I've recently acquired two, old-provenance examples of the lovely coinage of Q. Pomponius Musa, who punned his name by depicting the Muses on a series of coins. Musa’s coins have long been favorites of Roman Republican collectors both because of their high-style and because they form a mini-series within the larger series of Republican moneyer coins. Basically, they’re fun-to-collect tray candy. The moneyer, Q. Pomponius Musa is unknown except for his coins, which makes precise dating of the series difficult. For many years, scholars (including Crawford) dated the series to 66 BCE. However, the absence of any examples of the series in the large Mesagne hoard caused Hersh and Walker to bring down the date of the series to 56 BCE. Michael Harlan, retracting his reticence with the Mesagne dating, later proposed a date of 52 BCE. There were ten general types (with several sub-varieties) in this series. Nine types depicted individual Muses identifiable by their characteristic accoutrements and a related obverse symbol. The nine Muses depicted on the coins and their symbols/accoutrements are as follows: Calliope (epic poetry): obv. Tuning key; rev. kithara on column. Clio (history): obv. Rolled scroll; rev. open scroll. Euterpe (music): obv. Crossed flutes; rev. flutes. Erato (erotic poetry): obv. Flower or plectrum; rev. flat-bottomed kithara.** Melpomene (tragedy): obv. Scepter; rev. club, sword and tragic mask. Polyhymnia (oratory): obv. Laurel wreath; rev. laurel wreath. Terpsichore (dance): obv. Turtle shell; rev. tortoise-shell lyre. ** Thalia (comedy): obv. Sandal; rev. comedic mask and sometimes crook. Urania (astronomy): obv. star; rev. globe on tripod. **NOTE: Our Coin Talk friend @Volodya recently penned an article convincingly arguing that the long-term attribution as Terpsichore of the Muse on the flower/kithara coins was mistaken, and should be attributed as Erato. The first of my new acquisitions is the Urania type. ROME, The Republic. Q. Pomponius Musa, mid-50's BCE AR Denarius (3.98g; 19mm). Rome Mint. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo, hair tied-up, facing right; star behind. Rev: Q. POMPONI – MVSA; Urania, muse of astronomy, facing left, holding wand over globe on tripod. References: Crawford 410/8; Sydenham 823; Pomponia 22 Provenance: Ex William C. Boyd (d. 1906) Collection [Baldwin's 42 (26 Sep 2005), Lot 64]; bought from Spink in 1900. The tenth coin type in the series does not depict a Muse at all, but Hercules Musarum – Hercules as patron of the Muses. In 187 BCE, Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, celebrating victories in Greece, dedicated a Temple of Hercules Musarum in Rome, near the Circus Flaminius. This round temple contained statues of Hercules and the nine Muses. Over 100 years later, Cicero praised Nobilior for honoring poetry and the arts in victory. It is possible, though unproven, that the reverses of Musa’s coins depict the actual statues contained within this Temple. My second acquisition is an example of this Hercules Musarum type. ROME, The Republic. Q. Pomponius Musa, mid-50s BCE AR Denarius (3.76g; 20mm). Rome Mint. Obv: Q. POMPONI – MVSA; Head of Apollo facing right, hair tied with band. Rev: HERCVLES – MVSARVM; Hercules facing right, wearing lion skin and playing lyre. References: Crawford 410/1; Sydenham 810; Pomponia 8. Provenance: Ex English Amateur Scholar Collection [NAC 92 (May 2016) Lot 1669]; Munzen und Medaillen XIX (Jun 1959) Lot 98; L. Hamburger 95 (1932) Lot 238; Manuel Vidal Quadras y Ramon (d. 1894) Collection [E. Bourgey (Nov 1913) Lot 526]. Apollo is often depicted androgynously on ancient coins. The standard references consistently attribute the obverse heads on all varieties of Musa’s coins as Apollo; but the depictions are notably different between the Hercules Musarum variety and the nine Muse varieties. On the above coin, the deity’s hair is down and tied, and generally consistent with many depictions of Apollo on other Roman Republican coins (see, e.g., denarii of L. Calpurnius Piso and C. Calpurnius Piso). Comparatively, the head on the Muse varieties of this series are considerably more feminine in appearance and laureate, though lacking earrings, necklaces or other feminine accents. Admittedly, this more feminine type head has also been attributed by scholars as Apollo on other coin types (see, e.g., denarii of P. Clodius and C. Considius). However, within the same series the different styled heads appear to depict different deities. Given the Muse emblems behind each head on the nine Muse types, it’s possible that the feminine heads do not represent Apollo, but the Muses themselves. Michael Harlan agrees with this interpretation in both editions of "Roman Republican Moneyers and their Coins." More research on this issue is needed. Share your Muse!
I was thinking, and surprised no one else suggested, that Clio's emblems really should be "finger hovering above SEND button".
Those are great coins within a very interesting series. That would be a fun set to assemble. Congrats on these wonderful acquisitions.
We are greatly amused I've got 7 of the series (8 if I count 2 Euterpes) - no very old provenances, though a few are ex-another CoinTalk member. Here's a Euterpe - ex-Roma 2015, ArtCoins Roma, 2011 - the Muse of Lyric Poetry. This is my Erato (also identified as Terpsichore): And the real Terpsichore, with turtle and different instrument: ATB, Aidan.
Gorgeous Urania, and interesting writeup about a series I might be interested in since I'm done with de TD Divi.... .... And there's my signature on all of them : "Q" Q
I’ve acquired two more Muses for my collection: Rome, The Republic. Q. Pomponius Musa, mid-50s BCE AR Denarius (3.58g; 19mm). Rome Mint. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo(?), hair tied-up, facing right; tied scroll behind. Reverse: Q. POMPONI – MVSA; Clio, muse of history, facing left and leaning on column, while reading open scroll. References: Crawford 410/3; Sydenham 813; BMCRR 3610-11; Pomponia 11. Provenance: Ex Heritage Auction 3072 (15 Jan 2019), Lot 35407; E.J. Haeberlin Collection [Cahn-Hess (17 Jul 1933) Lot 2490]. As the muse of history, Clio is typically depicted in ancient art with an open scroll or tablet. Rome, The Republic. Q. Pomponius Musa, mid-50s BCE AR Denarius (3.96g; 18mm). Rome Mint. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo(?), hair tied-up, facing right; scepter behind. Reverse: MVSA - Q.POMPONI; Melpomene, muse of tragedy, facing left and holding club and theatrical mask. References: Crawford 410/4; Sydenham 816; BMCRR 3615-16; Pomponia 14. Provenance: Ex Fay Beth Wedig Collection [CNG eSale 439 (6 Mar 2019) Lot 442]; NAC 11 (29 Apr 1998), Lot 253. Melpomene, whose name actually means “songstress” was originally one of the muses of song, but her role changed to muse of tragic theater after the development of drama in classical Greece sometime in the sixth century BCE. She is generally depicted holding a club or knife and a tragic mask, which Greek actors wore on stage when performing dramatic plays.
I have two. I bought the second one at a local coin shop that normally has few RR coins and I did not have my list. The price was right, but unfortunately the second one matched the first. Polymnia, the Muse of Rhetoric
Great post and lovely coins, Carausius! I have only one so far, Polyhymnia, but it hails from the Clain-Stefanelli and Dr. Freidrich Imhoof-Blumer collection sold via Hirsch XVIII in 1907.
Wow! I had not seen this thread, @Carausius ! WOW, nice story and SUPER denarii! Those are great. Personally, I feel the obverses are the MUSES and not Apollo... Besides, my grandson, Apollo, looks NOTHING like those obverses! Well done, thanks for the info!
