Dear friends of ancient mythology! Here I want to speak about personifications known only from coins of Asia minor. First: Boule - The Holy City Council The Coin: Caria, Trapezopolis, pseudo-autonomous, AD 150-250 AE 18, 3.29g, 18.44mm, 180°. Obv.: IEPA - BOVΛH. Bust of Boule, draped and veiled, r. Rev.: TPAΠE - ZOΠOΛI. Kybele, in girdled double chiton, wearing kalathos, standing frontal, holding outward-turned hands over 2 lions, seated r. and l. beside her with raised paws outward. Ref.: SNG Tübingen 3505; Martin 12; Mionnet Supp.6, 554; RPC IV.2 online, 9243 rare, VF, brown-green patina Our coin comes from Trapezopolis in Caria in the present province of Denizli in Turkey On the reverse the goddess Kybele is depicted with 2 lions at her side. What interests us here, however, is the front, which shows the female bust of Boule, draped and veiled to the right. The veil is the expression of her honour. The legend IEPA - BOVΛH translates as the "Holy City Council". Yes, those were the days when the local council was still holy! True, even today it often behaves as if it is sacrosanct and unassailable, but fortunately those days are gone. And one should remember that as a counterpart to the sacred city council there was also the IEPOΣ ΔHMOΣ, the sacred people of the state or the sacred community of citizens, from which our concept of democracy derives. The Boule originated in Athens and belongs to the beginning of Attic democracy. At first it was exclusively for nobles, but then every unbowed citizen was allowed to become a member. It decided on the budget, the fleet and impeachments. In Roman times, the principle of oligarchy prevailed again, membership was only possible for a circle of wealthy citizens. And their powers were limited to local tasks. The meeting of the Boule took place in a special building, the Bouleuterion, a richly decorated building usually near the Agora, the market place and centre of the city. The picture shows the Bouleuterion of Aphrodisias in Caria (own photo from 2011) In inscriptions, the Boule is always mentioned first, where it says, for example, "The Boule and the Demos have issued the following decree". But it is striking that on coins the Boule is always depicted on the smaller denominations than the Demos. Since nothing was random in this period, as is so often the case today, this can only mean that the Demos, the people, was above the Boule, the council assembly, in the hierarchy, which is actually understandable, since the latter consisted of only a part of the city people. The coin depicted comes from Asia Minor at the time of the Roman Empire. The depictions of the Boule, the Demos and other institutions of the Greek polis were intended to convey the message that these late Hellenised (Martin) cities were also part of the great tradition of Greek history and, despite being part of the Roman provincial administration, did not need to hide from the famous classical cities. The coin does not show the image of an emperor and is therefore called "pseudo-autonomous". It reflects an autonomy that had in fact long since ceased to exist. The terms "holy city council" or "holy community of citizens" still recall the old traditions, but in fact the rights of the cities and their institutions were severely curtailed. We know that today, too. There, the city council cannot decide for itself how wide a planned road can be, or whether or not cars may overtake each other on the road to the next town. Times do not seem to have changed after all. All the more reason for today's local councillors to take care that they fulfil their task of controlling the administration and do not degrade themselves to insignificance. I had this article first published as a letter to the editor in view of the current situation, since our local council is known for its uncritical approval of all proposals from the administration. Literature: (1) Der Kleine Pauly (2) Katharina Martin, Demos.Boule.Gerousia: Personifikationen städtischer Institutionen auf kaiserzeitlichen Münzen aus Kleinasien, Münster 2013 (The standard reference!) (3) Katharina Martin, Demos und Boule auf Münzen phrygischer Städte. Überlegungen zu Ikonographie und Funktion von Münzbildern (4) Wikipedia Best regards
Thank you so much Jochen! Every time I see a new post from you I get excited to learn about something new. Your ability to analyze, study and recount in a concise way blows the mind I've a public and community College schooling in the US. Meaning, if we ever meet you'll have to talk slowly and bring pictures for me to understand. Ok, ok. I'm not that thick. But do recognize and appreciate every masterfully written write up you share That said, due to the extreme rarity of some of your topics, I have to reach a bit to comment and share... good thing I've long arms. Here are some K(C)ybeles: MYSIA, Plakia. 4th century BC. Æ 11mm (1.56 g, 12h). Head of Kybele right / Lion standing right on grain ear, devouring prey. SNG France 2378-82; SNG Copenhagen 545. VF, dark brown patina, light roughness Samothrace AE 280-200 BCE Athena's face N. R. In the Corinthian helmet with plume. RV. SA-mo/PUQOK Cybele in the long robe and enthroned with mantle N. L., holding the crown of the wall on his head, in the left Scepter, Patera in the prestretched right. 4.96 G. SNG cop. 998. SNG Tübingen 934. Dark, olive patina
Nothing terribly relevant, but here's a "psuedo autonomous" coin of Attalea, Lydia, with the Senate on the obverse. Here's a coin from a place that is apparently still unknown in the archaeological record, though there are some hypotheses: Parlais.
That's a great write-up, @Jochen1! I have but one coin of Boule, purchased for the Ephesian Artemis reverse. It is from Antiocheia ad Maeandrum in Caria. Pseudo-autonomous issue, Antonine period, AD 138-192. Roman provincial Æ diassarion, 8.02 g, 26.1 mm, 7 h. Caria, Antiocheia ad Maeandrum. Obv: BOY-ΛH, veiled and draped bust of Boule, right. Rev: ANTIO-XЄΩN, cult statue of Artemis of Ephesus facing, wearing kalathos, having supports, between two stags. Refs: SNG Cop 35; Martin Antiochia 15; Mionnet III.315,69; cf. RPC VI 10952 (temp). Notes: Some numismatists date to the Severan period or even the reign of Gallienus.
Dear @Ryro! Thank you very much. It is precisely for you that I write my articles. Best regards Jochen
