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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 2614460, member: 75937&quot;]Neapolis (modern Nablus), built at the site of the ancient city of Sichar, is situated nearly in the center of Samaria between two hills, Ebal and Gerizim. It struck coins with Greek inscriptions in the Imperial Period from Titus to Maximinus, then with Latin inscriptions in the Imperial-Colonial Period from Philip I to Volusian.</p><p><br /></p><p>In addition to a temple to Zeus on Mt. Gerizim, the city is believed to have been home to an Artemision, which contained a simulacrum of a goddess resembling the Ephesian Artemis, which you may see in the Ephesus Museum. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis" rel="nofollow">temple of Artemis in Ephesus</a> was, as you undoubtedly know, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.</p><p><br /></p><p>The goddess Artemis of Ephesus (Diana in Roman mythology), was not the quite the same as the one worshipped in Greece. The Greek Artemis was the goddess of hunting, and is often depicted with stags. The Artemis of Ephesus, however, was the product of syncretism between aspects of Artemis and of Cybele and was therefore worshipped as a goddess of fertility. She was often depicted as a female figure with multiple breasts, which were the symbols of fertility, from her waist to the shoulders, with bulls, deer, queen bees, eggs, and other fertility symbols everywhere. Note the presence of lions, which indicate syncretism with Cybele, and the presence of stags at her side, which are an aspect of Greek Artemis.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]572658[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin depicts the cult statue in Neapolis&#039; Artemision. The similarities to the cult-statue in Ephesus are unmistakable.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]572659[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina Jr., 147-175</p><p>Roman provincial AE 20</p><p>Samaria, Neapolis, AD 161/162</p><p>5.32 gm; 19.8 mm</p><p>Obv: ΦΑVCΤ<font size="6">ϵ</font>ΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: ΦΛ Ν<font size="6">ϵ</font>ΑC ΠΟΛ<font size="6">ϵω</font>C CVΡ ΠΑΛ<font size="6">ϵ</font>, cultus-statue, resembling Ephesian Artemis, standing facing, flanked by stags; her head-dress surmounted by small temple; across field, <font size="6">ϵ</font>Τ-Ϟ (= year 90 of the Era of Neapolis = AD 161/162).</p><p><br /></p><p>Refs: SGI 1801v; BMC 67-69</p><p><br /></p><p>Although my coin has too much wear to appreciate it, the statue of the goddess in Neapolis, like that in Ephesus, was apparently adorned with multiple breasts and other symbols of fruitfulness, as is apparent on this <a href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/faustina_II/_neapolisSamaria_AE22_Rosenberger_16.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/faustina_II/_neapolisSamaria_AE22_Rosenberger_16.jpg" rel="nofollow">specimen at Wildwinds</a> (probably a higher denomination, as it is larger in diameter, weighs more, and has longer, unabbreviated inscriptions):</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]572663[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This &quot;multimammiferous&quot; feature of the cult statue led a poet with the pseudonym of Senex Caecilius to write this snide double dactyl:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Artemision</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Higgledy-Piggledy</p><p>Temple of Artemis,</p><p>Wonder of Wonders, in</p><p>Ephesus stood;</p><p>Housed in the shrine was a</p><p>Multimammiferous</p><p>Symbol of fruitfulness</p><p>Carved out of wood.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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