Some of you might remember one of my first coins, which is a drachm from Rhodos with a butterfly on the reverse. Rhodes AR Drachm. Circa 205-190 BC. Magistrate Ainetor. Obverse: Facing head of Helios with flowing hair Reverse: ΑΙΝΗΤΩΡ above, P-O below, rose in bloom with side branch bud to right & butterfly to left. 15mm; 2.28g. See the write up here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/nice-butterfly-on-rhodos-drachm.322408/ And the write up at the awesome coin imperator tournament 2018: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/poll-28-24-pavlos-vs-32-zumbly-round-3-cit-2018.323056 I am now glad to add another Rhodian butterfly to my collection! Rhodes. Plinthophoric Drachm (Circa 190-170 BC). magistrate Onasandros. Obverse: Radiate head of Helios right. Reverse: ONAΣANΔPOΣ / P - O. Rose with bud to right. Control: Butterfly to left; all within incuse square. Reference: Jenkins Group A, 5; HGC 6, 1457. 3.09g; 16mm This time the coin is from a slightly later period, during the Plinthophoric coinage. In this new coinage the Rhodians added the incuse square to the reverse to show that the weight of these re-introduced drachms (and fractions) are of the same high standard weight as the Rhodian coins from the 4th century, which also had an incuse square. The butterfly from up close: Please share your Rhodos coins here!
Fun (and beautiful) coins! Your latest purchase is just dazzling to look at Here's my only AR Rhodes: CARIA. Rhodes. Drachm (Circa 88-84 BC). Kallixeinos, magistrate.Obv: Radiate head of Helios right.Rev: KAΛΛΙΞΕΙΝ / P - O. Rose with bud right. Control:kerykeion.Jenkins,GroupE, 244.Condition:Very fine.Weight:1.68 g.Diameter: 14 mm. nearly very fine
Great point! I hadn't put that together. But the timing is right! And wasn't this also around the same time that they had upset Rome, who then in turn forced Rhodes to pay huge taxes, making them cease to be a power player in the ancient world?
Do you mean around 167 BC when the Romans removed Rhodes of its control of the several cities on mainland Asia Minor? If I remember correctly the Romans did this to punish Rhodes for its friendly behavior to Perseus and even supporting him during the Third Macedonian War. Actually during the siege of Rhodos by Mithridates VI the Rhodians were loyal to the Romans. They used their navy to help Sulla’s legions reach Asia and also help Roman refugees fleeing from Mithridates his Latin massacre on Asia Minor. Haha, I get what you mean. It are the antennas you are seeing as jaws. But who knows: Even ancient coins confirm dinosaurs existed!
