"What? Roman Collector posting Greek coins? Has the world gone mad?!" you ask? Well, I have a couple of Greek coins lying around. These two are from different Macedonian cities but they have a couple of things in common--Artemis on the obverse and a bull on the reverse. At some point, I'd like to get a coin depicting Artemis Tauropolis actually riding a bull. It's one of many on my list. Post your Artemis Tauropolis coins, bull-coins, etc--whatever you feel is relevant! Artemis Tauropolos, in ancient Greece, was an epithet for the goddess Artemis, variously interpreted as "worshiped at Tauris", "pulled by a yoke of bulls", or "hunting bull goddess." A statue of Artemis "Tauropolos" in her temple at Brauron in Attica was supposed to have been brought from the Taurians by Iphigenia. The Tauropolia was the name of the festival of Artemis in Athens. There was a Tauropolion, a temple in a temenos sacred to Artemis Tauropolos, in the north Aegean island of Doliche (now Ikaria). The remains of the Temple of Artemis in Brauron. And now on to my coins: Macedonia, Amphipolis, ca. 187-131 BCE Æ 21.4 mm 7.57 gm Obv: Head of Artemis Tauropolis, right Rev: ΑΜΦΙΠΟ-ΛΙΤΩΝ, bull bounding right Refs: SNG ANS 113.7.83; Lindgren Europe 933; BMC 35; SNG Cop 72 Macedon, Pella, ca. 187-131 BCE Æ 17.5 mm, 4.99 g Obv: Helmeted head of Artemis Parthenos, right Rev: ΠΕΛ-ΛΗΣ, bull grazing, right; monograms below and above. Refs: SNG Cop 266 ff.; BMC 97, 17 ff.; Moushmov 6453.
Interesting coins and picture! Alas, I have no Artemis Tauropolis coins to share. I wonder what Senex Caecilius would have to say about this Artemis? We haven't heard from him lately.
Senex Caecilius says -- about the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus: Higgledy piggledy, Temple of Artemis, Wonder of wonders in Ephesus stood. Housed in its shrine was a Multimammiferous symbol of fruitfulness carved out of wood.
This coin shows a goddess riding a bull: Cilicia, Soloi AE25 9.32g, 300-66 BC Obv: Winged gorgon head facing, snake ties below chin, two snakes facing at top of head, within irregular aegis with border, within circle of beads Rev: Aphrodite (wearing turreted cap?) riding a bull right; "SOLEWN" below, monogram above; owl before standing right Ref: Lindgren 1597 ex Coloseum Coin Exchange, auction 121, August 2002, lot 201 Now, which goddess is on the reverse of this coin? Catalogs all say Aphrodite. The identification of the horse rider as Aphrodite is by Imhoof-Blumer. He merely calls her “Goddess” but believes the coin depicts the same goddess as Cypriot coins of King Stasioikos that are identified today as Aphrodite or Astarte. Imhoof-Blumer was certain this type does not depict Europa. He doesn’t mention traditionally turreted goddesses Cybele and Tyche. He doesn’t mention Athena, the goddess usually associated with owls. It’s worth noting that the Stasioikos coin Imhoof-Blumer was certain doesn’t depict Europa is described as depicting Europa on the web site for the Bank of Cyprus. A modern Cypriot coin copied the design of the Stasioikos coin to celebrate Cyprus’ entry into the European union. NOT MY COIN:
Artemis Tauropolos on a Domitian bronze from Amphipolis. Her cult seems to have been popular there. DOMITIAN Rare. AE20. 5.76g, 20.7mm. MACEDONIA, Amphipolis, circa AD 81-96. RPC 340 (3 examples). O: AYTO KЄCAP ΔOMITIANOC, laureate head right. R: AMΦIΠOΛITΩN, Artemis Tauropolos standing left, holding long torch and branch, shield at her feet.
