A Tour of Ancient Asia Minor

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Sulla80, Dec 1, 2020.

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  1. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    I've mentioned a few times in posts this year, that my collecting took a side-trip to Asia Minor or the Anatolian peninsula. Anatolia a non-specific description from Greek Ἀνατολή, meaning "The East", or the region east of Greece. Here's a map of my Anatolian coins.

    While most of these coins have been posted here before, it is satisfying to see them organized together.
    Asia Minor Set.jpg

    For more information on these coins, I have posted a note here. I will also add this bonus coin from Cilicia 150-50 BC to make up for including a silver coin from this region in the map above.
    CILICIA Seleukeia Kalykadnon.jpg
    Cilicia, Seleukeia ad Kalykadnon, AE, circa 150-50 BC
    Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right, torch below chin, monograms behind head
    Rev: ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΩΙ ΚΑΛΥΚΑΔΝΩΙ, Nike advancing left, holding branch; ΔH under monogram to left
    Size: 10.22g, 22mm

    Post your coins of Asia Minor, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2020
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's a broad category and it is a great choice for a specialty collection! It certainly kept Henry Clay Lindgren busy his whole life. Three of the coins chosen for my top 10 list this year are from Asia Minor:


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    Philip II as Caesar, AD 244-247.
    Roman provincial Æ 25.2 mm, 7.72 g, 6 h.
    Phrygia, Laodicea ad Lycum, Sardis Workshop, AD 244-247.
    Obv: •Μ•ΙΟVΛΙ••ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ•Κ•, bare headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip II, right, seen from front.
    Rev: ΛΑΟΔΙΚЄ|ΩΝ ΝЄ|ΩΚΟΡΩΝ, river Caprus as boar and river Lycus as wolf seated back to back, heads facing each other.
    Refs: BMC 25.324,260 (same rev. die); RG 6326 (same obv. die); RPC VIII unassigned, ID 20777; SNG Cop 607; SNG Leypold 1678.

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    Gordian III, AD 238-244.
    Roman Provincial Æ 35 mm, 26.72 g, 6 h.
    Pisidia, Antioch, AD 238-244.
    Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III, r., seen from rear.
    Rev: COL CAES ANTIOCH, S-R, Mên standing r., wearing Phrygian cap, foot on bucranium, holding scepter and Victory (standing r., on globe, holding trophy), resting elbow on column; behind his shoulders, crescent; to l., rooster standing, l.
    Refs: RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 3431); Krzyżanowska XXII/94; BMC xix.187, 70.

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    Troas, Sigeion, c. 335 BC.
    Greek Æ 12.2 mm, 2.37 g, 5 h.
    Obv: Head of Athena facing slightly right, wearing triple crested helmet and necklace.
    Rev: ΣΙΓΕ, owl standing right, head facing; crescent to left.
    Refs: BMC 17.86,7-10; SNG von Aulock 7637; SNG Ashmolean 1214–6; SNG Copenhagen 496–8; Sear 4145.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2020
  4. Carl Wilmont

    Carl Wilmont Well-Known Member

    Getting this west coast city represented here:

    [​IMG]

    Ionia. Ephesos. Hadrian AD 117-138.
    Bronze Æ. 21 mm., 5.89 g.
    Laureate head right. / Statue of Artemis Ephesia within tetrastyle temple.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2020
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  5. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    One of my favorite sub-sets within Greek coinage is the satrapal coinage of Cilicia under Achaemenid authority; not quite on the level of Sicily, but at times a close second.

    All obols, about 9-10mm coins!

    Bust of Persian king (Artaxerxes III?) / Pegasus
    20180723_Cilicia-obol-unknown-persian-king-pegasus.jpg

    Unknown Satrap & wife or goddess
    20180723_Cilicia-obol-unknown-satrap-SNG-Cop-537.jpg

    Unknown Satrap / wife or goddess
    20180723_Cilicia-unknown-satrap-facing-traite-135.jpg

    Athena / Tyche?
    Cilicia uncertain hemiobol Athena turreted goddess.jpg

    Herakles / Aphrodite
    Cilicia unknown Herakles aphrodite.jpg

    Facing Herakles / Aphrodite?
    Cilicia unknown hemiobol Herakles facing venus R.jpg

    This one is of the great general Datames, with his Aramaic name TRKMW, Tarkumuwa Cilicia obol datames arethusa.jpg
     
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  6. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    Lindgren & Varbanov have both been useful tour guides this year. Great to see Troas, and Pisidia (I think I've already expressed envy of that reverse), @Roman Collector, and Ionia, @Carl Wilmont, which are missing. @Finn235 love the Cilician silver collection! Here's another missing from the map: Lycoania
    More on this coin in "Perseus, St. Paul, and Antoninus Pius"
    Iconium Antoninus Pius .jpg
    Lykaonia, Iconium, Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161, Bronze Æ
    Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Antoninus Pius right.
    Rev: COL ICO, helmeted and draped bust of Athena right
    Size: 17.6mm, 3.58g, 12h
    Ref:
    RPC IV online 7259; Lindgren 1378
     
  7. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    A couple from Mytilene.

    normal_Mytilene.jpg Lesbos, Mytilene. Antoninus Pius AE18
    Obv: ΑVΤ ΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ΑΝΤΩΝƐΙΝ[ΟС?] / Laureate head of Antoninus Pius, r.
    Rev: ΜVΤΙΛΗΝΑΙΩΝ / female figure (Aphrodite?) standing, facing, head, l., holding patera and transverse sceptre.
    RPC IV, 2627

    ad2a.jpg Lesbos, Mytilene. Hemidrachm (Circa 350-250 BC).
    Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right.
    Rev: MY / T-I. Lyre.
     
  8. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    TROAS
    upload_2020-12-2_10-45-12.png
    Troas Tenedos late 5th-early 4th C BCE AR Obol 8mm 0.60g Janiform Hera-Zeus - Labrys within incus sq RARE SNG Ash 1235 HGC 6 387


    upload_2020-12-2_10-46-6.png
    TROAS Neandria AR Obol 4thC BCE 0.56g 8mm Laur hd Apollo r - NEA N Ram stdng right within incuse sq SNG Cop 446


    upload_2020-12-2_10-46-47.png
    Troas Birytis 350-300 BCE Æ 9mm1.21g Hd Kabeiros L pileos - two stars above Club within wreath SNG Cop 249 Left



    Breakthrough Discovery: Karahan Tepe is Older Than Göbekli Tepe
    https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/karahan-tepe-0014605
    upload_2020-12-2_10-42-46.png
     
  9. Pavlos

    Pavlos You pick out the big men. I'll make them brave!

    Great overview @Sulla80! I really enjoy your write ups about mints from Asia Minor. Asia Minor has a lot of history.

    Here some selected pieces from Asia Minor:

    [​IMG]
    Iconion, Lycaonia. Bronze AE, 1st Century B.C.
    Obverse:
    Bust of Perseus right, wearing winged and griffin-crested helmet, harpa and head of Medusa over left shoulder.
    Reverse: Zeus seated left, nude to the waist, himation around hips and legs, thunderbolt in extended right hand, long scepter vertical in left hand, ЄIKONIЄΩN downward on right.
    Reference: vA Lykaoniens 195, SNG BnF 2270 corr. (same rev. die), SNG Tüb 4512, SNG Cop 2 var. (magistrate), SNGvA 5384 var. (same).
    4.61;19mm

    [​IMG]
    Caria, Rhodos. AR Diobol, circa 275-250 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Radiate head of Helios right.
    Reverse: P-O Two rose buds; above, Phrygian helmet.
    Reference: Ashton series 3, 78-79. Karl 458-460. SNG Copenhagen 744. SNG Keckman 519-522. SNG Munich 589.
    0.96g; 10mm

    [​IMG]
    Kings of Galatia. Amyntas. AE Bronze. 39-25 BC.
    Obverse:
    Head of bearded Herakles to right with club over his shoulder; behind E, C.
    Reverse: Lion walking to right with open jaws; B above, monogram of Amyntas in the exergue.
    Reference: SNG France 2378. RPC I 3505.
    12.34g

    [​IMG]
    Ionia. Phokaia. AR Diobol, circa 521-478 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Head of a nymph to left, wearing sakkos adorned with a central band and circular earring.

    Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Reference: Klein 452. SNG Copenhagen 389-94. SNG Kayhan 522.
    1.32g; 10mm

    [​IMG]
    Ephesos, Ionia. AR Drachm, ca. 500-420 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Bee with curved wings, EΦ-[EΣION]
    Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square
    Reference: SNG Kayhan 140
    3,20g; 14mm

    [​IMG]
    Pontos, Chabacta. AE. Time of Mithradates VI Eupator, circa 85-65 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Head of Perseus to right, wearing Phrygian helmet.
    Reverse: XABAKTΩN Pegasos grazing left; to left, monogram.
    Reference: HGC 7, 261. SNG BM Black Sea 1258-1259.
    13.83g; 22mm
     
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  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Wildwinds coin...in my collection (and from Anatolia)

    Claudius, AE19 of Attalea, Pamphylia. 41.54 AD. 4.44 gr. Bare head of Claudius left / ATTAΛEωN, helmeted head of Athena right wearing crested Corinthian helmet. RPC I 3366; BMC 13; Baydur 157; Istanbul 7726.
    https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/claudius/RPC_3366.jpg

    [​IMG]
     
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