Featured Pirate of the first century

My new arrival is a coin I have been wanting by a person I consider interesting for several reasons. In the first century BC, pirates operated freely off the southern coast of Asia Minor in the region of Cilicia. Most famously, Caesar reported being captured by pirates who offended him by not seeking a high enough ransom for his safe return so he returned later with a force and crucified them. My coin is from a pirate who fared better largely by associating himself with sequence powerful Romans from Pompey to Octavian. Those interested in the subject can research the matter using the usual search engines.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cil...i57j0j69i60.8734j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

When Pompey set to cleaning up the pirate problem, the (retired) pirate Tarkondimotos joined him and went straight (the difference between a pirate and a Roman Imperator can seem a fine line in some cases). After changing allegiances as the power in Rome changed, he was made king of Cilicia by Mark Antony and issued this coin. Mine is far from the finest example to most opinions but I prefer it to some coins that have sold for several times the price I paid this month.
Tarkondimotos, King of Cilicia, AE22 39-31BC S.5682, RPC 3871 Portrait / Zeus seated holding Nike

The reason is that my coin has two major faults which scared away bidders. Both relate to a countermarked anchor on the obverse that eliminated the chin of the portrait. The countermark stamp was applied at a bit of an angle so the coin was severely cracked rather than being flattened on the reverse as we usually see on countermarked coins. No one but a fool like myself would be happy about this. The countermark, normally applied, should have flattened the lower part of the reverse legend erasing what I consider the best part of the coin: ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ (FRIEND OF ANTONY). The coin has a reasonable (clipped T) rendition of the name of the king but what makes this one special is his naming the specific Roman Imperator rather than Rome itself.

Tarkondimotos was killed at Actium but his sons quickly switched allegiance to Octavian and remained in power as a client state. Politics in first century Rome was an interesting beast. Pirates did not regularly issue coins (stealing them and extortion was so much more profitable). This is an example of one pirate who played the dangerous game of Roman politics in the period when it was possible.

https://www.cngcoins.com/Search.asp..._TYPE_ID=2&VIEW_TYPE=0&MAX_COUNT=10000&PAGE=1
The above link shows several examples of which one shows the ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ as well as mine. That coin was one of the lowest realizations from the group because it had other problems. I'm happy with my cracked flan.

Pleas post any coins of Tarkondimotos or other pirate related issues.

 

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Interesting story.. There was more to it..
From War History Online -
Quote "Given the amount involved, 20 talents of silver – about 620 kg worth, which is roughly around $600,000 dollars in today’s values. Caesar gasped in shock. Then he burst out laughing. It wasn’t because of the exorbitant price, but rather because he was offended..it took 38 days to raise the money, after which Caesar and his men were finally allowed to leave. As soon as he reached Miletus (a long-abandoned port city south of present day Söke in Turkey) he began raising an armed fleet. With it, he returned to the islet, captured most of the pirates, and took their property as his own.

He sailed off to Pergamon (outside the modern Turkish city of Bakırçay) and chucked them all into prison. Then he went to Marcus Junius, the governor of Asia, and demanded the right to mete out the pirates’ punishment. But Junius couldn’t stop ogling all that money, so he told Caesar that he’d have to look into the matter more fully.

Yet Caesar couldn’t wait, so he returned to Pergamon, took the pirates out of prison, and ordered them all to be crucified. Some begged for mercy, reminding him of the fun times they had shared together, so Caesar’s heart melted and he decided to relent.

He had their throats slit. Then he had them crucified because he prided himself on being a man of his word. With such a character, it’s hardly surprising that he would go on become Rome’s first emperor." closed quote

 

Like I said:

 

Great coin Doug in my opinion. Even though there is a flan crack his name and epithet is till very clear and his portrait clearly visible. Nice win!

 

Great coin and write-up, Doug. I have a more worn example, with the reverse legend kaput. The portrait and anchor countermark survived the centuries in better shape. Mine, like yours, has an off-kilter countermark that didn't align over the ΦIΛANTΩNIOY.

That flan crack would not have bothered me at all - such cracks tend to put coins within my budget!

I've watched a couple nicer ones on eBay but they went out of my price range. They don't appear to be excessively rare, but they are popular. Here's mine:



Cilicia, Tarkondimotos Æ 21
(c. 39 - 31 B.C.)
Hieropolis-Kastabala Mint
Diademed head right / [BAΣIΛEΩΣ TAPKONΔIMOTOY], Zeus enthroned left, [ΦIΛANTΩNIOY] in exergue;
Countermark: Anchor in oval.
RPC I 3871; SGCV II 5682; SNG Levante 1257; Sear 5682.
(10.06 grams / 21 mm)

Note: According to Nicholas L. Wright, this countermark was applied by heirs of Tarkondimotos after hewas killed at the Battle of Actium to obliterate ΦIΛANTΩNIOY on reverse (but die axis not 12 o'clock on this specimen)

I posted this one a while back:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/co...-connections-tarkondimotos-of-cilicia.346020/

***

As for other pirates, this one is associated with the pirates of Cilicia that Pompey defeated - I base this on Alegandron's notes and example:

"Cilicia - Tarsos turret counterstamped Bow Pompey Pirates AE 19 164 BCE Tyche-Zeus seated" https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-dam-broke.344375/#post-3649682

Here is mine:



Cilicia, Tarsos Æ22
(After 164 B.C.)
Draped, veiled, and turreted bust of Tyche / TAΡΣEΩN, Zeus seated left on throne, holding scepter; monograms below.
SNG France 1285-1294 (?).
Countermark: Bow case & arrows in rectangle (10 x 4 mm)
(8.12 grams / 22 mm)

 

Carausius was appointed commander of a fleet in the English Channel to defeat the Frank and Saxon pirates; which he did. However, he apparently kept the loot, thereby becoming a pirate.


A smug looking Carausius that I sold



Carausius
A.D. 287- 293
22x25mm 4.8gm
IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
PAX AVG; Pax standing left, holding olive branch and vertical scepter, S/C in fields.
In ex. C
RIC V Camulodunum 300 (modern Colchester, England)


This type from London was struck for Diocletian by Carausius, which is why the reverse legend ends with AVGGG. Carausius was hoping that Diocletian and Maximianus would recognize him as a co-ruler; which (surprise) did not happen. It also has XXI in the exergue, which is a mark of value.



Diocletian
A.D. 291
21x24mm 4.4gm
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right
PAX AVGGG; Pax stg. l., holding olive branch and transverse sceptre; S-P across fields.
In ex. MLXXI
RIC Vii London 9

 

I had not heard this but it makes a lot of sense since any evidence that the family supported Antony would not be a good thing under Octavian.

 

Cilicia - Tarsos
turret
counterstamped Bow Pompey Pirates
AE 19 164 BCE
Tyche-
Zeus seated
Ex: @John Anthony auction
John's comments:
An autonomous issue of Cilicia, Tarsos. The coin presents robust details and a pretty patina, and would be very collectible in and of itself, but the countermark adds an additional level of intrigue. These bow case stamps are occasionally found on coins of the south coastal regions of Asia Minor, although their meaning is uncertain.

In 67 BC, Pompey crushed the Cilician Pirates and subjected the city to Roman rule, making Tarsos the capitol of the Province of Cilicia. Tarsos was also the scene of Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s first meeting, so it’s possible the counterstamps remonetizing these issues had something to do with the political struggles of the Late Roman Republic.

The counterstamp on this coin is unusually crisp, showing the bow, case, and several arrows in their entirety - the best example of the stamp I’ve seen, ever. Also, the stamper was very kind to us collectors by placing it in an area where it interferes with the devices only minimally.

 

A great coin and a wonderful writeup, thank you! One of these is on my list, though I'm hoping for a more complete portrait. 'Tis a bit tricky if you also want the "ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ"... I will forego the countermark, as it seems I must! Its typical positioning is certainly consistent with the idea that ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ was being intentionally obliterated. Which makes your coin rather rare and special!

 

I do have a fondness for coins with 'faults' that make them more interesting (removed countermarks, holes with wire or nails remaining and now a bad crack that saved the legend). This is what I term 'technical collecting'.

 

Stellar new coin, Doug! I haven't heard the story of Tarkondimotos before. Thanks so much for sharing that beauty and it's story.
I often here of Sextus P referred to as a pirate. However, Octavian tried to align with him until it became contrary to his needs. So, due to the negative connotations of being a pirate I dislike the title... though he did commit piracy And no, I don't think that statement makes me a hypocrite. Just a man who has made hypocritical comments


Sextus Pompey
Ӕ As. Spain or Sicily, 45 BC. Laureate head of Janus, with the features of Cn. Pompeius Magnus; [MGN] above / Prow right; [PIVS] above, IMP below. Crawford 479/1; CPP I 671. 19.23g, 28mm,
Fine.
Ex-Savoca

 

Pompey


RImp Sextus Pompey 42-38 BC AE As Janus Pompey Magnus - Prow Sear 1394 Craw 479-1

 

Fascinating coin and type, and, of course, now on my want list.

I don't have a Tarkondimotos to show, but how about someone who fought on the other side at the Battle of Actium, and was certainly no friend of Antony's. Eurycles was a Spartan whose father had been put to death by Antony, and he commanded a ship at Actium on Octavian's side. As Antony fled, he was said to have pursued more energetically than any other, his ship drawing close enough to Antony's to yell curses at him.


LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta)
AE. 5.7g, 20.3mm. C. Julius Eurycles as hegemon, circa 31-7 BC. RPC 1103; BMC 63. O: Head of Zeus right. R: Club; Λ-A/EΠI EY/PY-K(ΛE)/O-Σ in four lines across field; all within wreath.

 

After seeing this post I immediately went and bought one of these bad boys. It finally arrived this morning.

CILICIA, Anazarbos. Tarkondimotos I Philantonios. King of Upper (Eastern) Cilicia, circa 39-31 BC. Æ . Diademed head right / Zeus Nikephoros seated left. RPC I 3871; SNG France 1913-6; SNG Levante 1258.

 

piracy is like beauty..........

(in the eye of the beholder)

https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/queen-elizabeth-i-s-sea-dogs/

 

An interesting historical footnote regarding the Cilician pirates is that Spartacus tried to enlist the aid of the Cilician pirates to transport him and and 2,000 of his men to Sicily during the Third Servile War (73-71 BC). They accepted the payment and then abandoned the rebelling slaves, forcing them to retreat to Rhegium.

For more information, here's a link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus

 

Pompey, the Great; d.48 BC. Æ As; 36 x34 mm, 23.4 gm. Obv: Head of Janus. Rev: Prow, r. CN MAG above, IMP below. RRC 1040.

 

I’ve wanted a coin of Tarkondimotos ever since I first read this post, and I finally was able to add one (for a surprisingly low bid) at the last Leu auction, which just arrived yesterday. I figured I’d revive this old thread and share it here.


Tarkondimotos, king of Eastern Cilicia, circa 39-31 BC. AE (22 mm, 10.00 g), Anazarbos. Diademed head of Tarkondimotos I to right/ Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ- ΤΑΡΚΟΝΔΙΜΟ/ΤΟΥ - [ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ] Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and scepter in his left.

I really like the portrait of Tarkondimotos, and though the coin is certainly not in the best condition, I think that any coin of a pirate king ought to be at least a little bit messy, so I don't mind . My coin doesn't have the complete reverse legend with a legible ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ ("friend of Antony"), like on @dougsmit 's excellent example, but I like that I can still make out most of the name "Tarkondimotos" on the reverse legend. I'm just happy to have added a coin of such a cool historical figure who managed to be involved with so many of the key figures of such an important era...and of course, I'm happy to have the first pirate coin in my collection!

 

That's a terrific example - and you are right about that portrait - masterful! Just the way a pirate is supposed to be.

I am probably seeing things, but is yours an obverse die match to the countermarked example I posted earlier? Same scowl, anyway.