Cult Statue of Perge: A Fascinating Architecture Type

I became fascinated by this type after I read about it in the book Monumental Coins: Buildings and Structures on Ancient Coins which I bought earlier this year. Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for a nice example. Though it may not look that impressive at first glance I think that the details shown on this example make it special. In particular the figures shown at bottom of the statue on the obverse are noticeably human in shape. This conforms to other representations of the cult statue and is unlike most of the other dies I've seen where the figures are abstracted as lines.


Pamphylia, Perge
AE16, Perge mint, struck ca. 50-30 BC
Dia.: 16.6 mm
Wt.: 3.9 g
Obv.: Cult statue of Artemis Pergaea facing within distyle temple, facing eagle in pediment
Rev.: ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΟΣ ΠΕΡΓΑΙΑΣ, Bow and quiver
Ref.: SNG France 373-8

Foundation of Perge
The city of Perge (as Parha) is mentioned in a Hittite treaty dating from between 1241 and 1209 BC. The inhabitants of the region at this time were Luwian speaking Anatolian people. According to Strabo, Achaean Greeks settled in the area after the Trojan War. The early Greek city was built on the flat hill north of the Roman era ruins.

The Goddess of Perge
Before the hellenization of Perge in the archaic period, the native inhabitants of the area worshipped a nature / mother goddess referred to on an archaic inscription as Wanassas Preiia. Wanassas is a Mycenaean word meaning “queen” or “mistress” and Preiia is related to the Hittite Parha and was an early name for the city [1][2]. Thus, Wanassas Preiia means “Queen of Perge.” The inclusion of the Mycenaean title lends some credit to the story that Greek speakers settled in the region during the Bronze Age.

According to native legend Wanassas Preiia threw down a stone image of her face from the sky as a gift to the Pergaeans [1]. This sacred stone (sometimes called a Baetile) was from then on worshipped as the most important cult object of the city.

Later, as the culture of the Greeks became more influential, Wanassas Preiia was syncretized with the Greek Artemis to produce the uniquely local Artemis Pergaea.

A major temple on a hill near Perge was dedicated to Artemis Pergaea and the sacred stone of Wanassas Preiia was incorporated into a unique cult statue that became the main religious symbol of the city.

Even though the cult statue is lost we can get a good idea of what it looked like from coins as well as two Roman era reliefs that have survived into our time.

The Cult Statue
As stated above the sacred stone was meant to represent the face of the goddess. We don’t know if the stone’s natural shape was vaguely “face-like” or if it was sculpted to resemble a face after the fact. Either way the stone became the central focus of the cult statue shown on the coins.

The sacred stone was crowned by a polos (cylindrical headdress) and was set on a plinth that was decorated with multiple rows of sculptures showing a procession or a sacrifice scene. The entire statue was set against a background that tapered at the top and was heavily decorated.

There are two instances that I am aware of that the cult statue was shown in art other than the depictions on coins. One of them is on the main frieze of the Hadrianic era theatre in Perge and the other is on a pillar of the same theatre. See below.


Frieze of the Theatre of Perge: On the frieze we see a sacrifice scene leading to a seated Tyche (who represents the city of Perge in this context). In Tyche's right arm is held the cult statue. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)


Seated Tyche: This is a closer view of Tyche as the city of Perge. She holds a cornucopia in her left arm and the cult statue in her right arm. There is a sacrificial flame on her right side near the cult statue. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)


Comparison to Coins: We can see many of the same elements shown on the coins and the relief carving. Note the human figures in both representations. This is probably a festival or sacrifice scene like we see in the frieze above.

The other representation of the cult statue in the theatre shows even more detail, particularly in regards to the figures carved into the plinth.




References
[1] Rietveld, K., The Promotion of Perge as a Stable Political Force: Taking Advantage of the Iconization of Artemis Pergaea, Graduate Thesis, University of Florida, 2017

[2] https://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/perge

[3] https://belleten.gov.tr/tam-metin-pdf/1602/eng

Pile on
I am aware that there are many coins in the Hellenistic and Roman period that show this statue and emphasize various details. Please feel free to share those as well as...

• Coins with temples or cult statues
• Coins showing Artemis or Diana
• Coins of Perge
• Fascinating architecture types
• Anything relevant

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Excellent new addition @Curtisimo
I've been interested in the type as well. but no luck acquiring one. Nothing from Perge at all for that matter
Though, I'm not a fan of cults (lived in Utah too long), I am a fan of cult statues:

Aurelian
Pisidia. Kremna AD 270-275.
Bronze Æ 32mm., 14,18g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports. nearly very fine Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien II 1621-3.
Ex Savoca London


Faustina II
(147-175 AD) . AE
PAMPHYLIA Aspendus
Weight: 4,48 gr
Diameter: 19,00 mm Obv: Bust of Faustina II Rev: Rv. AC, Two cult statues of Artemis and Aphrodite standing facing. Condition: Very Fine.Ex: Ares

And architecture:

Augustus
Æ21 of Pergamon, Mysia. 27 BC-AD 14. M. Plautius Silvanus, proconsul, and Demophon. SIΛBANON ΠEPΓAMHNOI, the proconsul M. Plautius Silvanus standing left, holding patera, being crowned by uncertain male figure / Tetrastyle temple of Augustus; ΣEBAΣTON above, ΔHMOΦΩN below. RPC 2364; BMC 245. 4.93g, 20mm, 2h.
Very Fine. Ex: Savoca blue





CIVIL WAR, 68-69 CE,
Denarius, fouree, Mint in Southern Gaul, Forces of Vitellius in Gaul and in the Rhine Valley. Anonymous, 2 January-19 April 69. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 2.5 g, 4 h), Lugdunum. 'Jupiter-Vesta Group'. VESTA P R QVIRITIVM Veiled, diademed and draped bust of Vesta to right; before, burning torch. Rev. I O MAX CAPITOLI-NVS The Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus on the Capitoline Hill: distyle temple with wreath in pediment and acroteria in the form of aphlasta; within, statue of Jupiter seated left, holding thunderbolt in his right hand and scepter in his left. BMC 70. CG 15.8. Cohen 368. Martin 13. Nicolas 15. RIC 128. Rare and of great numismatic interest. Frank Robinson’s notes “F or so BUT much patchy core exposure, somewhat off-ctr, lgnds crude & partly off; bust clear; but pretty ugly. Or, as a certain deity would say, "A beautiful coin, folks, believe me, a beautiful coin, I can tell you that." But Very rare.
Ex: Frank Robinson

 

This one looks like your last photo. Agree?

Gallienus. 253-268 AD. PAMPHYLIA, Perge. Æ 10 Assaria (30mm, 11.44 gm, 12h). Obv: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; I (mark of value) before. Rev: Cult idol of Artemis Pergaia, flanked by crescent and star, within distyle temple; A in pediment, ACVLOV on architrave. SNG France 570; SNG Copenhagen__; SNG von Aulock 4731

 

That really is a neat type @Curtisimo! Here is Pergaian cult statue surrounded by Sphinx with crescent and star above all within distyle temple.


and an Artemis Pergaia non-cult.

 

This is a terrific write-up @Curtisimo - very informative.

A while back I got a scruffy little Provincial from Perge that I am not entirely sure of - Artemis on the reverse, for Marcus Aurelius (I think):


Marcus Aurelius Æ 13
Pamphylia, Perge
(c. 161-180 A.D.)
[ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ ΑVΡ] ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝοc laureate, cuirassed bust right / ΠƐ[ΡΓΑΙ]ΩΝ, female figure (Artemis?) standing, facing, head l., holding uncertain objects (bow and arrow?)
RPC IV.3, 10492 (temporary)?
(1.89 grams / 13 mm)
eBay April 2021 Lot @ $1.24
Attribution Notes:
There are several types from Perge with Artemis standing facing, holding things.
This one seems to match the RPC 10492 example, but that weighs 5.09 grams.
RPC 10659 is a Wildwinds specimen at 2.87 grams, but goddess facing right.

Another Perge Artemis, with a countermark:


Elagabalus Æ 24
Pamphylia, Perge
(c. 218-222 A.D. )
ΑΥ Κ Μ ΑΥ [ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ], laureate, draped & cuir. bust right / ΠƐΡΓΑΙΩΝ, Artemis standing holding bow and arrow.
RPC VI, 6122 (temporary);
SNG France 448–9 (as Caracalla)
Countermark: See reverse.
(6.89 grams / 24 x 22 mm)
eBay Nov. 2020
Countermark:
A.K. in rectangle 5 x 3 mm. Howgego 513 (43 pcs).
"Note: Countermark (2 - A.K.) was applied earlier than (1 - eagle)
...countermark (2 - A.K.) is not found on coins struck later than.. Elagabalus."
FORVM Collection Automan.

Another Perge AK countermark, but no Artemis - rather the River God Cestrus:


Septimius Severus Æ 25
Pamphylia, Perge
(c. 193-211 A.D. ?)
[AVT] K Λ CЄ CЄOVHPOC, laureate head rt. / ΠЄPΓAIΩN River god Cestrus reclining left, on amphora gushing water, holding reed and cornucopia.
BMC 34
(8.63 grams / 25 mm)
eBay April 2019
Countermarks:
(1): Eagle facing, in oval, 4 x 5 mm. Howg. 334 (50 pcs).
(2): A.K. in rectangle 5 x 3 mm. Howgego 513 (43 pcs).
"Note: Countermark (2) was applied earlier than (1)... countermark (2) is not found on coins struck later than..Elagab."
FORVM Collection Automan.

 

Perhaps you just haven’t met the right one yet...

Great coins my friend! You have an impressive variety of temple coins for a collector that doesn’t specialize in architecture types. I especially like your large Artemis of Ephesus. Great detail of a fascinating subject. I saw what I believe is a Roman copy of the statue in the Vatican Museum a few years ago.

That is an interesting type @PeteB . The reverse also shows additional detail in the temple and the inscription on the architrave.

I wonder if the temple of Artemis at Perge was really a distyle temple. I would assume that is just an artistic convention to show the important cult object but I’ve never seen a coin showing it as anything other than distyle. The temple itself has never been found and the sources I read in my research claim it was probably located on a hill outside the city. The only distyle temple I’ve seen is the Treasury of Athens at Delphi.

Nice coin and thank you for the addition!

Great pair of Perge coins @ancientone !

Thanks for the kind words and great coins @Marsyas Mike . I don’t recognize your AE13 off hand. My guess is that you’re correct in attributing the reverse to Artemis. I’ll let you know if I see a match in the future.

 

@Curtisimo - interesting research

Here is mine


Pamphylia. Perge circa 50-30 BC.
Bronze Æ

17 mm, 3,92 g

Cult statue of Artemis Pergaia facing within distyle temple

ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΟΣ ΠΕΡΓΑΙΑΣ either side of bow and quiver.

 

Wonderful article as usual @Curtisimo . I think I will recognize the Cult Statue of Perge in the future. Thanks

 

A splendid write-up, @Curtisimo. I very much enjoyed reading it and definitely learned something.

Here is my example:

Pamphylia, Perge, AE17, ca. 50–30 BC. Obv: Cult statue of Artemis Pergaia facing within distyle temple. Rev: AΡTEMIΔOΣ / ΠEΡΓAIAΣ, Bow and quiver. 17mm, 4.04g. Ref: SNG France 373–378; SNG Copenhagen 308.

 

Interesting post, @Curtisimo !

I don’t have any ancient coins featuring architecture but I do have some avatar designs.

 

I love architecture.

Here a Macrinus and Diadumenian coin with a temple of Fortuna.




I decided that the following reconstruction is a likely candidate for an approximate original appearance.

 

That is a nice example with great centering and detail. Thanks for sharing and for the kind words.

Glad you enjoyed it @LaCointessa and thank you for the kind words.

Nice example @Orielensis ! It is very similar in style to mine. I can even see that the figures on your example are human shaped which is what I really liked about my example.

Thanks @Deacon Ray ! I like you avatar designs. As I have said many times I am impressed by your creative design skills.

Nice coin HWE! That is a nicely detailed example showing both the temple and the cult statue inside. Very impressive.

Just for fun here are a couple of my favorite temple coins. One showing the cult statue and the other just the temple.



I’m still quite fascinated by the fact that the Temple of Artemis at Perge always appears as distyle. I went back and looked through my photos and confirmed that the only distyle temple I have seen was the Treasury of Athens at Delphi. Below are the photos I took of it when I visited Delphi a few years ago.




I did however find another example of a distyle temple in Spain that was dedicated to Trajan so I guess it is possible that the Temple of Artemis at Perge was distyle.

Imagine from Wikimedia Commons.