If anyone out there in coin works knows why the woman has her foot on the other woman’s neck on the reverse, please fill me in.
The seated woman holding a palm branch is Tyche, a goddess of fortune and prosperity. The other figure is male, and represents the River Orontes. This coin is from the famous city of Antioch which was on the Orontes, so the reverse shows that the city is on the river. It does kind of look like Tyche is subjugating Orontes, which I don't think was the designer's intent, but when you're designing a coin I guess sometimes it's hard to show an idea clearly.
Good question! I had never noticed how one could easily deduce that interpretation. I may never be able to UN-see it that way now. But . . . True indeed! Rather than intending to be a portrayal of Tyche having her foot victoriously stomped upon Orontes so as to either hold him down or show that she had defeated him, the portrayal is of Tyche resting her feet upon the strong shoulders of Orontes.
Mine is just one year older than yours @Deacon Ray Basic details: 27 mm. 14.3 gr. Dated year 26 of the Actian Era. Attribution: McAlee_180. Prieur 52. SNG Cop 131. RPC_4151. (Only 3 examples shown on RPC Online.)
