Faustina Friday -- Secret Saturn Saïtta Edition

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Dec 17, 2021.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    TGIFF!!!

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    And

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    While I was at work yesterday, Mrs. Collector signed for a mysterious package that arrived by registered mail from Spain. I was not expecting a package from Lvcernae or Jesus Vico or any such auction firm and I knew it could be from none other than SECRET SATVRN! Just in time for the holiday!!!

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    In addition to a warm holiday greeting from Secret Saturn, there were two coins, one of which depicted my favorite Roman, Faustina the Younger! :joyful:

    The coin was a Roman provincial from the city of Saïtta in Lydia.

    Saittae Map.jpg
    This map (original source uncited) from Ancientmoney.org[1] depicts the city in its presumptive location on the Hyllus River in Lydia.

    The site of the city of Saïtta (Σαίτται) has long been located by historians and archaeologists at Sidas Kale on the Ilgi-Chai river in modern Turkey. The coins of the city mention two rivers, VΛΛΟϹ (Hyllus) and ЄΡΜΟϹ (Hermus), inferring that the city's territory extended to the Hermus, some 15 km (10 mi) south of Sidas Kale, and it was bounded on the east by the Ilgi-Chai (probably the Hyllus of the coins).[2]

    The ruins of that town consist of a stadium,[3] tombs and ruins of several temples.[4][5] The town is mentioned by Ptolemy[6] and Hierocles.[7] Hadrian once visited the city,[8] and the city struck coins from the reign of Hadrian to Philip I.[9]

    This particular coin was unknown to Head and von Aulock and does not appear in SNG Copenhagen. It depicts the empress in her earliest hairstyle, which was used on imperial coins from AD 147-149. Its reverse features Artemis hunting with a bow and hound, around which is written the name of the magistrate responsible for issuing the coin.

    Faustina Jr Saitta Artemis.jpg
    Faustina II, AD 147-175.
    Roman provincial Æ 19.5 mm, 4.46 g, 7 h.
    Lydia, Saïtta, under Fl. Herk(y)lanos, archon, c. AD 148-150.
    Obv: ΦAVCTЄINA CЄBACTH, draped bust right, wearing a string of pearls around head.
    Rev: ЄΠ Φ ΗΡΚΛΑΝΟV ϹΑΙΤΤΗΝΩΝ, Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow; at feet to right, hound.
    Refs: RPC IV.2 online 11561 (temporary); BMC --; SNG Copenhagen --; SNG von Aulock --.

    Do you have any coins of Saïtta? Post anything you feel is relevant! And io Saturnalia!!!

    ~~~

    Notes

    1. Ancientmoney.org, Map of Ancient Lydia, https://www.ancientmoney.org/non_greek_kingdoms/lydia_map.html.

    2. Head, Barclay Vincent. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum: Lydia. Printed by Order of the Trustees, 1901, pp. xci-xcii. Available online at Forum Ancient Coins.

    3. Greenhalgh, Michael. From the Romans to the Railways the Fate of Antiquities in Asia Minor. Brill, 2013, p. 30.

    4. Saittae at Perseus.tufts.edu.

    5. Hamilton, William J. Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia: With Some Account of Their Antiquities and Geology. Olms, 1984, p. 144.

    6. Ptolemy. The Geography. 5.2.21.

    7. Hierocles (Gustav Parthey, transl.), Synecdemus. Hakkert, 1967, p. 669.

    8. Birley, Anthony Richard. Hadrian: The Restless Emperor. Routledge, 2003, p. 168.

    9. "Saitta." RPC III, Saitta, British Museum Press and the Bibliothèque Nationale De France, https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/search/browse?q=Saitta.
     
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  3. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I have the same coin (well, not your coin but same reference :) )
    upload_2021-12-17_14-59-48.png
    upload_2021-12-17_15-1-41.png

    Really liked Faustina's portrait on this coin.
     
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  4. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    You got a nice coin, @Roman Collector. :)

    I like Faustina's young portrait, and the Greek-inspired theme of Artemis on the reverse design.
     
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  5. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Excellent intro:smuggrin: Betty White is turning 100 in January!

    Huge Coingrats on the nuance of your Saturn:pompous::bookworm:
    Now, I'm an educated man, though don't think that I've ever seen that amount of dots above the i, Saïtta.
    wrinklingmybrain.gif
    That clears up the question of me having coins from said place.
    I love the style of that provincial Faustina ll :wideyed:
    My 2 latest Fausties:
    Screenshot_20211203-093535_Chrome-removebg-preview.png 2404886_1638355102.l.jpg
    Glad you had a wonderful Saturnalia as well:cigar:
     
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