Dear Friends of ancient mythology! Here I want to share another coin of Berytos: The coin: Elagabal, AD 218-222 AE 26, 12.47g, 0° obv. [AV KM AVR AN - TONINOC AVG] Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r. rev. COL IVL A - VG FEL / BER Poseidon, in himation, advancing r., head l., holding his trident in l. arm, raising the nymph Beroe, kneeling l. before him, looking up to him; the nymph, in transparent chiton, scooping water with a jar, the l. hand raised in defense. ref. SNG Copenhagen 118; BMC 183; Lindgren II, 120, 2268 Very rare, about EF, chocolate-brown patina The myth of Beroe is found detailed in Nonnus' Dionysiaka. In ancient times Berytos was suggested as a center of laws and legislation. Therefore especially in the first part we find several hints on laws and justice. The text based on Nonnus' text, but I have shorten it heavily. Birth and Youth of Beroe In a younger myth Beroe's mother was Aphrodite and her father Adonis. Hermes and Themis assisted at the birth. To help pressing Themis hold's Solon's laws against her feet. Beroe was given to Astraia to educate her and she was fed with milk of justice and streams of Attic laws.Grewing up she got the very likeness of her mother. Beroe - Goddess of Berytos Recognizing the prophetic intelligence of her daughter Aphrodite decided to design a city named after Beroe. She asked Harmonia which told her that she have oracles of history on seven tablets made by Kronos. She should look at them to learn about the oldest cities. And Aphrodite could read that Beroe was the first, bearing the name of the later born nymph, and later called Berytos by the Romans. And as Ausonian Zeus will give the lordship to Rome Beroe will grant the reins of law when armed by her fleet she shall pacify the ocean. (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 41.263) The marriage of Beroe Eros in his cockiness had set in desire for Beroe's love at once Dionysos and Poseidon. Dionysos offered her life's merry heart and his grapes, but Poseidon seafaring battle on the water. But Dionysos he has set more in a flame, since wine excites the mind for desire. And Dionysos couldn't tear his gaze from her tender shape. Once Beroe thirsty by the heat sought out a near spring and scooped the cool water. Dionysos came near, flattered her comparing her with several deities and Beroe smiled and was pleased because in her childlike simplicity she couldn't see through his tricks. Then he discarded his human shape and stood before her as a god and confessed his great love thereby defaming Poseidon with his salt water bridegifts. Beroe pressed the fingers into her ears. So she made trouble to Dionysos. Then out from the sea came Poseidon and espied Beroe. He began to flatter her by promising that Okeanos will be her servant and all the rivers. But the maiden was angry and would not listen. Then he and Dionysos offered gifts to Adonis and Aphrodite as bridegifts for the love of her daughter. Now Aphrodite became anxious, for she feared both wooers when she saw equal desire in both, and she announced that the rivals must fight for the bride. Both wooers agreed to this proposal. Both took a binding oath. And from heaven all the gods came to watch the combat. Then Zeus breaking up the contest granted the hand of Beroe to Poseidon, and pacified the rival's quarrel. And Galateia twangled a marriage dance and sang the marriage verses. (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 42.1) Beroe - the oldest of the Cities To show the verbose style of Nonnus I cite the following part rather litterally: "Here in the city of Beroe which emerged at the very creation of the universe dwelt a people agemates with the dawn, whom Physis (Nature) by her own breeding, in some unwedded way, begat without bridal, without wedding, fatherless, motherless, unborn: when the atoms were mingled in fourfold combination, and the seedless ooze shaped a clever offspring by comingling water with fiery heat and air, and quickened the teeming mud with the breath of life. To these Physis gave perfect shape the golden crop of men, brought forth in the image of the gods, with the roots of their stock in the earth. And these dwelt in the city of Beroe, that primordial seat which Kronos himself builded ... O Beroe, root of life, nurse of cities, the boast of princes, the first city seen, twin sister of Aion (Time), coeval with the universe, sea of Hermes, land of Dike (Justice), bower of Euphrosyne (Merryheart), house of Paphia, hall of the Erotes, delectable ground of Dionysos, home of the Archeress, jewel of the Nereides, house of Zeus, court of Ares, Orchomenos of the Charites, star of the Lebanon country, yearsmate of Tethys, running side by side with Okeanos, who begat thee in his bed of many fountains when joined in watery union with Tethys - Beroe the same they named Amymone when her mother brought her forth on her bed in the deep waters!" (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 41.51) Background: Beroe is the eponym of Berytos, todays Beirut, this poor and opressed capital of Libanon. It is a typical founder myth. The group of statues decorates the pediment of the main temple of Berytos, which in ancient times was called Beroe/Beroia too. For the love of Beroe, daughter of Aphrodite and Adonis, struggled Dionysos and Poseidon, until Zeus stopped the undecided battle and gave Beroe to Poseidon. The Lord of the Sea donated to the city the grace to win each naval battle (Nonnos 41.10-43). Probably Beroe is symbolizing the water supply of the city or an important spring. In ancient times these were essential for the city. That she was called the daughter of Aphrodite and Adonis may originate in a local myth where she was made the daughter of the Phoenicean gods Ashtarte and Adonis. An extremely rare denarius of Diadumenian shows the group on top of the temple (Numismatik Lanz Auction 117 November 2003, Lot 987) Interestingly in his last part Nonnus changed from Beroe to Amymone. Whose myth is related to the myth of Beroe insofar as she was a nymph too who was raped by Poseidon: Amymone was one of the fifty daughter of Danaos. When once she was sent for water she fell asleep. She was found by a satyr who wants to rape her. She called Poseidon for help who threw his trident to the satyr which stuck in a rock. Then she was raped by Poseidon himself who created Nauplios with her. By his order he drew the trident out of the rock and three springs came out of the holes. These were called the Amymonean and later the Lernean fountains. Aischylos is said to have written a tragedy about this which was lost. Sources: (1) Nonnos, Dionysiaka (2) Benjamin Hederich, Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon (3) http://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NympheBeroe.html I have added a detail of an Attic red-figured vase, showing Dionysos seducing Amomyne. C.475-425 BC, today in the Eremitage in St.Petersburg Best regards
Beryt was a famous Phoenician goddess. Her father, the greatest Phoenician god (Aal) offered her to Poseidon the Greek god of the sea in order to protect the city from high tides caused by Earthquakes (Tsunami). So Poseidon became Baal Beryt, that means the husband of Beryt. The city was named Berytus (Beirut now) by the Romans, and previously Berythos by the Greeks. Beroe is another matter. She was the daughter of Roman goddess of love Venus. Hence the city of Beroea which lies now in Syria and is called Aleppo. You're confusing between Beryt (Lebanon)- Phoenicia, and Beroea (Syria). Hope I'm right While writing this from Beirut. Please consider this humble opinion which was made after long research. BTW.. I have coins from Berytus and Beroea. That would be Beirut and Aleppo.
Dear 7Calbrey! Thank you for your post. But I don't agree. Your Beroia was originally a city in the Makedonian plains of Bottiaia (today Verria), named after Beroia, daughter of Beres. Aleppo, an age-old city in Syria from the 19th century BC, was occupied by Alexander III the Great in 333 BC and Seleukos I Nikator established there a Makedonian colony 301-281 BC under the name of Beroia. My coin is actually from Berytos (today Beirut) and the mythology belongs to the city of Berytos (today Beirut). Aleppo has never rules the waves as Berytos (= Beirut) has done. But I have to thank you for the advice to Beruth. And I will do some research. Literature: - Wikipedia: Aleppo - Der Kleine Pauly: Beroia - Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher: Beroia, Beruth Best regards
