Augustus Semis from Philippi - Oxen Plowing with Countermark

Great thread... I have a nice little Augustus of this type!



Here is the interesting description that came with the coin.. take from it what you will (as far as this fun discussion is concerned)..

AE unit of Augustus 27 BC. - 14 AD., Philippi, Macedonia - bare head of Augustus right, AVG behind / two colonists (or priests?) ploughing right with yoke of oxen (3.12 grams, 16/15 mm) Philippi mint, RPC I 1656 SNG Cop VI 282, Fine, dark green patina,

The Philippi (Colonia Julia Augusta Victrix Philippensis) which St. Paul visited, was a Roman colony founded by Augustus after the famous battle of Philippi, fought there between Antony and Octavius and Brutus and Cassius, in 42 BC. .

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

After looking at all these posted examples, I am really getting interested in this series. Again, thanks all for sharing.

I was reading something the other night that might pertain, in an oblique way, to the countermark on the OP, which is

"Monogram TR (or plow) in circular punch, 5 mm. Howgego 657 (4 pcs). Note: The monogram may refer to Troas..."

Why a Troas countermark on a coin from Philippi? They are kind of far apart, I thought (Macedonia and Turkey, in modern terms).

In The Literature of the New Testament by Ernest Findlay Scott (Columbia University Press, 1936) I found this:

"He (St. Paul) traversed again those regions of Asia Minor whiche he had visited on his first journey, and in due time found himself at Troas, a seaport town near the site of ancient Troy. It was here, where Europe and Asia had first come into memorable contact, that he had his vision of a man of Macedonia calling him. He passed over into Europe and founded a church at Philippi, which was henceforth to be dearer to him than any of his other churches..." (p. 113).

So the answer is clear! St. Paul carried the OP with him from Troas to Philippi! Well, maybe not - the countermark would come after the host coin was minted. so Paul's journey doesn't quite fit. But I thought it was interesting.

 

I just got another priests-plowing-with-oxen type with a countermark, so I thought I'd pull up this old thread. My new one was struck for Claudius (I think). The countermark is fairly common, and I have more faith in my countermark attribution, as it looks just like all the Howgego 303's I found online.

But the host coin did confuse me - various places online refer to the host coin as being from Parium, with others saying Philippi. I'm going with FORVM's Automan, since he is so knowledgeable about countermarks - he says Philippi with a Parium countermark. My "notes" are from another FORVM posting.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=546&pos=111

Here's mine, with best-guess attribution:



Claudius Æ 16
Macedon, Philippi / CM for Mysia, Parium
(c. 41-54 A.D.)
[TICLAV-AVG], bare head left / Two priests plowing right.
RPC I 1660 ; SNG BN 1458
(3.29 grams / 15 mm)
Countermark:
Capricorn in 3 mm square, obv.
Howgego 303 (16 pcs) (Parium).

Notes: "|Howgego| notes the capricorn was a |standard| |type| for |Parium|. The capricorn was a symbol of |Augustus| and was probably adopted as a symbol of the city after a Augustan refoundation of the |colonia|. |Howgego| notes that the capricorn countermarks on the colonist plowing types may have indicated a devaluation of the coins." FORVM listing

Any information or corrections, or other Philippi / Parium stuff, countermarks, etc. would be appreciated!