Harlan Buy or Bid: Very Hungry Lion

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Mat, Jan 6, 2021.

  1. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Late last year I purchased this coin from Harlans BOB but asked them to hold it after new Year & I received it just recently.

    I've always admired this type but never really been in a rush to get one. Price seemed fair when comparing other examples at the time. So like the lion I pounced on it.

    After almost 12 years collecting ancients, I still lack a good amount of greek coins, so it's always nice to add a new one, especially types such as this.

    Included Harlan Video.

    [​IMG]
    Cilicia, Tarsus; Satrap Mazaios, (361-334 B.C.)
    AR Stater
    O: Baal of Tarsos seated left, holding eagle, grain ear, grapes, and scepter; TR (in Aramaic) to lower left, M (in Aramaic) below throne.
    R: Lion attacking bull, monogram below.
    10.35g
    25.1mm
    Casabonne Series 2, Group C; SNG BN –; SNG Levante 106

    Ex.Philip Ashton Collection
    Ex Harlan J Berk Buy or Bid, #214, Lot #89


     
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  3. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Wow @Mat That is a stunner. Congrats on a superb acquisition.
     
  4. Nemo

    Nemo Well-Known Member

    Fantastic example. Unlike mine, perfectly centered. I think we share a reverse die if not both.

    MazaeusStater.jpg
    Mazaios, Satrap of Cilicia AR Stater
    CILICIA, Tarsos. Mazaios. Satrap of Cilicia, 361/0-334 BC., 10.78g. AR Stater
    O: Baaltars seated left, head and torso facing, holding eagle, grain ear, and grape bunch in extended right hand, lotus-tipped scepter in left; TN (in Aramaic) to left, M (in Aramaic) below throne, B’LTRZ ("Baal of Tarsos" or "Baaltars" in Aramaic) to right
    R: Lion attacking bull left; MZDY (Mazaeus in Aramaic) above, monogram below.
    - Casabonne Series 2, Group C; SNG France –; SNG Levante 106.

    The obverse of this coin depicts the Baal of Tarsos.

"Baal" is a Semitic word for "Lord" or "God." The symbols of an eagle, wheat stalk, grapes, and a scepter may represent Baal’s capacity as a god involved in the seasonal cycles of life and death.

    The reverse features a lion-and-bull motif as did earlier Anatolian coins of Kroisos/Croesus. But here, on the reverse, the full bodies of both lion and bull are shown, and the lion is ferociously jumping on the back of the bull, who's kneeling.

    If you assume that a kneeling bull (without a lion) on the scores of later Greek and Roman coins is symbolic of Zeus, a position that Marvin Tameanko has persuasively argued for (Celator, Jan. 1995, pp. 6-11), and that the lion is symbolic of the supreme god, or Baal, of the Celicians, the symbolism of this coin, may be direct and simple: Our god is more powerful than your god.

    The Baal obverse of Mazaios' coinage may have been used as the model for the Zeus reverse of Alexander the Great's huge output of silver coinage, though Martin Price believed that both coinages were based on similar models. Price did feel, however, that the celator who engraved the latter Mazaios staters also engraved Alexander III's Tarsos tetradrachms.

    Mazaios (also referred to as "Mazaeus" and "Mazday") was the Persian satrap of Celicia beginning c. 361 BC, then the satrap of both Celicia and the larger territory of Transeuphratesia/Transeuphrates (Syria and Palestine, also known as Abar Nahara) beginning c. 345 BC.

    Mazaios fought Alexander the Great at the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. After this loss, he fled to Babylon. With the Great King Darius III of Persia also fleeing Alexander's army, Mazaios was the person who surrendered the capital of the Persian Empire, Babylon, to Alexander later in 331 BC, which prevented the sack of the city. For doing this without a fight, Alexander appointed him governor of Babylon, which at the time was the world's largest city. Mazaios died in 328 BC.
     
  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Beautiful example even if it isn't centered.

    How come some of these have what looks like a hole in the center on the reverse between the lion/bull and other examples they don't?
     
  6. Nemo

    Nemo Well-Known Member

    I think it's just a space between the hump of the bull and the lions chest.

    Here's an early tet of Alexander's. The reverse bears striking similarities to the Mazaios stater obverse. The identical forms of the throne, scepter, footstool and other details. The drapery is rendered in a similar manner, the Aramaic inscription of the one and the Greek inscription of the other share the same curve following the dotted border. This evidence indicates the two series of coins were the common product of a single mint.
    Alexander.jpg
    KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 17.13 g, 12 h), Tarsos, struck under Balakros or Menes, circa 333-327.
    O: Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress.
    R: AΛEΞANΔPOY Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right.
    - Price 2999. A rare early and unusual issue from Tarsos, "Officina B", bearing no symbol.
     
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  7. Nemo

    Nemo Well-Known Member

    Since the feet are missing off my Maz stater, I never noticed how the feet are also positioned exactly the same as well.
     
  8. Theodosius

    Theodosius Fine Style Seeker

    That is a great example Mat! The video really highlights how nice it is.

    I don't have one after 35 years so maybe I need to chase one more seriously. :)

    John
     
    Curtisimo likes this.
  9. Ignoramus Maximus

    Ignoramus Maximus Nomen non est omen.

    Ah, so you're the one who got it....
    Congratulations, a beautiful specimen! Well centered, great toning and surface and I suspect the reverse legend is much better in hand than in the photo. I had an eye on that one as well but didn't notice the 'sold' until I wanted to press 'buy':(.

    It's a great type (many Cilician coins from the Achaemenid era are, I think), but it's difficult to find a nice one at a reasonably affordable price. Happy to see you succeeded ( but do feel free to drop me a note if you ever decide to want to get rid of it :)).
     
  10. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    That's a beauty!
     
    Nemo likes this.
  11. Spargrodan

    Spargrodan Well-Known Member

    Amazing, the craftsmanship of the reverse is stunning!
     
  12. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    That's a very nice, well centered and struck coin.

    I've seen this type in all sorts of levels in quality, and with prices and estimates all over the map. Finding a decent, affordable example is a challenge.

    At a Daniel Sedwick auction a few years ago, this coin was one of the lots offered. Sedwick's specialty is primarily Latin America, but he has also branched into ancients, world and US coinage, but the vast number of lots remain Latin American.

    It's not the best on the block (off center, some die shift, so-so metal, etc.), but it suffices very well.

    10.7 grams


    D-Camera  CILICIA, Tarsos. Mazaios. Satrap of Cilicia, 361-334 BC. AR Stater, 10.7 g 01-01-21.jpg
     
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  13. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    This coin type is fairly common but very popular & usually expensive. I've never seen an example that was well centered. Most of these coins are in mint state or close to it & must have come from a large hoard. I sold the example pictured below at a Heritage auction 9 years ago for $1,725.00, despite the die-shift on the reverse. Nemo posted some excellent historical info on the coin :D.

    Tarsus Stater insert.jpg Tarsus Stater, Mazaeus, c. 364-334 BC.jpg
     
  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Great pickup, @Mat! The video really makes it "pop".

    PS- I initially did not recognize you, with that new neckbeard avatar. ;)
     
  15. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    @lordmarcovan New year/New Avatar.:D
     
  16. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Great addition @Mat School is still keeping me away from coins.
     
  17. Amit Vyas

    Amit Vyas Well-Known Member

    Amazing coin and an equally nice photograph.
     
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