I just ran into this coin and said to myself "Zeugitana!" and felt a bit of pride because Greek coins are usually like Chinese to me (heh!) Maybe there is yet hope that someday they'll finally "click" with me and I will start understanding and gaining a passion for them. Even though the silver and gold coinage of the Greeks are undeniably the most beautiful they remain to me exotic and unapproachable. If only there was some quick primer! It happens in other areas. My 90-year old Dad still holds out hope that I'll learn to appreciate wine and foreign movies. At the not-so-tender age of 50 he still facepalms seeing his kid drink Coke with his meals and preferring Hollywood flicks with big explosions. Oh well, if this is any indication, maybe there is some hope left for me! What coinage series do you not "get" but wish you did? Rasiel
I am in the same boat. I enjoy greek coins and on occasion buy them, but they are one of the least represented areas of ancients I own. I actually get Parthians & Byzantines more than Greeks, which is why I focus on them other than Roman. But Greek coins are really beautiful coins. I too drink mainly Dr. Pepper or Root Beer & I enjoy "B" movie/trash flicks. I really enjoyed "Killer Sofa" last year. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10927122/ Yes, that's the trash I watch at 41 years old.
I bid on my first Bactrian coin today. Lost, but oh well. More will come. I want to get into Bactria, Parthia and early medieval coins of western Europe. I enjoy reading «Coins of medieval Europe» by P. Grierson right now. As for drinking, a good single malt whisky will do. With a drop of water, no ice.
Mat, I'll 'see' your 'Killer Sofa' & raise you the 2007 Jess Weixler SunDance Film Festival winner, "Teeth" (Every Rose has It's Thorns)... OUCH! Watched best w/ an Orange Juice & Campari, J.T.
I saw that with my dad several years ago. He got me into the B flicks as a kid. The actual worse movies I ever saw was "Boxing Helena" and...Bell & Teds Bogus Journey, can't believe they're making a part 3 of it. Attack of the Killer Donuts was amusing like Couch. Cannibals and Carpet Fitters is another.
Yes, a lot of fun portraits! My impression is that they are also in fine artistic quality, and good metal quality. And there are no written annals of their history, if I’m not mistaken, so their coinage has been important in order for us to know about the Bactrian sivilisation. So what’s not to like? I want a Bactrian coin.
And there is always Ruggero Deodato's "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980) for a true Essence of Schlock. J.T.
That’s funny comparing Greek to Chinese. Cause I love Greek... And wish I understood Chinese. I wish I had the interest. But I do not. I can get down with coins not having portraits (and who doesn't love historical and mythological portraiture? Or even Ancient abstract, Celtic I'm looking at you). But when it's just writing on a coin, no matter how fancy the ancient font, I get bored and disinterested for the most part. That said, though Zeugitana had masterful celators it is Carthagenian. I've never considered them Greek (though it does get sticky with coins from Sicily during the ringer the Carthagenians were around). Ps, LOVE the ridiculous scurry movies. If you're looking for a hilarious ridiculous good time check out Satanic Panic! And to keep it legit, a fun recent classic Greek acquisition: THRACE. Thasos. Obol (Circa 411-350). Obv: Satyr in kneeling-running stance right, holding kantharos. Rev: ΘAΣIΩN. Amphora. SNG Copenhagen 1031. Condition: Near extremely fine. Weight: 0.62 g. Diameter: 11 mm. Holed Ex Savoca
Saw that too, I admit to developing a crush on Hayley Griffith. She seems pretty cool too, on Instagram at least. O'Connell wasn't in it enough.
SPAGHETTI MAN! Bhuvanaika Bahu CE 1273-1284 Æ Massa 3.9g 19mm King throne solar symbol altar flame lotus - King reclining sankh-conch Nagari-Sri Bhuvanaika Bahu MNI 851-52 Proud of you that you identified Zeugitana... but they weren’t Greek, they were CARTHAGE! A proud empire, later exterminated by the Romans due to their morbid fear of them. The Carthaginians were as Greek as the Romans were German. Africa, Zeugutana, Carthage Anonymous BCE 310-290 EL Dekadrachm - Stater 18.5mm, 7.27g Obverse: Wreathed head of Tanit left, eleven pendants on necklace; pellet before neck Reverse: Horse standing right; three pellets below exergue line Ref: MAA 12; SNG Copenhagen 136
HOWEVER, numismatically, if the coin ain’t Roman, numismatists called them Greeks. I just personally disagree with that myopic assumption. Hey, I know you know Ancient coins MUCH better than me! I just enjoy chasing the rabbit-holes of History. Had Carthage WON the Punic Wars, we would have probably had a Punic version of Western History.
Thank you! I believe the problem is there are many people who believe there are two kinds of ancient coins: Greek and Roman. If it is not Roman, then it must be Greek. We have quite a few options of what what I once called 'not so Greek' coins (may have used Greek words but were not Greek cultures) and others that were not in the least Greek or Roman. Then we have the Roman Provincials or Greek Imperials that were both. The modern world seems to believe that anything can be rendered in digital fashion (on/off, black/white) but many concepts of the coins require some gray areas or more than two options. I consider none of the below Greek or Roman but all are collectible. North - Britain West - Spain South - Aksum East - India
For the true B flick fan there is nothing better (or worse, depending on your point of view) than this.
I'd love to have one of those Carthaginian/Zeugitana electrum horsies one day, but it seems it is my destiny to remain forevermore in two- and three-figure price territory, not four-plus. *Side note- I knew it Zeugitana was Carthage, but just realized I've been misspelling it all this time, by adding an extra "i", as in "Zeugitania". Oops.
All good: Zeugitana and Zeugitania... I have seen it spelled / spelt BOTH ways. However, Wikipedia and other spells it as Zeugitana.
Interesting thread. Just over the past year or so I sometimes feel pretty proud of myself when I glance at a Greek AE picture and think - "Ah ha! Thessaly!" or "Seleucid something-or-other!" Which is to say I have a vague idea of what I am looking at when it comes to the common stuff. Two years ago they were all "Greek to me." But my ignorance remains almost totally intact when it comes to Islamic coins. From time to time I get lots mixed in with Byzantine/Roman stuff and as much as I like looking at the Islamic material, I find it very hard to attribute. The language/alphabet barrier is a high one for me. Here's an example - bought because of the 2 countermarks. The Constantius II was relatively easy to ID - but those Islamic AE's are in my "to do" box.
You just made me notice that I have been doing the same thing! So I had to go check and CNG used both about 50/50... I feel better now Edit: And now after reviewing my Carthage attributions, I noticed that I've often been listing my MAA references (Les Monnaies De L'afrique Antique, which I'm excited to have a copy enroute) as MMA lol. I guess I have UFC on the brain... But also we have started using MMA at work as an abbreviation for Mini Media Asset. Oh well, I guess I have some updating and reprinting in store.