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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;NSisci, post: 2442006, member: 79427&quot;]Thank you Joe! I love to share informations on ancient coins, I think the ultimate goal of study must be the sharing of knowledge, otherwise study would be boring and meaningless.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Hi IdesOfMarch01,</p><p>the griffin on neck guard is seen only on the earlier groups (B and C) of the Thurian distaters, I share the related plate from Noe...</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]509112[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>There are also several samples of griffins on helms (not on neck guard) seen on the coinage of Magna Graecia and Sicily, like:</p><p><br /></p><p>Velia</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/78000175.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Heraklea</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/591083.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The Lucani</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/590063.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Caelia</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/590037.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Taras</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/590055.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Syracuse</p><p><img src="http://www.cngcoins.com/photos/big/10100063.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The iconography was very popular in south Italy, in fact the most beautiful depiction of griffins ever seen comes from Ascoli Satriano, area of Ancient Daunia (northern Apulia): a marble Trapezophoros found in a princely tomb, perfectly preserved, of which we can still appreciate the polychromy:</p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Trapezophoros_con_due_grifoni_che_sbranano_una_cerva.jpg/1200px-Trapezophoros_con_due_grifoni_che_sbranano_una_cerva.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>From an iconological point of view, the griffin was linked to power, royalty, strength and victory. The frequent occurrence on the helmets is to be linked to the Greek literary traditions in which griffin are described in their function as fearsome guardians, such as for the precious wine of Dionysus or for Apollo&#039;s treasure (Herodotus was the main exponent of those traditions); therefore, their presence on the helmets had an eminently protective function.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bye <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Nico[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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