Carteia Iberian coin from Spain

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by bcuda, Apr 22, 2021.

  1. bcuda

    bcuda El Ibérico loco

    I have quite a few different coins from Carteia but I did not have this
    particular one so I bought it cause it was a little different.

    I can not find it listed in my La Moneda Hispanica (Burgos)
    book. There are similar ones but nothing with the letters IV and IT on
    each side of the rudder. I do not have any other reference books for
    Carteia so I am not sure if it is an unpublished version or just not
    referenced in my book.

    carrteia scarce a.jpg

    Carteia Ancient Spain
    Obv: Turreted female head facing
    right, Trident behind.
    Rev: Rudder C VIBI IIII VIR C MINIVS IIII VIR (IV rudder IT )

    Here is some history on Carteia:

    Carteia was a Phoenician and then a Roman town at the head of the Bay of Gibraltar in Spain. It was established at the most northerly point of the bay, about halfway between the modern cities of Algeciras and Gibraltar, it overlooked the sea on elevated ground at the confluence of two rivers. According to Strabo, it was founded around 940 BC as a trading settlement. The area had much to offer a trader; the lands behind Carteia, in the modern south of Andalusia, was rich in wood, cereals, oranges, lemons, lead, iron, copper and silver. Dyes were another much sought-after commodity, especially those from the murex shellfish, used to make the prized Tyrian purple. The city was one of the principal sources of deep purple dye used for togas of the Senate, the reigning Caesar, later the two Pro-Consuls, and other senior magistrates holding public office.

    The town's strategic location meant that it played a significant role in the wars between Carthage and the Roman Republic in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. It may have been the site of Hamilcar's landing with his army and elephants in 237 BC, and in 206 BC the Carthaginian admiral Adherbal retreated there with the remnants of his fleet after being defeated by Gaius Laelius in the Battle of Carteia. Around 190 BC, the town was captured by the Romans.

    Livy records that in 171 BC, the Roman Senate was petitioned by a group of Romano-Spanish people, the sons of Roman soldiers and Spanish women. Although they were of Roman descent they were not regarded as Roman citizens, nor were they allowed to marry Roman citizens. The Senate responded by elevating Carteia to the status of a colonia (Roman colony) and granting around 4,000 Romano-Spanish people the right to live there and receive a grant of land on a similar basis to Roman colonists. The existing inhabitants were permitted to remain there, while all of the inhabitants were given the right to marry Roman citizens and to carry on trade with Romans. This marked a significant innovation for Rome's overseas colonies; the Carteians were the first outside Italy to receive a civic status known as the Latin Rights, halfway between being a non-citizen provincial and a full Roman citizen. Other cities in Spain were later granted a similar status.

    The Colonia Libertinorum Carteia (Freedmen's Colony of Carteia) prospered for another 580 years under Roman rule. It grew to become a substantial city which served as a center for the export of local wines, shipped in amphorae fired in large kilns found on the site, and the manufacture of garum fish sauce. Carteia acquired a mint, amphitheater, temples and a port, and played a significant role in late Roman Republican affairs. Pompey (remained in Hispania from 76 – 71 BC) made it his western base for his campaign against Mediterranean pirates in 68 BC.

    Little is known of the remainder of Carteia's Roman history, but it appears to have been sacked by the Visigoths around 409 AD, by which time it was probably already in decline. Nonetheless, archaeological evidence shows that urban life continued there into the medieval period. The foundations of an early Christian basilica have been found, a Visigothic necropolis exists near one of the Roman temples, and Byzantine remains discovered at the site show its continued occupation when Carteia was incorporated into the Byzantine province of Spania during the 6th-7th centuries.

    In the 9th century, after the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, Islamic sources referred to the town – which was probably not much more than a village by then – as Qartayanna or Cartagena. The Marinids constructed a tower nearby, known today as the Torre de Cartagena, using stones from the ruined Roman walls.

    The site of Carteia is surrounded on three sides by an oil refinery. It was not given protection until as late as the 1960s, by which time the necropolis and city gates had been lost to encroaching development. However, the main urban area has been preserved and can be visited. A number of significant structures can still be seen, including the original Carthaginian city gate, a monumental sandstone flight of steps leading down to what was possibly the forum, a large temple, a number of houses and an extensive Roman baths. From 1971 to 1974, excavations were carried out which found part of a bust of the Emperor Augustus and a headless statue of a man wearing a toga. The Carteia Archaeological Museum in San Roque displays archaeological finds from the site.

    Here are a few of my other Carteia coins.

    IMG_7130 (2).JPG

    IMG_7188 (2).JPG

    IMG_7193 (2).JPG

    IMG_5796.JPG

    IMG_5798.JPG

    s-l1600na.jpg
     
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  3. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Excellent coins:artist::pompous::cigar:
    And enlightening writeup:bookworm:... on a town I am sadly ignorant and devoid of in my collection.
    However, I can add some more turrets to the party:smuggrin:
    1566967_1606945116.l-removebg-preview.png
     
    galba68, +VGO.DVCKS, Andres2 and 7 others like this.
  4. bcuda

    bcuda El Ibérico loco

    Ryro that hypnotizing look is crazy.
     
    galba68, +VGO.DVCKS and Ryro like this.
  5. bcuda

    bcuda El Ibérico loco

    Is anyone able to find the original Carteia above listed in one your books ?
    Thank you for looking !
     
    galba68 likes this.
  6. akeady

    akeady Well-Known Member

    Your coin is Heiss Carteia 27:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    ATB,
    Aidan.
     
  7. bcuda

    bcuda El Ibérico loco

    akeady likes this.
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