Bostra.
    Trajan. A.D. 98-117.
    AR Drachm (18.57 mm, 2.92 g, 8 h). Struck A.D. 114-116.
    AYTOKP KAIC NEP TPAIANω APICTω CЄB ΓЄPM ΔAK, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind /
    ΔHMAPX EΞ UPATO ς, Camel walking left.
    SNG ANS 1158; SNG von Aulock 6408; Sydenham, Caesarea 205. VF.
    Ex: Harlan J. Berk.
    Ex: Agora
     
  6. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    I remember reading somewhere that these Mamaea types of Bostra were cast, rather than struck, which is why they have such soft features, even in better grades.
     
  7. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

  8. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

  9. Carl Wilmont

    Carl Wilmont Well-Known Member

    @7Calbrey, Nice Bostra coin, and thread on the Decapolis.

    @ancient coin hunter, a Biblical focus in collecting is why I have this coin of the Decapolis. Below, I've listed some connections that I found interesting.

    Titus Gadara Obverse.png
    Titua Gadara Reverse.png
    Gadara, Decapolis. Titus as Caesar (69-79 AD). AE (17 mm, 4.10 g, 12 h). TITOΣ KAIΣAP; Laureate head of Titus right / Turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche right; to left, ΓΑΔΑPA (Gadara); to right, date: L ZΛP (year 137 = 73/4 AD). Spijkerman 29.

    Gadara was a Transjordanian city of the Decapolis. References to “the country” (ἡ χώρα), or “region,” of the Gadarenes-Gerasenes are found in the synoptic gospels (Mt 5:28; Mk 5:1, & Lk 8:26,37).

    The Fall of Masada occurred in 73/4 AD, the same timeframe in which this coin was struck. The siege was led by Lucius Flavius Silva, the Roman governor of Iudaea who commanded the Roman legion X Fretensis. Just a few years earlier, in 70 AD, Titus destroyed the Second Temple and much of Jerusalem after his father Vespasian left him in charge of continuing the suppression of the Jewish rebellion that began in 66 AD. In 69 AD, in midst of Roman civil unrest that followed Nero’s suicide in 68 AD, Vespasian turned his attention to battle Vitellius for imperial power.

    In 2019, I enjoyed visiting Jerusalem, Masada, and the extensive ruins of Scythopolis, the only city of the Decapolis that was on the western side of the Jordan River (and @Alegandron, I also rode a camel- I like the reverse on the coin you posted!)
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2020
  10. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Way cool, @Carl Wilmont ! African or Bactrian Camel?
     
    Carl Wilmont likes this.
  11. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Here are 2 relevant coins. The first was struck in "Dium" under Caracalla Spijkerman 2, whereas the second was struck in "Gadara" under Antoninus Pius and has young Heracles on the reverse BMC 4.

    CaracDium O  Spijk 2.JPG CaraTaltar.JPG

    A.Pi young Heracles   Decapolis.JPG A.PiusGadara  BMC 4.JPG
     
  12. Carl Wilmont

    Carl Wilmont Well-Known Member

    @Alegandron, it was a Dromedary / Arabian Camel (one hump). Very tall. I saw some roaming the Judaean wilderness also. You need to hold on well and watch your balance when they stand up or sit down due to the extreme angles involved in that change in position!
     
    Alegandron and 7Calbrey like this.
  13. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Lotsa fun!
     
  14. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I rode camels quite often in Egypt. In some of the smaller towns you can rent one from outlets by the train stations. Not the same as the quick photo-op camel rides that you can get by the pyramids. Pretty cool experience and I'm glad that other folks have experienced similar things.
     
    Alegandron, 7Calbrey and Carl Wilmont like this.
  15. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Here's my Julia Mamaea from Bostra. I did a write up about Bostra and this coin three years ago, as noted by @Marsyas Mike, above:

    [​IMG]
    Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
    Roman provincial Æ 22.45 mm, 4.86 g, 5 h.
    Arabia, Bostra, AD 222-235.
    Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: COLONIA BOSTRA, turreted and draped bust of Tyche left, cornucopia over shoulder.
    Refs: SNG ANS 1231; Kindler 40; Spijkerman 54; Rosenberger 46.
     
  16. Factor

    Factor Well-Known Member

    City coins of Decapolis and Judaea are actually my main focus. Here is one of my most interesting Bostra coins:
    bostra dusares.jpg
    Elagabalus (218-222). Arabia, Bostra. Æ (17mm, 3.69g, 6h). Laureate head r. R/ Baetyl of Dusares between two objects on table, all on altar with stairs; shown in perspective. Spijkerman 44; SNG ANS 1216. Rare, VF

    PS. I am currently working on corpus of coins of Gerasa. If anyone has one (besides these coming from major auctions found with acsearch) please share your coins with me, I will gladly reference your collection.
     
  17. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Sure. Meanwhile here are 3 relevant coins. The first was struck in Dium under Emperor Geta. It has Aramaean god Hadad on reverse, also worshiped as Zeus Heliop.. in Heliopolis and other cities. The second was struck in Antiochia ad Hippum under Marcus Aurelius. It has Tyche on reverse holding cornucopia before a horse standing left and raising its left fore paw. The third was struck in Bostra under Elagabalus. Reverse has a standing deity right(possibly Victory, not sure).
     
  18. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Here are the 3 photos.
    Geta D Hadad  Decap.JPG Geta Dium R Hadad.JPG MarcHippum.JPG MarcHip R.JPG ElagBostr O.JPG ElaBotry R.JPG
     
  19. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    7Calbrey likes this.
  20. Factor

    Factor Well-Known Member

    Looks fantastic with this green patina!
     
    7Calbrey likes this.
  21. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Pulling up this thread because I finally got one of those Bostra issues with Marsyas, my avatar. They don't seem to be especially rare, but I was waiting for a bargain, as usual.

    I wish mine were as green as 7Calbrey's -

    Bostra - Severus Alexander Marsyas Nov 2020 (0).jpg
    Severus Alexander Æ 18
    (222-235 A.D.)
    Arabia, Bostra

    IMP CAES [M AVR] SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right / COLONIA BOSTRA, Marsyas standing right, wine-skin over shoulder, raising right hand.
    ANS VI 1227/1228; BMC Arabia 27/30; CopenhagenVII 144; Rosenberger 43; Spijkerman 49
    (3.28 grams / 18 x 16 mm)

    Surely there are a few more of these Marsyas types out there? If so, I'd sure like to see them.

    Also, while I'm here, another one with Severus Alexander, but with Zeus-Ammon on the reverse:

    Bostra - Sev. Alexander Oct 2018 (12).JPG
    Severus Alexander Æ 19
    (222-235 A.D.)
    Arabia, Bostra

    IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right /
    COLONIA BOSTRA, draped bust of Zeus-Ammon wearing solar disk right.
    SNG ANS 1224; Lindgren 2536.
    (4.58 grams / 19 mm)
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page