Dear Friends of ancient mythology! Here I want to share the myth of Astakos. The Coin: Bithynia, Nikomedeia, Severus Alexander, AD 222-235 AE 20, 4.26g, 20.24mm, 30° obv. M AVP CEVH AΛEZANΔPOC AVΓ Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r. rev. TPIC NEΩKOPΩN NIKOMEΔEΩN (ME ligiert) Astakos, nude to hips, stg. r., looking back, with l. foot stg. on prow, in l. hand holding long sceptre and with r. hand pointing back ref.: Rec. Gen. p. 557, 319, pl. XCVI, 24 about VF, black green patina Astakos, eponym of the city, is depicted in the typical position of a city founder who prompted his companions to follow him. Mythology: According to Stephanos of Byzanz and Arrian Astakos was the son of Poseidon and the nymph Olbia. In a speech on occasion of the severe destruction of the city by an earthquake 358 BC Libanios tells, that the first city founders has sacrified to the gods at the wrong place. But an eagle and a snake have pointed them to the correct place where they then have built the city. This myth reminds strongly of the 2nd founder myth of Alexandreia Troas depicted on coins where an eagle is carrying the head of a bull. According to Memnon of Herakleia Astakos was a descendant of the Spartoi (= the Sowed), the ancestors of the Thebans who have grown from the dragon teeth which Kadmos has sown. Astakos was father of Ismaros, Amphidikos, Leades and Melanippos who became famous when they defend their home city against the Seven against Thebens. He is said to have found the city of Astakos in Bithynia (Roscher). Nonnos wites in his Dionysiaka that at the Gulf of Astakos the first battle was fighted between the army of Dionysos and the Indians. Dionysos has won the battle because he changed the water of the sea into wine and so have made the Indians drunken. The nymph Olbia is said to have found a city named Olbia too, not the Sarmatian Olbia but an Olbia in the neighbourhood of Nikomedeia. Wether this was an independent city or only the surname or an earlier name of another Bithynian city is discussed. The assumption that it could be Astakos is close but there is no ancient evidence (Pauly). In ancient times Astakos was known for its lobsters which must have lived in huge numbers in the shallow watersides. αστακος (Astakos) is the Greek name for the lobster. So there is some evidence that the founder myth of Astakos was invented according to the occurence of the lobsters. In this way it is an aetiological myth. Astakos, the City: Astakos was situated at the Gulf of the same name (today Gulf of Izmit) of the Propontis (today Sea of Marmara) whereby the exact location is not known until today. Therefore the position of Astacus on the attached map is questionable. Astakos was founded 712/11 BC by colonists from Megara. It was member of the Delian League. After the settlement of Athenian colonists it lost its independence. Under Doidalses Astakos first came under Bithynian supremacy (about 405 BC). Zipoites (356-281 BC), son of the dynast Bas, was the first king of Bithynia. He tried to conquer Astakos but without success. To enlarge his territory he fought among others against strategists of Lysimachos and defeated him finally in the Battle of Kurupedion (281 BC) where Lysimachos lost his live. With this battle the Wars of the Diadochi ended and the Hellenistic world of states was established. During his war against Zipoites 281 Lysimachos had destroyed Astakos. Some time later Zipoites died and his son Nikomedes I followed him to the throne. In 264 BC he founded the city of Nikomedeia that he called αντικρυ Αστακου (= ancient Astakos) and resettled the inhabitants of the ancient city to the new founded Nikomedeia. After the death of king Nikomedes IV 74 BC Bithynia came by will to the Roman Empire. I have attached a map of ancient Bithynia (Source: summagallicana.it) Sources: (1) Nonnos, Dionysiaka (2) Stephanos of Byzanz, Ethnika (3) Libanios, Orationes (4) Arrian, Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FGrHist) (5) Memnon, Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FGrHist) Literature: (1) Der Kleine Pauly (2) Benjamin Hederich, Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon (auch online) (3) Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher, Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie (auch online) (4) Wikipedia Thanks to Frank Dapsul for important references. Best regards
