Is this what I think it is? Cleopatra?!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by JayAg47, Aug 2, 2020.

  1. JayAg47

    JayAg47 Well-Known Member

    I stumbled upon this coin on eBay looking for some cheap Romans, listed as an unknown Greek bronze, the sharp nose & the hair bun screamed Cleopatra! the damage on the reverse made it hard to decipher, yet I made out a face (of Mark Antony?), but you can read ΒΑCIΛΙC...
    These are the only references I could get:

    https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotv...&Lot=385&Val=301f3bdffbde919150b669901c18c7ca

    https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotv...&Lot=690&Val=770507721ae0c06f69e75ebb13e11f8a

    The coin in the post is 3.6g, ~20mm, however, this coin has the bust wearing some sort of pearly head-gear tho!
     

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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure that's a human face on the reverse. Intriguing coin, though. I'll be interested to see what other, more expert, members have to say.
     
  4. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Hair rolled upwards into a man bun in the back and wearing an ivy wreath is the hallmark of Dionysos.
     
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  5. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

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  6. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I agree about the other side: bust right. That's probably the obverse and the coin is likely from a Roman province. It's often hard to determine emperor ID based on portraits since provincial portraits sometimes look nothing like imperial coins and statues. That said, I think the portrait looks Severan... Septimius? Caracalla?

    This would be a good coin to run through ISEGRIM but I don't seem to have the knack of knowing what search terms it will accept and where to put them, even using @EdSnible's simplified interface. Someday I hope to become more fluent with ISEGRIM because it's such a great resource for provincial coins.

    CT-JayAg47-UnknownCoinWithDionysos.jpg
     
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  7. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Here's an intriguing option depending on how clearly you see BΑΣΙΛЄΩΣ - weight also doesn't seem quite right, but I like the mask of Silenos on reverse.

    Phrygia, Laodicea, pseudo-autonomous (2nd century), AE, Ailius Dionysios, magistrate.
    Obv: ΛΑΟΔΙKЄΩΝ, Draped bust of Dionysus right, wearing ivy wreath.
    Rev: AIΛ ΔIONVCIOC, cista mystica, with serpent and mask of Silenus.
    Size: 5.44g, 21mm

    I'd generally like to know more about what this is representing - here's a related combination on a coin from the Roman Republic. Perhaps general link between Libertas and Dionysus? C. Vibius Varus panther.jpg
    Imperatorial Rome, C. Vibius Varus, 42 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint
    Obv: Head of young Bacchus, wearing wreath of ivy and grapes, hair collected into a knot behind, one lock and fillet of wreath falling down his neck
    Rev: Panther springing left toward garlanded altar surmounted by bacchic mask and thyrsus; C • VIBIVS in exergue, VARVS upward to right
    Ref: Crawford 494/36
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
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  8. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I like that option a lot! I was mistaking the "basket" for damage. I think you've got it right :).

    (And now I need to hunt for a nice example of this coin for my collection :D)
     
  9. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    CT-JayAg47-PhrygiaDionysos-SilenusHeadInBasket.jpg
    [​IMG]
    PHRYGIA. Laodicea ad Lycum. Pseudo-autonomous. Time of Antoninus Pius (138-161). Ae. Po. Ailios Dionysios Sabinianos, magistrate.

    Obv: ΛΑΟΔΙΚЄΩΝ.
    Draped bust of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath.
    Rev: ΑΙΛ ΔΙΟΝVСΙΟС.
    Serpent-entwined cista mystica surmounted by mask of Silenos.

    RPC IV online 2114; SNG Copenhagen 532.

    Condition: Very fine.

    Weight: 6.25 g.
    Diameter: 19 mm.

    https://www.biddr.com/auctions/numismatiknaumann/browse?a=315&l=290846

    Such a cool coin. Dibs on the next one :D
     
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  10. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    Interesting coin and topic... Thanks
     
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