Weapons on Ancient Coins

Earlier this month, Mike Markowitz wrote an article for Coin Week about weapons on ancient coins. The article is illustrated with some interesting and fun coins. Of course there are thousands to choose from.

Here's one that has a couple of different kinds of weapons on it: A bow with a quiver and a club.

Alexander III, 336-323 BC.
Greek Æ 18.3 mm, 5.92 g, 8 h.
Macedonia, Philippi, c. 336-323 BC.
Obv. Head of Heracles right, wearing lion's skin headdress.
Rev. AΛEΞANΔPOY; above, bow and quiver, and below, club / Π.
Refs: Price 311, Bellinger 123.

Let's see some weaponry on coins!

 

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Does a spear count ?


L. Procilius L.F., Denarius - Rome mint, 80 BC
Laureate head of Jupiter right, S . C behind
Juno Sospita right holding spear and shield. A snake at her feet. L . PROC[ILI/F] behind
3.77 gr
Ref : RCV # 306, RSC, Procilia # 1

Q

 

Pointy and used to kill people. I think it counts

 

My favorite weapon, the trident!

 

P. Fonteius P.f. Capito. (55 B.C.)
AR Denarius
O: Helmeted and draped bust of Mars right, with trophy over shoulder; P • FONTEIVS • P • F • CAPITO • III • VIR around.
R:Warrior on horseback galloping right, thrusting spear at kneeling enemy in Gallic helmet, who holds sword in right hand and shield in left; to lower left, a second enemy warrior kneeling right; Gallic helmet and shield to lower right; (MN) • FO(NT) • TR • MIL above.
Rome Mint
4.02g
17mm
Crawford 429/1; Sydenham 900; Fonteia 17; BMCRR Rome 3851-5; RBW 1536.

The moneyer was likely a nephew of Manius Fonteius and possibly a friend of Cicero. The reverse probably depicts the exploits of his uncle while governor of Narbonese Gaul, 76 - 73 B.C. His uncle was also a moneyer, striking c. 85 B.C.



Elagabalus (218 - 222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O.: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right, from behind.
R.: PM T R P IIII COS III P P, Sol radiate, half-draped, with flying cloak, advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip; in field, star.
Rome mint, AD 220-221
20mm
3.49g
RIC IVb Elagabalus 40 (p. 31)

Reverse Die Clash

 

Here's one I haven't posted for a while but which is one of my favorites.



Hemidrachm (Gold, 3.95 g 12), c. 380. Bearded head of Dionysos to left, wearing ivy wreath. Rev. Herakles, wearing lion-skin headdress, kneeling to right, shooting an arrow from his bow; to right, West pl. 4, 30 var. (same obverse die but with the letter on the reverse). Very rare. Of splendid classical style; perfectly struck and centered.

From the Star collection, ex Numismatica Ars Classica 8, 3 April 1995, 235, Bank Leu 25, 23 April 1980, 91 and Bank Leu 2, 25 April 1972, 136.

 

Of course we can't overlook the dragger .

 

Great coin and idea RC!
Here's a rare little weapon:

ThessalianLeague, Thessaly,Greece, c. 170 B.C. GB84862. Bronze chalkous, Warren, "Two Notes," NC 1961, pl. I, 11; BCD Thessaly II 24.2; HGC 4 236; Rogers 4 var., VF, dark green patina, cleaning scratches, earthen deposits, Demetrias(?) mint, weight 2.535g, maximum diameter 14.7mm, c. 170 B.C.; obverse Macedonian shield with star in central boss; reverse kestrosphendone (dart sling) with dart inside, ΘEΣΣA/ΛΩN divided in two lines, the first above, ending below; ex John Jencek;
"The object on the reverse was long considered somewhat mysterious. Roger identified it as a lyre. Robinson suggested a diadem or more probably a sling. Warren argued it is a stylized depiction of a dart sling, or Kestrosphendone, a weapon first introduced during the Third Macedonian War between Rome and Perseus of Macedon. Warren suggests this type was struck at Demetrias, under orders from Perseus, to commemorate the success of the weapon."

 

How about some war elephants?


Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 17.08 g, 8 h), Susa, circa 296/5-281. Laureate head of Zeus to right. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣEΛEΥKOΥ Athena, brandishing spear overhead in her right hand and holding shield in her left, standing right in quadriga of elephants moving to right; above to right, spearhead; before elephants, monogram of MΩ. SC 177.2.
Ex Leu.

Or, as a cheaper option, you could just run them over with a horse.

Kings of Paeonia, Patraos AR Tetradrachm. Uncertain Paeonian mint (Astibus or Damastion?), circa 335-315 BC. Laureate head of Apollo to right / Warrior on horse rearing to right, spearing enemy who defends himself with raised shield; bukranion to left, ΠATPAOY (retrograde) around. Paeonian Hoard I, 227 (same dies). 12.46g, 24mm, 1h.
Ex Roma

 

Obv:– Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under chin. Behind head, hunter's net
Rev:– Gryphon running right; in ex., L. PAPI.; in field, two spears
Minted in Rome from . B.C. 79.
Reference(s) – RSC Papia 1. RRC 384/1. RCTV 311.
Symbol variety – RRC 19. Babelon 100. BMCRR 19



Obv:– Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under chin. Behind head, crossbow bolt.
Rev:– Gryphon running right; in ex., L. PAPI.; in field, front view of crossbow
Minted in Rome from . B.C. 79.
Reference:– RSC Papia 1. RRC 384/1. RCTV 311.
Symbol variety – RRC 92. Babelon 75. BMCRR 92. CNR: unknown.



Obv:– Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under chin. Behind head, Harpa
Rev:– Gryphon running right; in ex., L. PAPI.; in field, Winged Petasos
Minted in Rome from . B.C. 79.
Reference(s) – RSC Papia 1. RRC 384/1. RCTV 311.
Symbol variety – RRC 150. Babelon 149. BMCRR -.

Symbols of Mercury.

 

Any representations of scorpions or ballistas out there? Both used by the Romans as early forms of artillery pieces.

 

Shield and spear

Gallienus AR Antoninianus. Mediolanum (Milan) Mint 260-268 AD. Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG Radiate head right. Reverse: VIRTV-S AVG Soldier, helmeted, in military attire, standing left, resting right hand on shield and holding spear in left hand. References: RICV Gallienus 534


Haste

GALLIENVS PF AVG. Radiated and armored bust of Gallienus on the left, seen from three quarters in front with shield and holding a haste on the left shoulder (F1). GERMANICVS MAX V.Arms trophy with a captive on each side.Reverse translation: “Germanicus Maximus quintum”, (Winner of the Germans for the fifth time).
RIC V Gallienus (joint reign)18

Parazonium

Constantine I (306-337 AD) for Constantinus II Caesar. AE Nummus (18 mm, 2.83 g), Treveri, c. 322.
Obv. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, Laureate bust to left, wearing ornate trabea, holding Victory on globe in right hand and parazonium in left.
Rev. BEATA TRANQVILLITAS, Large globe on an altar inscribed VO/TIS/XX; three stars above, •STR• dot in exergue.
RIC 382

Another sturdy spear


Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM. Head of Marcus Aurelius, laureate, right. Rev:TR P XXX IMP VIII COS III. Mars, helmeted, naked except for cloak flying behind, advancing right, holding transverse spear in right hand and trophy, sloped over left shoulder, in left hand
RIC III Marcus Aurelius 349

Bipennis

Lydia, Thyateira
Obv: laureate head of Apollo right / Rev: ΘΥΑΤΕΙ / ΡΗΝ-ΩΝ, ethnic above and across handle of bipennis (double-axe), palm-branch to right.
Cf. SNG Cop 571 ; Cf. Klein 578; Cf. SNG Von Aulock 3200

Labrys

Islands off Troas, Tenedos AR Obol. Circa 5th Century BC. Janiform head of female, facing left, and bearded male (Philonome and Tenes), facing right / Labrys (double axe) within shallow incuse; T-E across fields. SNG München 340; SNG Copenhagen 509; HGC 6, 387; SNG von Aulock 7666.

Quiver, spear, bow


PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Darios I to Xerxes II (ca 485-420 BC) AR Siglos, Sardes mint.
Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys , quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear and bow
Rev: Incuse punch.
Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XII, 17); Meadows, Administration 322; BMC Arabia pl. XXV, 17; Sunrise 25
5,44 g, 17 mm

Harpa


PONTOS. Amisos AE29 Time of Mithradates VI Eupator, ca 105-90 or 90-85 BC
Helmeted head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos
Rev: AMI - ΣOY - Perseus standing left, holding harpa and head of Medusa, whose decapitated body lies at his feet; monogram to left and right.
SNG BM Black Sea 1169-72; HGC 7, 238.
18,30 g, 30 mm

The club must have been a formidable weapon, if handled by Herakles himself

Lydia. Blaundos circa 200-0 BC.
Bronze Æ
12 mm, 2,04 g
Obv: Head of Herakles right, bearded / Rev MΛAYNΔE ΘEOTIMIΔO (or MΛAYNΔEΩN ΘEOTIMIΔO); club
IMHOOF LS S50,4(1) / COLL IMHOOF(1) ; BMC 16 S42,5(1)

...and another spear and shield, my latest acquisition, as I was lacking a Constantinopolis commemorative.


City Commemoratives AD 330-354. Siscia
Follis Æ
17 mm, 2,31 g
RIC VII Siscia 224
Obv: CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS, bust of Constantinopolis, laureate, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak, left, holding reversed spear in right hand / Rev: Victory, winged, draped, standing left on prow, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand. Mintmark BSIS

 

Here is one I can join in on!
I will say that everyone elses are much cooler, though
Can't take any photos right now because I'm stuck outside Walmart sucking off their WIFI while my car gets fixed across the street (only 3 hours left!)

This is all I have imaged, apparently (sold these a couple months ago). I have many more nicer coins to share with weapons! Wish I could show my fallen horseman, worn slick obverse but the reverse is of rather nice style.

 

Good question. The closest thing I can think of is the bronze ram on the prow of a warship. Like you, I am fascinated by the use of any kind of artillery but I am not aware that any wound up on any Ancient coins. I hope I am wrong and somebody will find some and post them. Maybe an onager, too.

 

@Cucumbor ; @JayAg47 ; @Mat ; @AncientJoe ; @Al Kowsky ; @Ryro ; @kirispupis ; @maridvnvm ; @ancient coin hunter ; @ambr0zie

Fun thread, @Roman Collector and beautiful coins, all of you. Here are a couple of tridents.



And just for laughs. Sorry, I couldn’t resist—

 

While not the most lethal of all weapons, this Rhoemetalkes of Bosporos (131-153 AD) AE27, '48' has a nice assortment especially if you allow the helmet and horse as weapons.

 

Maybe that equine actually is an onager, a real one.

 

Somer 'foreign' weaponry:

 

A sword used to decapitate someone:

Roman Republic, M. Sergius Silus, AR Denarius, 116-115 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Roma right; EX S C before, ROMA and X with cross-bar (monogram for XVI [re-tariffed den. value of 16 copper asses]) behind / Rev. Horseman galloping left, holding sword and severed head of Gallic barbarian in left hand; Q below horse’s front legs and M SERGI/SILVS below. RSC I Sergia 1a (ill.), Crawford 286/1; Sydenham 544, Sear RCV I 163 (ill.), BMCRR Italy 512. 18 mm., 3.82 g. [Photo of reverse only; I still have to photograph the obverse.]



Three swords:

Roman Republic, Q. Thermus M.f., AR Denarius 103 BCE. Obv. Head of Mars left with crested, plumed helmet/ Rev. Roman soldier advancing right, fighting with uplifted sword a barbarian soldier before him, while protecting with shield a fallen comrade at his feet, Q THERM.MF. in exergue (THE and MF in monograms). RSC I Minucia [Q. Minucius Rufus] 19 (ill.), Crawford 319/1, Sear RCV I 198 (ill.), BMCRR Italy 653. 19.4 mm., 3.97 g.



Bow, quiver, and hunting spear:

Roman Republic, C. Postumius, AR Denarius, Rome 74 BCE. Obv. Bust of Diana R. w/ bow and quiver, figure of stag’s head at end of bow (horns to left) / Rev. Hound running R., hunting spear below, “C POSTUMI TA” [TA in monogram] in exergue. RSC I Postumia 9, Crawford 394/1a, Sear RCV I 330, Harlan, RRM I Ch. 18 at pp. 109-112, BMCRR Rome 3238.



Spear and sword:

Roman Republic, Publius Fonteius P.f. Capito, AR Denarius 55 BCE [Harlan: 54 BCE], Rome mint. Obv. Helmeted and draped bust of Mars with slight beard, right, with trophy over far shoulder, P•FONTEIVS•P•F•CAPITO•III•VIR counter-clockwise around / Rev. Helmeted and caped Roman soldier on horseback galloping right, thrusting his spear down at helmeted Gallic warrior crouching beneath horse, holding his shield up with left hand to try to fend off horse, and thrusting sword with his right hand at unarmed captive to left; the captive’s Gallic helmet [and shield, off flan] sailing off to lower right; MN•FONT•TR•MIL clockwise above. Crawford 429/1, RSC I Fonteia 17, Sear RCV I 392 (ill.), Sydenham 900, Harlan RRM II Ch, 22 at pp. 174-175 [Harlan, Michael, Roman Republican Moneyers and Their Coins 63 BCE-49 BCE (2nd Revised Edition 2015)]. 17.8 mm., 3.97 g. (Purchased from Zuzim Inc., Brooklyn, NY, Aug. 2020. Ex: Roma Numismatics, E-Sale 54, Feb. 28, 2019, Lot 558 [see https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5704785]; Ex: Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 100, May 29, 2017, Lot 329 [see https://www.biddr.com/auctions/nac/browse?a=131&l=114088]; Ex: Gerhard Hirsch Auction 168, Nov. 22-24, 1990, Munich, Lot 434. Formerly in NGC slab, Cert. No. 4629554-001, Graded Ch. AU, Strike: 4/5, Surface 4/5.) [Footnotes omitted.]



A falx:

Trajan AR Denarius, 106 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian in peaked cap with wide brim, seated right on shield in mournful attitude with left elbow on raised left knee, and face resting in left hand; below, curved Dacian sword (falx) right; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. RIC II 219 (http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219); RSC II 529; Sear RCV II 3168 (obv. var.); BMCRE 175 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584). 17 mm., 3.02 g., 6 h.



Lance and horse's hooves:

Probus, silvered billon Antoninianus, Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria] Mint, 3rd Officina, 4th emission, 280-281 AD [Gysen]. 277 AD (Sear). Obv. Cuirassed bust left wearing radiate helmet, holding spear and shield, transverse leather strap across chest, IMP C M AVR PROBVS PF AVG / Rev. Probus on horseback, shield in left hand, galloping right, about to slay an enemy with a lance held in right hand; the enemy is on his knees under the horse's front hooves with his hands thrust upwards, his shield on the ground under the horse, VIRTVS PROBI AVG; in exergue, KA•Γ• (Serdica Mint, Officina 3) (KA= XXI =[20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V-2 Probus 877G( Γ) (p. 113); Cohen 917; Probuscoins.fr 2667 (https://probuscoins.fr/coin?id=2667); Pink [Karl Pink 1949], 277, 4th emission; P. Gysen type: VIR-1 [Philippe Gysen, New data concerning the Serdica workshop during the reign of Probus, in Revue belge de numismatique , CXLVI, Brussels, 2000] (re-dating Serdica Emission 4 at 280-281 AD). 24.31 mm., 3.26 g.



Deadly hands, and a sling:

Aspendos, Pamphylia, Asia Minor, AR Stater ca. 380/75-330/25 BCE (Tekin, 4th Series [see fn.]). Obv. Two standing wrestlers, naked, grappling with legs spread apart and heads touching; wrestler on left grasps his opponent’s left wrist with his right hand, and left elbow with his left hand; wrestler on right grasps his opponent’s left arm with his right hand; letters “KI” [for name of minting magistrate] in field between wrestlers, below knee level / Rev. Slinger wearing short chiton, standing with trunk in facing position, head and legs in profile facing right, legs held straight with feet apart, left arm extended forward holding sling with left thumb, right arm drawing sling back with elbow bent; triskeles in right field with legs running left; ΕΣΤϜΕΔΙΙΥΣ [adjectival form of city name Estwediius in Pamphylian dialect of Ancient Greek] upwards behind slinger; all contained within square dotted border. SNG Copenhagen 226 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 31, Lycia, Pamphylia (Copenhagen 1955)]; SNG Von Aulock II 4557 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 2: Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia (Berlin 1962)];.BMC 19 Lycia 45-46 [both with initials “KI” on obv.] [Hill, G.F. A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia (London, 1897) at p. 99]; Sear GCV Vol. II 5397 (obv. var. -- diff. magistrate’s initials) [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. II, Asia & Africa (Seaby 1979) at p. 491], 26 mm., 10.96 g. Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 217th Buy or Bid Sale, 17 Sep. 2021, Lot 132; ex. Spina Collection, purchased by Dr. Spina from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. on 7 March 2001 at coin show in Baltimore, MD. Link to video of coin: . [Footnote omitted.]

 

Another trident...

Septimius Severus, A.R. Denarius, Rome mint, 210 C.E.

3.3 grams, 19.1 mm

Obverse: Laureate head right, SEVERVS PIVS AVG

Reverse: PMTRP XVIII COS III PP

Neptune standing left, nude but for cloak over left shoulder and right arm, right foot on rock, right arm resting on right knee, trident vertical behind in left hand.