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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3128666, member: 75937"]In a <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=40755.0;wap2" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=40755.0;wap2" rel="nofollow">discussion thread at Forum</a>, Reid Goldsborough writes:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>The best material I've come across regarding this is an article titled "Symbolism of the Sphere" by Michael R. Molnar in the June 1998 <i>Celator</i>. In short, it's not a globe representing the Earth that's depicted, a common fallacy, but a sphere, or orb, symbolizing the Cosmos.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Here's a <a href="http://wgs.cc/celator/molnar.pdf" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://wgs.cc/celator/molnar.pdf" rel="nofollow">pdf file</a> of Michael Molnar article from the Celator. Molnar writes:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>The evidence that the orb depicted on so many coins was the cosmos and not the Earth is revealed first of all by stars and astronomical markings. Close inspection of the orbs sometimes shows not a smooth ball, but bands or hatch marks. On small orbs there appears a letter “X,” but on larger orbs, it is recognized as crossed bands that represent the intersection of the all-important zodiac* and the celestial equator. The system of circles that the Greeks marked on the celestial sphere is described in the <i>Phaenomena</i> of Aratus, Pliny’s <i>Natural History</i>, and Manilius’ <i>Astronomica</i>. The “X” is called the equinoctial cross which represents the spring and autumnal equinoxes (where the Sun crosses the celestial equator). It signified the belief in cosmic cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. (The Timaeus of Plato referred to this symbol as a celestial Greek letter “chi.”).</p><p><br /></p></blockquote><p>Molnar may have learned this information from his first work cited: Otto J. Brendel <i>Symbolism of the Sphere</i> Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1977.</p><p><br /></p><p>*Technically, it's the intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator. The zodiac is a zone or belt about 16° in width containing the constellations of the zodiac and through which the orbits of the planets (except Pluto) pass. In the middle of this zone is an imaginary line called the ecliptic. The celestial equator is also known as the equinoctial--<i>RC</i>.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3128666, member: 75937"]In a [URL='http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=40755.0;wap2']discussion thread at Forum[/URL], Reid Goldsborough writes: [INDENT]The best material I've come across regarding this is an article titled "Symbolism of the Sphere" by Michael R. Molnar in the June 1998 [I]Celator[/I]. In short, it's not a globe representing the Earth that's depicted, a common fallacy, but a sphere, or orb, symbolizing the Cosmos.[/INDENT] Here's a [URL='http://wgs.cc/celator/molnar.pdf']pdf file[/URL] of Michael Molnar article from the Celator. Molnar writes: [INDENT]The evidence that the orb depicted on so many coins was the cosmos and not the Earth is revealed first of all by stars and astronomical markings. Close inspection of the orbs sometimes shows not a smooth ball, but bands or hatch marks. On small orbs there appears a letter “X,” but on larger orbs, it is recognized as crossed bands that represent the intersection of the all-important zodiac* and the celestial equator. The system of circles that the Greeks marked on the celestial sphere is described in the [I]Phaenomena[/I] of Aratus, Pliny’s [I]Natural History[/I], and Manilius’ [I]Astronomica[/I]. The “X” is called the equinoctial cross which represents the spring and autumnal equinoxes (where the Sun crosses the celestial equator). It signified the belief in cosmic cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. (The Timaeus of Plato referred to this symbol as a celestial Greek letter “chi.”). [/INDENT] Molnar may have learned this information from his first work cited: Otto J. Brendel [I]Symbolism of the Sphere[/I] Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1977. *Technically, it's the intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator. The zodiac is a zone or belt about 16° in width containing the constellations of the zodiac and through which the orbits of the planets (except Pluto) pass. In the middle of this zone is an imaginary line called the ecliptic. The celestial equator is also known as the equinoctial--[I]RC[/I].[/QUOTE]
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