Cool Carthage Coin

This came in postage today, and frankly I am pleasantly surprised that it is much better in-hand than the pics show!

Carthage was losing the 2nd Punic War by the time this coin was minted. Hannibal had been recalled to Carthage Mainland as the Romans were taking the war TO Carthage after 15 years of Hannibal wreaking havoc in Italia. In 203 BCE Hannibal was back in Africa, and in 202 BCE The Battle of Zama between the 2 key Generals in the War: Publius Cornelius Scipio (BEFORE he was Africanus!) for Roma and Hannibal Barca for Carthage. This coin was minted in Carthage during this time period. Perhaps this was pay and helped the Carthage Armies during the Battle of Zama...

This was the battle where Hannibal unleashed his War Elephants and Scipio unleashed his loud horns and used battle tactics of having the Cohorts create open lanes between them to render the Elephants ineffective.

Anyway, this cool coin probably financed the Battle and/or was pay to a Cartheginan soldier!


Carthage, Zeugitania
Carthage mint
2nd Punic War 203-201 BCE
BI 1½ Shekels 24mm 9.4 g
Wreathed Head of Tanit, Corn interlaced in her hair
Horse standing right head poised left, raised foreleg, Pellet below
I reattributed from SNG Cop 391 to SNG COP 394

Wikipedia


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Punic_War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Zama

Wikipedia

Second Punic War Major States in the Med...

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A beauty, love the obverse.

 

Great coin and nice writeup Brian. That horse is quite expressive.

 

Very nice Carthage bronze! you'll be getting featured ifn you keep this up!

 

Awesome!!

 

A Great looking coin, Im jealous!

 

It's amazing how you keep piling up these sweet Carthaginean pieces!! I love it.

Have you ever read David Anthony Durham's Pride of Carthage? If not, I'm sure you'd enjoy it...

 

The first of these 2 coins was struck in Rome for Carthage as a sign of tolerance
( Indulgentia). The second is a tiny coin which has a Carthagian horse on obverse. I don't know where nor when it was struck.

 

That is a cool coin with the "INDVLGENTIA". I had to look at my database, and I have one with that word:


RI Quietus usurper 260-261 CE Ant 3-74g Samasota mint Indulgentia patera scepter RIC V 5

As to your Carthage coin, the pic is blurry and I cannot see it well to compare it with the pics in my SNG COP North Africa (Carthage) reference book.

Thank you EVERYONE for your kind comments!

@Severus Alexander ... THANK you for the book lead! ORDERED, and en route for Monday delivery. Now, I have jitters... had I already purchased it before, and it is in my stack of great books to read?

 

Great write-up and coin!

I am in the middle of my own epic battle to buy a new house and move a little farther from the Atlantic! What a nightmare. I have had little time for coining lately. :-(

We should be thankful to Carthage for leaving a large supply of bronze coins for us to enjoy now, as well as a reasonable number of billon, silver, and electrum coins.

This is one of my favorites:

Zeugitana, Carthage. 264-241 BC. Sardinian mint (?). Æ 19mm 3.8g.
Obverse: Head of Tanit left.
Reverse: Horse's head right; palm tree and pellet.
References: SNG Copenhagen 174-175.

John

 

Great essay and info-graphics @Alegandron ! The coin is awesome! The profile portrait (the hair especially) and the horse are beautiful.

 

Good luck on the house! Ugh, I have moved/lived coast to coast US and overseas with 16 moves in my career. I do not envy your task! Hopefully you find a great place and "safer" so that you can enjoy it!

Your Carthage Sardinia is JUST before the gruesome Mercenary/Libyan War that Carthage fought with their OWN Army (Mercenaries) just after the First Punic War. Nice.

I have a similar coin as yours... one of my favorites also:


Carthage 300-264 BCE AE 19 Sardinia 19mm 5.62g Tanit wreathed Horse hd r ayin SNG COP 151 JP Righetti collection

 

Funny you'd post this. I've been trying for a coin of Carthage for some time and just won my 1st yesterday! Here she is...


Carthage, billon dishekel (8.19g) SNG Cop. 351; Ex-Forum 73094.aVF, scratches

 

Nice DiShekel @Ryro ... fun to start holding History of opposing Empires of Rome.

Interesting... what would our world be like if CARTHAGE WON the Second Punic War, and made Rome EXTINCT?

Here is one minted after the First Punic War but during Carthage's nasty war with their OWN Mercenary Army over pay. Carthage could not afford to PAY their Mercenary Army due to Rome's cumbersome indemnities...

Carthage Zeugitania after 241 DIshekel AE 27 10.8g Libyan Revolt Tanit - Horse r palm MAA 45 SNG Cop 253 scarce

 

About a quarter through it. Good book. Anxious for the writing style describing the battles. It comes well reviewed.

...................................

My newest scourge of Rome... minted in Sardinia before the First Punic War. After the First Punic War, during Carthage's Mercenary War, Rome declared war JUST to TAKE Corsica and Sardinia!

Carthage-Sardinia 300-264 BCE AE Shekel Tanit Horse Head Palm 18mm 4.8g sprues SNG Cop 173 - no pellet below (I reattributed)

 

I look forward to your final review!

 

Finished it some time ago. I remember as a Good book. Recommend. Read many since then.

 

Alegandron, Nice score & write-up with maps. The portrait of Tanit is sensitive & unusually well done for the period, & the coin has an unblemished patina . You can't ask for more than that .