Featured Aspendos Wrestlers: Just in Time for the Olympics!

PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos
AR Stater, Aspendos mint, struck ca. 380-325 BC
Dia.: 22.1 mm
Wt.: 10.62 g
Obv.: Two wrestlers; the left one holds the left arm of his opponent with both hands, the opponent grasping with right hand his right wrist; no control in between legs.
Rev.: Slinger, wearing short chiton, discharging sling to right; Π in between legs; on right, triskeles to right, EΣTFEΔIIVΣ behind, all within incuse square; c/m: wolf running left in rectangular incuse.
Ref.: BMC 52; SNG Copenhagen 214; Tekin Series 4
Ex Harlan J. Berk; Ex Minotaur Coins


Aspendos
Apsendos was an ancient city located on the west side of the Eurymedon River in Pamphylia (modern southwestern Turkey). It was an important economic center in antiquity but played a much more modest role in political history.

As a Tekin Series 4 stater this coin is dated within a range of 380-325 BC which covers a period when the city was mostly subject to Persia. In the 5th century BC Aspendos was part of the Delian League (Athenian Empire) up until the end of the Peloponnesian War and the defeat of Athens. Hegemony over the city was then contested between various Greek powers and Persia until 389 BC.

In 389 BC the Athenian admiral Thrasybulus sailed the Athenian navy up the Eurymedon river to the city in order to “liberate” it. The people of Aspendos agreed to pay a large sum of silver if the Athenians would leave the city unharmed. Instead, Thrasybulus took the money and proceeded to pillage the surrounding countryside. The enraged Aspendians staged a daring night raid on the Athenian camp in response and were able to fall upon and kill Thrasybulus while he was still in his tent.

Aspendos then remained quietly under Persian control until it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 333 BC. Alexander was initially inclined to be generous to the city by only requiring it to pay him the taxes previously paid to the Persians. When the people of Aspendos went back on this agreement Alexander marched his army back to the city and imposed a heavy tax burden and a Macedonian garrison on it.


Google Earth view of the ancient Aspendos acropolis. The Roman era theatre is in the foreground.


A view of the theatre looking towards the Eurymedon River.

Notes
The obverse of this coin famously depicts the sport of wrestling. It is a popular coin type to collect due to the 16 different positions of the wrestlers.

The reverse shows a slinger. The reason for this is probably that the Greek word for sling (σφενδόνη) has a similar sound to the name of the city (ασπενδοζ). By way of comparison this is also the reason the people of Rhodes used a rose as the symbol for their city.

According to Tekin and BMC, this coin (by virtue of the single letter on the reverse and lack of letters on the obverse) belongs to the early part of the series. That would tend to date this coin closer to 380 BC.

Please post your

• Coins from Aspendos!
• Coins showing athletes!
• Coins related to the Olympics!

 

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Aspendos Ar Stater 400-370 BC Obv. Two naked wrestlers grappling. Rv Slinger in throwing stance right. SNG France 53 10.91 grms 25 mm Photo by W. Hansen I have always liked the "two wrestlers" staters from the mint of Aspendos and was lucky more or less to pick one up a few years after I had started. it was remained from an auction so I picked it up just before a big hoard showed up. Perfect timing again. I sold that coin some years ago in order to purchase this one.

 

Lovely examples! Great pedigrees and write up as well Curtis The Great
Though I'm still looking for an Olympics example, I have scored a Aspendos:


Guess which my favorite event is:

 

That’s a beauty @Curtisimo, great coin! Definitely one of my favorite types:


Pamphylia, Aspendos. AR Stater (22 mm, 10.65g). Circa 380-325 BC., Two nude wrestlers, standing and grappling with each other; between them, AK./ Rev. Slinger standing right; to right, triskeles running left; all within dotted square border. Tekin Series 4.

 

Great writeup and pics, Curtis. Happy to see that one go to a good home. Here's my series 1 with the 'belt-pulling' wrestlers.


PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos
AR Stater. 10.94g, 24.2mm. PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos, circa 420-410 BC. SNG Cop -; SNG von Aulock -; Tekin Series 1; SNG BN 47 var. (direction of triskeles). O: Two wrestlers grappling; the one on the left holding his opponent's leg and belt, the one on the right holding his opponent's neck and belt. R: EΣTFEΔIIVΣ, slinger in throwing stance right; triskeles to right in field; all within dotted square border.

 

This type was the second most influential coin for me as a kid that pushed me into collecting ancients. These series are sadly plagued by numerous and various striking faults, meaning that you may have to pay a fortune to get a perfect one.

 

Sixteen! Wow. At my level I recognized two: Those holding arms and those doing something more 'active'. While I like the coins, the main appeal to me is the series of countermarks thy often bear.

Belt puller with Janiform head c/m:


'Just holding arms' with my best strike of the Ba'al bull c/m:


Perhaps we should mention that there are similar coins from Selge but that could be another thread.

 

Wonderful coin Terrence! Definitely a worthy upgrade.

Great coins Ryan. I’m not familiar with the bottom two coins. Is that a boxers fist wrap?

Great Tekin Series 4 example! My example lacks the letters between the wrestlers that yours has. Takin thinks these letters refer to the mint magistrates. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you my friend! Your Series 1 is an excellent example. The Series 1 seem to be much less common. It is interesting historically to own a late Peloponnesian War silver coin from a Delian League member considering the Athenian policy favoring the Athenian Owls. I also found Tekin’s notes about the shift from the girdle to nude wrestlers on the staters to be very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

 

You got it! It's a good old set of cestus.

 

Wonderful and timely, @Curtisimo! Like Doug, I didn't realize there were so many different wrestler positions on these coins. If you'd asked, I would have said two or three .

I have a few relevant to the thread:


ELIS, Olympia. 87th Olympiad, 432 BCE
AR hemidrachm, 16 mm, 2.7 gm
Obv: eagle, with wings displayed above, flying left, holding hare by its back and tearing at it with his beak
Rev: thunderbolt, with wings above and volutes below, within circular incuse; to right, A.
Ref: BCD Olympia -; BCD Peloponnesos -; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC -; Traité -; SNG Delepierre -; Pozzi -; Weber -; McClean -.
The obverse type, combined with the form of the thunderbolt, with its broad, splayed wings, and the A on the reverse, is most similar to the stater of BCD 50.


ELIS, Olympia. 95th Olympiad, 400 BCE
AR hemidrachm, 16 mm, 2.6 gm
Obv: head and neck of eagle right; F below
Rev: thunderbolt, volutes above, wings below, F-A across fields
Ref: BCD Olympia 85/84 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 372


ELIS, Olympia. 103rd Olympiad, 368 BCE
AR drachm, 21 mm, 5.7 gm
Obv: head of Hera right, wearing pendant earring and stephane ornamented with palmettes with H-R-A inscribed between them, [F-A across fields]
Rev: eagle with spread wings standing left, head reverted
Ref: Pozzi 1846 (same dies); Jameson 1240 = Seltman pl. xii, 8 (same dies); BMC 91 (same dies); BCD Olympia 113 (same dies)


ELIS, Olympia. 107th-108th Olympiad, 352-348 BCE
AR hemidrachm, 14 mm, 2.4 gm
Obv: laureate head of Zeus right
Rev: eagle standing right, olive leaf before, F-A across fields
Ref: BCD Olympia 143-44; SNG Copenhagen 420; BMC 84; Dewing 1896; McClean 6637; SNG Delepierre 2158

 

Who's watching Beach volleyball and Artistic swimming?

Pamphylia, Aspendos. Circa 420-400 BC. AR Stater.



ELIS, Olympia. 131st-135th Olympiad. 256-240 BC. Fouree


Pamphylia, Aspendos. AE14 Pseudo-autonomous
First century A.D.
Obv: Horse galloping right.
Rev: AΣΠEN-ΔIΩN, Warrior standing right, holding shield and hurling javelin.

 

A very relevant coin I have not shared before. Seems like now is the right time

ELIS, Olympia. 96th Olympiad. 396 BC. AR Stater (9.31g, 25mm)




Eagle standing left, grasping coiled snake with beak and talons; all on round shield with raised rim / Flaming thunderbolt with volutes above and tendrils below; all within incuse circle. Seltman, Temple 163; BCD Olympia 89; SNG Copenhagen -; Boston MFA 1206; Weber 4045; VF, lightly toned, countermark on obverse


And of course my Aspendos wrestlers and Slinger..

Stater 380-325 BC v. Chr. Ancient Greece from Pamyphlia, Aspendos


PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos. Circa 380/75-330/25 BC. AR Stater
Two wrestlers grappling; Slinger in throwing stance right; EΣTFEΔIIYΣ to left, counterclockwise triskeles of legs to right; all within square border of pellets. .
Weight: 10,8 g
Diameter 22mm

 

That's wonderful, @Curtisimo! What a fine acquisition for your collection. I'll bet we see it again in your top 10 of the year post!

Here's a victorious athlete:


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 13.30 g, 27.1 mm, 7 h.
Thrace, Anchialus, AD 238-244.
Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝWΝ ΑΓΧΙΑΛΕWΝ, Nude athlete standing facing, head right, holding palm branch and wreath.
Refs: AMNG II, 632.3, p. 276; Mionnet Suppl. 2, 136; RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 48982); Corpus Nummorum Thracorum cn.anchialus.4915.

 

That is a great coin pprp! I agree about the wide range in strike on these. I was happy to score an example with a good strike.

That’s awesome! Those are fantastic coins and very cool addition to the thread.

“The Boxer” bronze statue you show might well be my favorite statue I’ve ever seen. The details such as the broken nose, scratches and wounds and tired expression are masterfully done. I took this picture at the National Museum in the Palazzo Massimo in Rome.

When I read that in the Tekin reference I was surprised as well!

Those are all fantastic examples. It seems that a few cities struck coins of a similar design. I found out that Etenna did as well.

I also like the counter marks. I have to confess that I would not have been able to identify mine as a wolf if @zumbly hadn’t pointed it out for me.

Yours are excellent. That Ba’al bull in particular is great. Is that mark identifiable with a particular time and place? My guess is that it would have been one of the Phoenician cities.

 

Wonderful examples and it’s great to see you @TIF . Those are all stunners but my favorite is the 87th Olympiad hemidrachm. Not only is it a Peloponnesian War coin but that Olympics is notable in that Sparta broke the Olympic truce and was forced to pay a huge fine in consequence.

Great coins! Yes I do enjoy the beach volleyball and pretty much all of the swimming events (yes the synchronized artistic stuff too ). I’ve been following the USA women’s basketball gold medal match this evening. They look unstoppable.

 

Great thread and coins! An awesome Series 1 example @zumbly.

@Ryro, @Curtisimo: That wrestler statue is so beautiful, thanks for sharing.

My two wrestlers, already shared a while ago in another thread. The first one, struck on an oval planchet

Aspendos, Pamphylia, ca 400 - 380/75 BC, late 3rd or early 4th Series
18 x 26 mm, 10.848 g

SNG Copenhagen 205; SNG BN 74; SNG von Aulock 4518; Tekin 3rd Series, Planche XXVII, 6; SNG France 3, 104

Ob.: two naked wrestlers within dotted circle; the figure on the left grasping his opponent’s arms, their heads pressed together as they strain against each other
Reverse: EΣTFEΔIIYΣ, slinger standing right, about to discharge his sling; triskelion in right field, below sling bullet (or grain?), all within dotted square

​

And this one stuck on a "normal" planchet, a late example and likely among the last of the wrestler and slinger staters:

Aspendos, Pamphylia 4th century, struck ca 330/325 - 310/300 BC, 5th Series
The letter “O” only appears in the 5th Series

23 mm, 10.248 g
SNG von Aulock 4575; SNG Copenhagen 240; Tekin 5th Series, Planche XXVIII, 15;

Ob.: Monogram E between the wrestlers.
Rev.: EΣTFEΔIIYΣ slinger standing right, about to discharge his sling, triskelion in right field, O between legs; within dotted circle

​

 

Thank you for an interesting and educational thread.
This was news to me too. Do you have a list of these 16 positions ?
I don't know Tekin - is it available online ?

I have only one olympic coin

Elis Olympia, stater, c. 360-350 BC, per HGC 5, 356 B.C. for 106th Olympiad

laureate head of Zeus left,
rev., [F]ΑΛΕ-ΙΩΝ, eagle standing right on Ionic capital

11.53g, die axis 6.00

Seltman obv. die CD, reverse die not recorded; cf. BCD 128, same obverse die, HGC 5 370

 

Yes: Aspendian 'Wrestlers’: an iconographic approach, Oğuz Tekin (anatv_1013-9559_2000_act_12_1_956.pdf)

at
http://www.persee.fr/doc/anatv_1013-9559_2000_act_12_1_956
and

http://www.persee.fr/doc/anatv_1013-9559_2000_act_12_1_968

 

Pamphylia, Aspendos. AR Stater, Circa 380-330 BC.
Obverse: Two nude wrestlers, standing and grappling with each other; between them, AΦ.
Reverse: ΕΣΤFΕΔΙΙΥΣ Slinger standing right; to right, triskeles running left; all within dotted square border.
Reference: SNG Paris 83. Tekin Series 4.
Size: 23 mm, 11.00 g, 12 h.



Pamphylia. Aspendos. Fourrée Stater, circa 380-325 BC.

24 mm., 9,41 g.

 

Those are both wonderful coins but that Elis stater is especially great. A coin from Olympia is definitely on my list to add to my collection someday.

Thanks for sharing it!

Thanks @Roman Collector ! I think this one will definitely make my top 10. Despite the explosion in auction prices I’ve been having a pretty good collecting year so far this year.

That’s a great coin showing a victorious athlete. Wonderful addition to the thread. It reminds me of the statue of a victorious athlete in the Ghetty Villa where I took the below photo.

Really nice examples! The oval flan doesn’t detract at all from the design of your earlier example. Great coin and detail on both sides. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for the kind words! @cmezner beat me to the link for the Tekin reference.

That Elis stater is simply stunning!

Thank you for this! I thought it was strange they had the plates separated but I was still just happy that a reference was freely available and not behind a pay wall!

Great examples!