At first glance, this coin may look like so many other Greek Bust/Thunderbolt types, but the inscription tells us it's a rare coin of Apollonis, in Northern Lydia. Apollonis, Lydia AE16, 3.74g; 2nd- to 1st-centuries BC. Obverse: Head of young Heracles in lion skin right. Reverse: Winged thunderbolt; AΠOΛΛΩ-NIΔEΩN. Reference: Sear 4688; BMC Lydia p.19, 3-4; SNG v. Aulock 2899; SNG Cop. 17. Notes: ex-Gerhard Rohde, ex-Lee Toone. The city of Apollonis was founded in honor of Attalus I's queen, Apollonis. It's not clear to me whether the city was founded by Attalus I or his sons Eumenes II and Attalus II, but evidently it was a somewhat important center of commerce during the Attalid Dynasty (281-133 BC). Here's the obligatory shot from the ISS... Does anyone else have coins of Apollonis? There are a few attractive but rather un-original bronze types, some lovely cistophorii, and a handful of Roman Provincial bronzes running from Domitia to Severus Alexander. I think they're all rare.
yes I do ... but it's a very humble example Apollonia Pontica, Thrace Apollo Facing & Anchor 450-350 BC
i like that thunderbolt JA, but don't have a coin from apollonis. i looked through my stuff and tried to find the coin that would be closest in space, time, and style and came up with this... macedonian kingdon philip v (or perseus?) 2nd century bc o:zeus r:thuderbolt
Nice wings on that thunderbolt, Chris. By the way, in older catalogs I see the thunderbolt referred to as a "fulmen," a Latin word deriving from fulgeō, to glitter or shine. So just to sound like erudite numismatists we should refer to the reverse device as an alate fulmen. Who's with me?
=> Really, according to me, I'm never wrong!! ... ... well, apparently I fell for this tidbit of info from my good ol' pal Wikix6 (let down once again by my obvious lack of ancient knowledge ... curses, to my lack of ancient knowledge ... curses!!)
