TGIFF!! Today's Faustina Friday is a little out of the ordinary because it begins with a coin in the numophylacium of @David Atherton, which he posted about earlier this month. Domitian as Caesar under Vespasian, AD 69-81. Roman provincial Æ 29 mm, 12.38 g. Koinon of Cyprus, AD 75-76. Obv: ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟϹ, Head of Domitian, laureate, right. Rev: ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ ƐΤΟΥϹ Η, temple of Aphrodite at Paphos, in which canonical xoanon; paved semicircular walled courtyard; garland between two antae; star on either side of xoanon; dove facing inwards on apex. Ref: RPC 1825 var. It turns out that David's coin is culturally and thematically linked to this coin of Faustina I in my numophylacium from the Lydian city of Sardis, more than 850 km (525 miles) from where his coin was in use. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman provincial Æ 20.6 mm, 4.46 g, 6 h. Lydia, Sardis, AD 138-140. Obv: ΦΑVϹΤΙΝΑ ϹΕΒΑϹΗ, bare-headed and draped bust of Faustina I, right. Rev: ϹΑΡΔ-Ι-ΑΝΩΝ, Aphrodite standing left, holding apple and scepter. Refs: RPC IV.2, 1427 (temporary); BMC 22.258, 140; SNG von Aulock 3153; SNG France 1240. I know what you're thinking ... Yes, I know. My coin's reverse features Aphrodite holding an apple and scepter, which is rather standard iconography recalling the Judgement of Paris. Seemingly humdrum, right? What could that have to do with David's coin, which depicts the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite in Paphos? The sanctuary in Paphos has very distinctive design features, such as the conical stone xoanon within the temple, surmounted by a star and crescent and with a paved semi-circular walled courtyard in front of the temple.[1] It turns out that these features are depicted on numerous coins of Sardis. This strongly suggests there was a similar temple to the goddess in Sardis. As Barclay Head explains, "the cultus of Aphrodite at Sardes must have been borrowed directly and in identical form (as the epithet ΠΑΦΙΗ shows) from Cyprus."[2] For example, this issue under Hadrian depicts the "temple of Aphrodite at Paphos, in which conical xoanon with star and crescent above; to l. and r., flaming torch and column; paved semi-circular walled courtyard in front." This is the RPC illustration[3] and not my coin -- only because I GOT CLIOED when it was up for sale at a recent Naumann Auction!!! Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman provincial Æ 26 mm, 9.77 g. Lydia, Sardis. Obv: AY KAI TRAIANOC AΔΡIANOC. Laureate and draped bust left. Rev: ΠAΦIH CAPΔIANΩN, temple of Aphrodite at Paphos, in which conical xoanon with star and crescent above; to left and right flaming torch and column; paved semi-circular walled courtyard in front. Refs: RPC III, 2401; GRPC 423; BMC 135; SNG Munich 519. The reverse is virtually identical to that of David's from Paphos. Now, if the architectural similarities weren't enough to connect it to the Sanctuary in Paphos, the inscription (reading from 2:00 clockwise) says ΠΑΦΙΗ ϹΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ, "Paphia (the title of Aphrodite of Paphos) of the Sardians." Both numismatic and written records demonstrate a long history of Aphrodite worship in Sardis. Legend has it that the mythological king of Lydia, Croesus, was conceived during a festival for the goddess in the city. The early second century AD mythographer Ptolemy Hephaestion notes, "Kroisos [the historical Lydian king], it is said, was conceived during a festival of Aphrodite [in Sardeis], during which the Lydians have a procession for her decorating the goddess with all their wealth."[4] However, unlike the situation with Sardis' temple coins, which were issued under various reigns from Hadrian to Philip I, the only coin from the city to actually feature Aphrodite herself is my coin above of Faustina I. I have to wonder whether a cult statue of the goddess -- perhaps the image on the reverse of my coin -- was a feature of the temple along with the baetyl xoanon. Let's see your coins of Sardis, coins of Paphos, coins with Aphrodite, or whatever you feel is relevant! ~~~ Notes 1. "Sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 May 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_of_Aphrodite_Paphia. 2. Head, Barclay Vincent. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum: Lydia. Printed by Order of the Trustees, 1901, p. cx. Available online at Forum Ancient Coins. 3. RPC III, 2401, rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2401. 4. Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 3 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190) (trans. Pearse).
Great write-up as always RC! I'll kick off the tread with this Vespasian Cypriot tet with a slightly different take on the temple. Vespasian AR Tetradrachm, 12.09g Antioch mint (for Cyprus), 75-76 AD Obv: AYTOKPATΩP OYЄCΠACIANOC KAICAP; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l. Rev: ЄTOYC NЄOY IЄPOY; Temple of Aphrodite at Paphos, in which conical xoanon; in exergue, H RPC 1803 (17 spec.). Ex Pegasi Numismatics VAuctions 36, 23 May 2017, lot 324
great coins n story RC...(um, isn't that reverse pic upside down?!?....just sayin'..and sorry for your non-win)
