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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;gogili1977, post: 3017603, member: 86398&quot;]Nice addition Bing.</p><p>Illyria, <b>Dyrrhachium</b>.&nbsp; AR Drachm. After 229 BC. <b>MENIΣKOΣ</b>, cow standing right, looking back at calf which it suckles / DUR DIONUSIOU, square containing double stellate pattern. BMC 62-64. CEKA 320. Weight 3 gr.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]749553[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]749554[/ATTACH]</p><p>Illyria, <b>Apollonia</b>. AR Drachm. ca 229-30 BC. <b>AGIAS</b> above cow standing left suckling calf / APOL EPIKADOY around double stellate pattern. BMC 15-16. CEKA 3. Weight 3.2 gr.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]749556[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]749557[/ATTACH]</p><p>I find this explanation on a site:</p><p><a href="http://asklapiadas.ancients.info/02General.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://asklapiadas.ancients.info/02General.html" rel="nofollow">http://asklapiadas.ancients.info/02General.html</a></p><p><br /></p><p>All Dyrrhachian drachms and the earlier Apolloniate drachms have the cow standing to right. Cow to left means an Apolloniate piece from the later half of their production.</p><p><br /></p><p>The cow/calf type Illyrian drachms display a cow with suckling calf on the obverse and the double stellate pattern on the reverse. The diameter is 17-18 mm; mean weight is 3.3-3.4 g. These drachms are identified by the ethnic attribute and the two names on them. One is above the cow on the obverse, in the nominative case; occasionally, the name is abbreviated or is a monogram. The other name is on the reverse: place the ethnic attribute APOL or DYR up so the name starts in the segment on the right, clockwise. The ethnic attribute determines the mint (Apollonia or Dyrrhachium). The name on the reverse determines the year of issue and all style features including the occasional symbols on the obverse. The name on the obverse is probably of a moneyer.</p><p><br /></p><p>The usual reverse is a double, symmetrical geometrical pattern. This is most probably a schematic representation of the two stars of the Dioscuri. Other explanations include backgammon (for the resemblance of the pattern to the board of the popular game &quot;tavli&quot;), or doors, flowers - including a romantic 19th century guesswork that the pattern would represent the gardens of Alkinoos from the Odyssey. Believers of the star origin call it &quot;double stellate pattern&quot;; in contrast to the flower origin, &quot;floral pattern&quot;.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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