“Get to the “Point”, Spears in the ancient world... on coins!

Elagabalus (with furrowed brow), MARS VICTOR (with sharp spear and amazing calves)

 

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Early Spears:


Makedon Perdikkos II 454-413 BC AR heavy tetrobol 2-4g 15mm 12h Makedon mint 437-431 BC horseman holding two spears prancing Raymond 184ff SNG ANS 47ff



Sicily Kamarina AR litra 11mm 0.56g 461-440 BCE Nike flying swan below within wreath Athena spear shield SNG ANS 1212-6

 

Here are a slew of spears....

 

Two coins of Crispus , son of Constantine , with military busts carrying a spear

 

Great coins @panzerman - is that Constans II in there? If so a lot better design than his folles. They must have had different pay grades for the celators.

 

I have a number of coins showing spears (sometimes just as control-symbols). But first I'll post a couple of photos of one of my Attic black-figure lekythoi, dating to approximately 525-500 BCE, belonging to the Little Lion Class, with two hounds on the shoulder and showing four warriors fighting with spears. (I've previously posted some group pictures showing this black-figure lekythos together with two others I own. I purchased this one from Royal Athena in March 1986. It's about 4" tall.)





Now for some coins with spears.

1. Corinth AR Stater. Circa 375-345 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying left, Q below / Rev: Helmeted head of Athena left; control-symbols behind head: N and Ares standing left holding shield and spear. Pegasi 376; Ravel 1056; BCD Corinth 121; SNG Copenhagen 121. 21mm, 8.46 g., 6h. gVF/VF, Ex Roma Numismatics 9.



2. Roman Republic, L. Procilius L.f., AR Denarius, 80 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Jupiter R., S C behind/ Rev. Juno Sospita advancing R., holding shield in left hand and hurling spear with right hand; snake before; behind, L. PROCILI/F downwards. RSC I Procilia 1 (ill.), Crawford 379/1, Sydenham 771, Sear RCV I 306 (ill.). 19.5 mm., 3.6 g.




3. Roman Republic, C. Postumius, AR Denarius, Rome 74 BCE. Obv. Bust of Diana R. w/ bow and quiver/ Rev. Hound running R., hunting spear below, “C POSTUMI TA” in exergue. RSC I Postumia 9, Crawford 394/1, Sear RCV I 330. 18 mm., 3.83 g.



4. Roman Republic, C. Hosidius C.f. Geta, AR Denarius, 68 BCE. Obv. Diademed and draped bust of Diana R., bow and quiver over shoulder, GETA before, III VIR behind/ Rev. Wild boar of Calydon r., pierced in shoulder by spear and attacked by hound beneath, C. HOSIDI C F in exergue. RSC I Hosidia 1 (ill.), Crawford 407/2, Sydenham 903, Sear RCV I 346 (ill.). 18 mm., 3.91 g.




5. Caracalla AR Denarius 210 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Caracalla right, ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT/ Rev. Virtus, helmeted, draped, standing right, left foot on helmet, holding spear in right hand and parazonium in left hand, PONTIF TR P XIII COS III. (Thirteenth anniversary as ordained heir.) RIC IV-1 117B, RSC III 478. 19 mm., 3.01 g.



6. Gordian III AR Denarius, 240 AD [TRP III]. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG / Rev. Gordian on horseback left, holding spear & raising hand, PM TR P III COS PP. RIC IV-3 81, RSC IV 234 (ill. p. 7 & on book jacket). 18 mm., 3.59 g.



I'm leaving out my Probus coins with spears, because I posted images of them fairly recently.

 

And one more:

7. Julian II, AE Centenionalis, 361-63 AD, Sirmium Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand, shield in left, D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG / Rev. VOT/X/MVLT/XX in four lines within wreath. In exergue: BSIRM. RIC VIII Sirmium 108, Cohen VIII 151, Sear RCV V 19172. 20.3 mm, 3.393 g.

 

Ruler: Septimius Severus (Augustus)
Coin: AR Denarius
SEVERVS PIVS AVG - Laureate head right.
PM TRP XVI COS III PP - Concordia seated left holding patera and spear.
Mint: Rome (208 AD)
Wt./Size: 2.80g / 20mm
References:

• RIC 218
• RCV 6344

 

Thank you!
The Solidus is from Constantine IV/ one of his (Constans III) sons This one came from unknown Western Mint city.

 

I did look at the coin again and saw that the legend is closer to Constantine, but still blundered a bit.

 

Wonderful coins and lekythoi, @DonnaML ! Very nice.

 

You are right, most Solidi/ gold coins from Constantine IV have bad legends/ poorly struck/ esp. the ones from Syracuse/ Carthage Mints. Mint quality improved under Justinian II.

 

Where does one acquire an intact archaic Attic black-figure? Led alone, “one of my Attic black-figure“??
I keep a shard with my proto money and Ushabtis:


But your display, much like the exquisite piece you shared, blows mine away!
Mesmerizing Corinthian Stater btw.
Edit: scratch that. I see you posted, “Royal Athena in March 1986”. Good Provenance.

 

This certainly shows the weapon in the boar. Is there an ancient coin that shows a spear actually inside a human victim? Some of the falling horsemen are close but most are just 'impending'. This one from Rome struck me as unusual due to the shape of the spearhead. V shape is much more common than this leaf shape blade.

 

Thank you! Royal Athena Galleries is still around, and still has an active website. In fact, Jerome Eisenberg, who founded the company in 1942 (he originally dealt only in coins), is still alive and somewhat active the last I heard. (See his C.V. at http://www.royalathena.com/PAGES/intropages/introduction.html.) I also highly recommend Hixenbaugh Ancient Art (http://www.hixenbaugh.net/), where I have bought a number of antiquities as well over the years, including my two other (intact!) Attic black-figure lekythoi. See the photos I posted at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an...ts-thread-post-em.307997/page-17#post-4039891. One of these days, I'll post photos of some of my own ushabtis and other Egyptian antiquities. As I've mentioned, I've been collecting antiquities on a sporadic basis (when I have the money!)* since about 1981 -- long before I switched from a focus on British coins and historical medals and began actively collecting ancient coins.

Both places (especially Royal Athena) are generally more expensive than some of the other antiquities sellers you might find on the Internet, but you don't have to worry that you're buying a fake. In addition, you'll find that a number of the well-known German coin dealers (for example, Gorny & Mosch and Gerhard Hirsch) also deal in antiquities, and have occasional antiquities auctions.

* Just so I don't give the wrong impression, I am hardly a high-flying antiquities collector -- one of those people who don't hesitate to drop $100K or more on a single piece! In almost 40 years, the most I've ever spent on a single antiquity is about $2,500. And I've spent that much only a small handful of times.