An interesting (although non-scholarly) article that was published yesterday surveying the history of centaurs in Greek mythology and early Greek art. With some nice photos. https://www.thecollector.com/centaur-in-greek-art/ One of the objects illustrated is this 8th Century BCE Greek centaur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with accompanying commentary: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/249228 Note that the front legs are human, and only the back legs are those of a horse: For whatever reason, I don't see as many ancient coins depicting centaurs as, say, Pegasi or griffins. I have only one myself: Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint (8th Officina). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Centaur walking left holding a globe in extended right hand and a reversed rudder in left hand, with right front leg lifted, APOLLINI CONS AVG; H [Eta = 8th Officina] in exergue. RIC V-1 164, RSC IV 73 (ill.), Wolkow 1a8, Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 738, Sear RCV III 10178. 20 mm., 3.42 g., 12 h. But perhaps that's just me. Please post your ancient coins with centaurs.
Thanks for the article link, Donna. It is a nice read. I have one coin with centaur. Kings of Bithynia, Prusias II (182-149 BC). Æ (23mm, 5.85g, 12h). Obv: Wreathed head of Dionysos r. Rev: Centaur advancing r., playing lyre. RG 26; SNG Copenhagen 635; HGC 7, 629.
An example from an Eastern bastion of the Empire: Tranquillina, wife of Gordian III, AE 26 of Singara, 10.7 grams, 12h MESOPOTAMIA, Singara Obverse: SAB TRANQVILLINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right Reverse: AVP CEP KOA CINT APA; veiled bust of Tyche right; centaur Sagittarius leaping right and discharging bow above. Reference: BMC Arabia p. 136, 14; SNG Copenhagen 258
Anonymous Æ Triens. Rome, circa 217-215 BC, anomalous semilibral series. Obv: Head of Juno to right, wearing diadem in form of visor and ornamented at the side with crest of helmet; •••• (mark of value) to left Rev: Hercules standing to right, holding club with which he is about to strike a centaur; in exergue, ROMA •••• (mark of value) to right. Crawford 39/1
I took a look at VCoins today, and there seem to be remarkably few different types of ancient coins with centaurs, even compared to mythical animals like hippocamps and capricorns. Not many different Roman types at all, apart from the two from the Zoo Series (one facing left with globe and rudder, and one facing right with a bow and arrow), and one from the Legionary Series, carrying a club. I wonder why.
The centaur would have to wear the pants in the back, where the genitals are, as that's the accepted convention for humans to wear pants.
Here's a centaur who is intent on shooting a dragon emerging from his tail. At least that's what it appears on the face of it. However, Spengler and Sayles have a more detailed interpretation of the obverse design. The figure shooting the arrow is the zodiacal sign for Sagittarius. The dragon tail is possibly a reference to the eclipse of AH 598. They go on. "The meaning of the dragon's head has eluded numismatists, but Willy Hartner (see note 7) has provided the answer to this enigma. Hartner convincingly illustrates that the ascending and descending nodes of the moon's orbit were treated by Islamic astrologers as pseudo-planets. At the risk of over simplifying, we will try to summarize the essence of this phenomenon. The nodes themselves are the points of intersection of the great circle of the moon's orbit and the ecliptic or apparent orbit of the sun. The ascending node is referred to as the "Dragon's Head" and the descending node is referred to as the "Dragon's Tail". They represent the invisible eighth and ninth planets respectively. The Dragon's Head is exalted in Gemini and the Dragon's Tail is exalted in Sagittarius. The combination of knotted Dragon and Sagittarius, in a planetary-like allusion, appears as the peculiar eighth panel of the astrological cycle reliefs on the Inlaid bridge Jazirat ibn'Umar spanning the Tigris rivier south of Amid. The Dragon's Head is considered an unlucky "planet", which may explain why the centaur-archer is depicted attacking, perhaps subduing, the beast. In any case, the likelihood of representing an eclipse in the Dragon's Head is remote, as it would have been perceived as a bad omen. Conversely, the Dragon's Tail is considered lucky. The eclipse of AH 598 occurred with the descending lunar node (Dragon's Tail) in Sagittarius. This explains the motivation for representing this event on Artuqid coinage, but also the complex inconography of this remarkable coin type. The presence of Jupiter in it day house represents the power of kingship, the jawzahr represents the nodes of the moon (eclipse); and the centaur Sagittarius (the exaltation of the Dragon's Tail) enhances the magnitude of the event." 7 Hartner, "The Pseudoplanetary Nodes of the Moon's Orbit in Hindu and Islamic Iconographies", p. 116.
But the 8th Century BCE bronze example I posted clearly has his in the front. And maybe in the back too, for all I know.
These are not my coins, but this issue has been on my want-list for years. relatively common in low grade but decidedly scarce in nice condition. RRC. 229/1b, Bertalomi, Auction 87. Dec 14, 2020. RRC 229/1a is similar but with a somewhat more rudimentary style obverse. NAC May 29, 2017
Thanks! I forgot about that type, because I see it so rarely. That's Hercules driving the biga, I assume from the club he holds?
That is correct. This was one of the early departures from the Dioscuri, Victory, or Luna reverses that dominated the denarius coinage for its first 70 years.
Sagittarius is a centaur! Gordian III and Tranquillina, AD 241-244. Roman provincial Æ 31.3 mm, 20.16 g, 12 h. Mesopotamia, Singara. Obv: AVTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANON CAB TPANKVΛΛINA CЄB, confronted busts of Gordian, laureate, draped and cuirassed on left, and Tranquillina, draped and wearing stephane on right. Rev: AVP CЄΠ KOΛ CINΓAPA, Tyche seated left on rock, holding branch; the centaur Sagittarius above to left, discharging arrow, river god swimming left below. Refs: BMC 8-12; SNG Copenhagen 256; Lindgren 2627, Sear 3804.
For variety, here's an ichthyocentaur. PLAUTILLA AE Assarion. 3.68g, 19.4mm. BITHYNIA, Nicomedia, circa AD 202-205. RG 253 (same obv. die); Lindgren & Kovacs 172 (same obv. die). O: ΦOY ΠΛAYTIΛΛA CEBA-CTH, draped bust right. R: NIKOMHΔEΩN - ΔIC NEΩKO/PΩN (second neocorate), (Female?) Ichthyocentaur, diademed, nude, with forefeet of horse and serpentine fishtail, riding left over waves, holding rudder over left shoulder and in extended right hand unknown object (dolphin? conch shell?).
