I was delighted to recently acquire this fantastic Domitian bronze depicting the famous Mount Argaeus reverse. It being 24mm, this is one of the larger versions of the type struck under the Flavians. Certainly one of my favourite provincial reverse types! Domitian Æ25, 13.91g Caesarea (Cappadocia) mint, 95-96 AD Obv: ΑΥΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ ΓƐΡΜΑ; Head of Domitian, laureate, r. Rev: ƐΠΙ ΤΙΤ ΠΟΜ ΒΑϹϹΟΥ ΠΡƐϹΒƐΥ ƐΤ ΙƐ; Mount Argaeus RPC 1687 (11 spec.). Acquired from eBay, February 2022. This bronze featuring the ethnic reverse type of Mt. Argaeus surmounted by a figure was struck under the legatus Titus Pomponius Bassus during Domitian's last Cappadocian regnal year 95-96. The engravers presumably based the design on a standardised model, possibly a cult image. The figure's identity atop the mountain is uncertain - perhaps it's either Helios or the personification of the mountain itself. Either way, it's hard to match up the coin design with reality! Feel free to post your Mount Argaeus coins or any with a geological feature. Thank you for looking!
The representations of Mount Argaeus on coins seem to have evolved. Under Archelaos (3-4 AD) the mountain looked like a small pile of . (not my coin) In the early 3rd c. the mountain was figured surrounded by peaks which must be the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.
Going a few decades later, here is my only coin with Mt. Argaeus Bronze Æ Cappadocia, Caesarea, Antoninus Pius 20 mm, 7,12 g Obv: laureate head of Antoninus Pius, r. / Rev: ΚΑΙϹΑΡƐⲰΝ Τ Π ΑΡΓΑΙ ƐΤ ΚΑ, Mount Argaeus with tall conical top RPC IV 6838
An early Mount Argaeus bronze: CAPPADOCIA, Caesaria (AKA Eusebia), 36 BC - 17 AD or 101-89 BC (!!!), 7.04g, AE17 Provenance: H. C. Lindgren collection (but not in his published books) The obverse is a bit hard to see, but is an aegis that looks exactly like the aegis on aegis/Nike bronzes of Mithradates the Great. It looks so much alike that Imhoof-Blumer and Sydenham thought this obverse was a copy of Mithradates's coinage. Many authorities attribute this issue to Archelaus (36 BC - 17 AD), a Roman client and Cappadocia’s last king. Myself and others believe this coinage was struck after 101 BC when Mithradates the Great’s eight-year-old son Ariarathes IX governed Cappadocia. It seems unlikely that Archelaus, a Roman puppet, would use one of Mithradates’ coin types. H. Herrli’s assignment of the coin to Ariarathes IX, who reigned 101-89 BC, implies that the aegis design was used in Cappadocia directly before its adoption by Mithradates VI on his massive Pontic bronze issue. In other words, the common Pontic coin copies this coin. That is the opposite of Imhoof-Blumer and E. A. Sydenham’s speculation.
Nice big coin David. On many of these you can see the radiate crown of Sol. Here's mine, a drachm by Tiberius Laureate head of Tiberius to right. ΘΕΟΥ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ ΥΙΟΣ Mount Argaios surmounted by statue of Sol-Helios, radiate, holding globe in his right hand and long scepter with his left. Cappadocia; Caesaraea-Eusebi circa 17-32 CE 3.53g RPC I 3620. BMC 11
An agalma is a cult image or statue, often placed on an altar as a votive offering. Here is Mt. Argaeus as an agalma, characteristic of the coins of Caesarea in Cappadocia. These bronzes, approximately the size of an as, are very scarce compared to the drachms with similar reverse. CAPPADOCIA. Caesarea. Severus Alexander, AD 222-235. Æ29, 12.0g, 12h; struck AD 243. Obv.: AV K M AYΡ CEY AΛEXANΔΡO; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: MHTPO KAIC B N; Agalma of Mt. Argaeus placed on altar // ETς Ref.: Sydenham, Caesarea Suppl. 615a
Nice score! The Flavian issues from this mint seem to have excellent style generally. I have a number of examples with the Mount Argaeus reverse. Here is one of my recent buys: Cappadocia, Caesarea-Eusebia, Septimius Severus AR drachm 193-211 AD Struck regnal year 2 = 194 AD Obverse: AY Λ CЄΠ CЄOYHPOC; Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right. Reverse: MHTPO KAICAPIA / ЄT B; Mount Argaios surmounted by a star. Inscription transliteration (obverse): AU L SEP SEOUEROS Inscription translation (obverse): Au(tokrator) L(ucius) Sep(timius) Severus Inscription transliteration (reverse): METRO KAISAREA / ET B Inscription translation (reverse): Metro(polis) Kaisarea; "Of the Metropolis Caesarea" / Et(oys) 2; "Year 2" AYTOKP is an abbreviation of αὐτοκράτωρ, or "one who rules by himself," the Greek equivalent of Latin imperator. "C" is a late form of "Σ". Metropolis (μητρόπολις) is a Greek word coming from μήτηρ, meaning "mother" and πόλις, polis meaning "city" or "town." References: Henseler 334c; Sydenham 387. Size: 18mm Weight: 2.29g Condition: Very fine
I found it interesting that the Severan and later AE seemed to use the agalma while the AR issues show just the mountain as did the earlier AE. Exceptions? Certainly. This is my only Caesarea silver (didrachm? 4.2g) with Domna as widow (ETK). Anyone have a nice one?
