A Shekel Lost in Time

After the First Punic War, Carthage had been stung with paying indemnities to Rome in 241 BCE. Carthage was destitute and could not pay their 60,000-man strong Mercenary Army in Sicily. After weeks of delaying and lying to the soldiers, their general and his staff came up with the brilliant idea of transporting the Mercenary Army to Africa near Carthage... After landing, there were more payment delaying tactics and lack of fulfilling promises. Finally, after weeks of frustration with no pay, the Mercenaries revolted into what turned into a brutal 3-year war between a hastily drawn up Carthage Army against her Mercenary Army. Generals crucified, soldiers betrayed, promises flagrantly broken, deception, treachery, and about all the low-based tactics were used on both sides. Eventually, Carthage won the war...

Wikipedia does not even touch on some of the human brutality that I have read in various books and sources on this war. But they have a reasonable overview:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary_War

I am often amazed how these major Human events get lost in the obscurity of time. If you imagined yourself at that time, and were put into this situation, it would have a monumental impact on you.

I recently received an AR Shekel that Carthage probably paid their OWN Carthaginian-blood troops:


Carthage Zeugitania
Libyan / Mercennary / Truceless War Revolt
AR Shekel 24mm 7.34g
241-238 BCE
Obv: Wreathed Tanit head facing left
Rev: Horse standing, control mark and Punic M
SNG Cop 236

I love the feel of a Didrachm, Heavy Denarius, Stater, or a Shekel... They are approximately twice the weight of a Denarius, and they have the right "heft" in your hand. You "feel" like you hare holding a good coin.

POST ANY DIDRACHM, HEAVY DENARIUS, STATER, or SHEKEL that you enjoy!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Thank you! What a great story and coin!

 

Nice shekel. I have no shekels, but a couple of didrachms:

CAMPANIA, NEAPOLIS
AR Didrachm
OBVERSE: Head of nymph Parthenope right, wearing headband, pendant earring, and pearl necklace
REVERSE: Man-faced bull walking right, head facing, above Nike flying right to crown him // [NΕΟΠΟΛΙΤΗΣ]
Struck at Neapolis (Naples) 350-325 BC
7.3g, 20mm
SNG ANS 296-298. SNG Lockett 79. HN Italy 565
ex. JAZ Numismatics

ANTONIUS PIUS
AR Didrachm
OBVERSE: ANTWNEI-NOC CEBACTOC, laureate head right
REVERSE: YPAT B PAT PATR, Helios, holding globe and sceptre, standing atop Mt. Argaeus; * in exergue
Struck at Caesaria, Cappadocia, 139 AD
6.2g, 21mm
Syd 301c

 

Siculo Punic 300 BC Silver Tetradrachma struck at Entella Sicily 16,5 gr. 25mm used to pay the mercenary army for their service.

 

Great post Brian. The reverse on that coin is exceptional.

 

I always liked your Campania Didrachm - when I first saw yours, I got one "just to get it":


Campania Neapolis 320-300 BC AR Didrachm Nomos Nymph Achelous

 

Andre, that has been on my Target list for some time. I am remiss in capturing one. I have always enjoyed your posting of that gem. I am more attracted to the Siculo / Punic / Carthage / Zeugitania horses on their coins. Yours captures a lot of character.

I just got this guy because horse captured my attention (I also liked the sprues):


Carthage Zeugitana AE Shekel Tanit Horse Head Palm 18mm 4.8g sprues SNG Cop 173 (no pellet below)

 

Great post and write up!

 

Not at all bad, Aleg, even if the story is rather eery! Your horse has it's whole body on, mine has only the head. I wouldn't have wanted to enlist in a Carthagan army- any of them! Being a dunce in the class, I cannot submit a coin photo. Just some details.
It was bought from a dealer at a Coin Fair. "North Africa. Carthage. Minted in Sardinia c.300 - 264 BC. Head of Tanit left. Horse head right." The horse is reasonably clear, Tanit quite distinct. Probably my most ancient coin.

 

Nice coin and great post.

 

That's very interesting from a historical standpoint and a nice coin with a lot of eye-appeal!

I have nothing relevant to share.

 

A day in the life of pretty much any human that existed throughout history would have a monumental impact on us. Hell, a day in the life of most people living today would have the same effect.

For me, there is a major psychological benefit to learning about history. The more you learn, the more you realize that modern, Western Civilization inhabitants have defaulted to a rather extreme deviation from the traditional human condition. We all bitch about our problems, in-equality, unfairness, etc, etc. But, while we all deal with truly tragic situations from time to time, none of us have ever had to live with real oppression, starvation, and/or brutality, at least to the extent most others have.

When I start getting upset about my first world problems, "WHY HASN'T MY COIN ARRIVED IN THE MAIL YET!!! ", I can put things into the perspective of this bigger picture and realize that my problems aren't really worth getting upset about. Hell, the fact that I even have expendable resources to spend on things as frivolous as coins means that my life is better than 99.9% of humans that have ever lived. Just be happy that you aren't being starved, whipped, and forced to do unspeakable things while worrying that someone will murder you or your family at any second. That's closer to the average human condition that has existed throughout history.

 

I've got even less relevant to share !

 

I very much agree. My career has blessed me with travelling to, and travelling within MANY Third World countries. I did this in the last 30 years of my career. It is quite humbling, but at the same time I have learned that Happiness is Universal, if you so choose to embrace it. In some of the more abject poverty stricken areas, I saw many happy faces, warm personalites that greeted me, and wondeful people worldwide.

 

@Alegandron , thanks, the tet developted a nice dark blue color over the years, paid 700 euros back then.

3 more animals:

 

Frivolous? You jest!

 

Exactly! It's an old adage, "You can't buy happiness", but it's one that most people don't fully grasp. Happiness isn't really even the right word, it's contentment that we all truly seek. A person that is content with what they have can be happy. A person that perpetually seeks more wealth is, by definition, not content.

There are basic requirements that must be met to achieve this condition, basically food, water, shelter, and some assurance of security. I certainly respect people that are content with the basic requirements, but in truth, it is born of ignorance in a way. I fear that I could no longer be content with life if I didn't have 24/7 access to my high speed internet. I guess I'm spoiled beyond repair .

 

That's a great, coin @Alegandron!! As our Carthage expert, I'd love to see your list of key historical events/periods that should be represented in a complete history-based run of Carthaginean coins. I have been trying to improve my collection on this front this year, but haven't yet had any luck.

Here's my favourite didrachm. Nothing to do with Carthage, though! (Rhodes, 250-230 BCE.)

 

I am a huge List Maker.

LOL, for my HOBBY, as opposed to my career, I really do NOT make lists. I love History, especially ANCIENT History, particularly The Roman Republic and Alexander the Great. I started researching all this tension and fighting that the Roman Republic had with Carthage. I realized they were another World Power that COULD HAD been, however, they were made EXTINCT by Rome. Wow, what were the Romans so terrified of? Who scared them so badly for almost 150 years, and to the point they EXTERMINATED a City of approx 700,000 people and systematically RAZED it to the bedrock? (Less than 50,000 of them were sold into slavery.)

I reckon that became a list item in my Hobby!

I collect Etruria Coins cuz they were the people who probably started Rome.


Etruria Populonia AR 5 Asses 3rd C BCE 2.0g Young Hd L V behind HN 173 Vecchi Rasna III 52 Vecchi Etruscan 91.6 ex NAC 29 No 9 RARE

My hobby is purely for fun!

 

In this weight class, two of my favorites are this 7.07g nomos of Sybaris


and this 6.8g didrachm of Velia.

The two are separated in date by ~150 years and the Sybaris is twice as wide as the chunky Velia. Both would be more beautiful in better condition but I go for budget coins.