Voting with pebbles shown in an detail from an Attic Red-Figured Kylix, 490–480 BC, attributed to the Brygos Painter, active about 490 - 470 BC. Public domain image used with thanks to the Getty Museum Collection. Ancient coins and art can give us insights into ancient peoples. The coin that I share today shows an image of a representative voting in ancient Antioch, province of Syria, region of Seleucis and Pieria. Seleucis and Pieria was a region within the greater province of Syria that included the northwestern part of modern Syria and southeastern Anatolia in modern Turkey. Seleucia was the ancient sea port and capital of the Seleucid empire under Seleucos I and Pieria refers Mt. Pieria, the mountain the rise above Seleucia. After Seleucus I was assassinated (281 BCE), his son, Antiochus I, moved the capital to Antioch. The region retained the name Seleucis and Pieria. Dating System I enjoy coins that can be pinpointed to a specific date, this one reads ЄIP (5+10+100 = Civic Year 115 dated from the start of the Caesarean Era). Civic years in Antioch were measured from the This date 115 years from the start 49/8 BC and a Caesarean era that Antioch began to use after Caesar granted the city Autonomy. More on the visit of Caesar to Antioch can be found here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/julius-caesar-in-antioch A Parthian invasion in 40BC disrupted this dating system - for a coin from this period see: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/parthian-invasion-40-bc The Boule (βουλή), was a council (Greek: βουλευταί) in the representative democratic system of ancient Greek city states that was appointed to operate daily affairs or the city. This coin is a beautiful example showing, on the reverse, the voting of the Boule, by placing a pebble into an urn. The First Jewish Revolt This coin was issued during the time of the First Jewish Revolt against Rome and the last years of the reign of emperor Nero (reign 54 – 68 AD). The first legions sent from Syria to quell the rebellion failed and their commander Cestius Gallus died on his return to Syria. "Insomuch that the soldiers, through the astonishment and fear they were in, left behind them their engines for sieges, and for throwing of stones, and a great part of the instruments of war. So the Jews went on pursuing the Romans as far as Antipatris, after which, seeing they could not overtake them, they came back, and took the engines, and spoiled the dead bodies, and gathered their prey together which the Romans had left behind them, and came back running and singing to their metropolis. While they had themselves lost a few only, but had slain of the Romans five thousand and three hundred footmen, and three hundred and eighty horsemen. This defeat happened on the eighth day of the month Dius, [Marhesvan], in the twelfth year of the reign of Nero." -Josephus, Antiquities, 19.9 Licinius Mucianus succeeded Gallus in 67 AD as governor of Syria and emperor Nero appointed Vespasian, future emperor, as commander of the Roman forces to address the rebellion in Judea. Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, city of Antioch a Pseudo-autonomous issue. Assarion (Bronze, 19 mm, 5.89g, 1h), CY 115 = 66/7 AD. Obv: ΑΝΤΙ[ΟΧЄΩ]Ν Diademed head of Zeus to right Rev: ЄTO - ЄIP Boule seated left, placing vote in urn Ref: RPC I 4305. McAlee 112 Another favorite voting scene is this one from the Roman republic: L. Cassius Longinus, moneyer, AR Denarius minted at Rome, 63 BC. Obv: Draped bust of Vesta veiled left, kylix behind, letter before Rev: Male figure left, dropping inscribed tablet into a cista Ref: Crawford 413/1; Syd. 935; Cassia 10 For more coins depicting voting in ancient Rome and discussion of voting and voting laws in the Roman republic see: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/roman-voting-laws Post your coins of ancient voting scenes, or anything else that you find interesting or entertaining. References: Kristina M. Neumann, Antioch in Syria: a history from coins (300 BCE-450 CE). Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2021. Pp. xxvii, 410. ISBN 9781108837149. (available from Cambridge University as a Digital Book for about US $40. Antioch in Syria: a history from coins (300 BCE-450 CE) a review in Bryn Mawr Classical Review by Alan Stahl, 21-June-2022, Princeton University.
P. Licinia Nerva (113-112 B.C.) AR Denarius O: Helmeted bust of Roma left, holding shield and spear over shoulder; crescent above, mark of value to left. R: Three citizens voting on comitium: one voter receives ballot from attendant below, another voter places ballot in cista; [P] on tablet above bar. Rome Mint 17mm 3.3g Crawford 292/1, Sydenham 548; Licinia 7
@Sulla80 Beautiful example and nice (and timely) write-up here and on your website! I used to own an example of the same bronze Boule type from Antioch, but I sold it on eBay about 10 years ago. Your post made me miss it, so I went shopping online yesterday and purchased this one from London Ancient Coins: *** A thankful nod to LAC for the photo credit. *** It's the exact same type as the O.P., so I won't include the numismatic data here. But I'll note that Richard McAlee wrote in his reference on Antiochene coinage that this obverse design with Zeus' hair tied with a taenia (rather than tied with a laurel wreath) should be considered a variety of RPC I 4305. He assigned it the catalog number 112.b. I like the fact that on both examples the "pebble" is distinctly visible as it leaves Boule's hand and falls toward entering the mouth of the urn. That's a key detail for the coin's theme. Interestingly, the koine Greek word which is translated as "vote" in most English translations of Acts 26:10 literally means a small, smooth stone.
I was happy to pick up the 5th coin in my RR denarius set featuring voting and voting implements. (two coins that I know of left in this set). Details here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/roman-voting-laws the tessera of a voter in a tribe whose name begins with P, recording a vote for C. Malleolus. C. Malleolus, A. Albinus Sp.f., and L. Caecilius Metellus, 96 BC. Denarius, Rome.
