Dear Friends of Ancient Mythology! It is recommended to read the legends on coins very carefully. Then you can make surprising discoveries. That happened to me with this coin, that I have bought actually only because of its double-axe. The coin: Caria, Aphrodisias, Augustus, 27 BC - AD 14 AE 15, 3.36g, 15.01mm, 180° late issue, struck 2 BC - AD 14 (MacDonald) obv. CEBA - CTOC Laureate head r. rev. [AΦPO]ΔI - C - I - EΩN CΩ[Z] in r. field [ΩN] Double axe, decorated with ribbons ref. BMC 90 var.; SNG Copenhagen 115 var.; SNG München 130 var.; RPC 2838; MacDonald Type 45, pl. V, 092/R160 rare, about VF, dark-green Patina Aphrodisias: The name Aphrodisias it got from its important cult of Aphrodite. In the war against Mithridates VI it sent troups to the Romans and in the civil war after Caesar' death it has decided to join the right side. Therefore it received significant privileges from the Romans. Aphrodisias was a favourite city of Augustus and was heavily promoted by him. So it developed to one of the leading cities in Asia minor. Because of the nearby marble querries Aphrodisias could establish a famous marble industry. Its marble works were sold in the entire Roman empire. One of the most beautiful buildings is the "Tetrapylon", a gate with 4 pillars that was costly restored. Aphrodisias belongs to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. Aphrodisias was the birthplace of the philosopher Alexander of Aphrodisias, a Peripatetic (school of Aristoteles), who lived at the turn of the 2nd century to the 3rd century AD. He was the most important ancient commentator of Aristoteles. From Aphrodisias to was Chariton of Aphrodisias, author of "Chareias and Kallirrhoe", one of the earliest ancient novels we have in full. Its time of origin today is laid on the end of the 1st century AD. Sozon: But now to Sozon, whose name CΩZΩN is found on the coin. He is an Anatolian, probably not before the Hellenismus characterized god (Roscher). His homeland is Pisidia from where his cult spread to Phrygia, Caria, Pamphylia and Lycia. Only few is known about him. His name is found only on inscriptions and on coins: (1) Coins from ntiochia ad Maeandrum in Caria (2) Aphrodisias in Caria: A coin of Augustus, which I have presented here, with the name CΩZON on rev. (3) Coins from Masturia in Lydia: Here the depiction recalls Apollo with branch and lyra. Named sometimes Apollo Tyrimnaios or Hero Mastauros, when he is depicted as Rider-God (4) Coins from Themisonion in Pamphylia The name Sozon is certainly Greek, even if his character bears distinct oriental features. So he shows a peculiar combination of Greek mythology and local belief (Roscher). Ramsay has assumed that Sozon is a Greek remodelling of the Thracian-Greek Sabazios. Cumont has recommended this equalization because the worshippers of the Sozon cult have merged with Jewish believers and have identified Sabazios with Zebaoth. This was already thought by Plutarch not least because of the similarity of their ceremonies. Sabazios was a Anatolian deity that was connected by the Greeks with Dionysos and Zagreus. Zebaoth is a attribute of the majesty of God in the combination Jahwe Zebaoth, meaning "Lord of hosts". On votive tablets he is depicted as horseman with club or double-axe. The insciption sometimes is referring to Apollo or a riding Helios. In the ambit of these perceptions belongs too the Thracian Rider-God who sometimes is called Helios too. Here Sozon converges with Apollo and Helios. Sozon is known too as epithet of Zeus and means in this context such as Soter (= Redeemer). In this case Zeus is seen as harvest god who on the other side can destroy the harvest by his hailstorm. This dual-sided chsracter is known of Apollo too. In late antiquity Apollonia in Pisidia was named Sozopolis. It is considered certain that Sozon was the eponym of this city. It is interestíng too, that Apollonia Pontika in late antiquity was named Sozopolis as well" Today it is Sozopol in Bulgaria. It was famous for its sanctuaries of Apollo. The 12m high statue of Apollo made by Kalamis was brought to Rome when Lucullus has conquered the city. Near Cap Palos in Spain an anchor has been found with the inscription Zeus Kasios Sozon. Here Zeus is the guardian of seafaring and Sozon means nothing else than Soter (saviour). Just as Soter has the female counterpart Soteira so Sozon the saviour has a female counterpat in Sozusa, an epiklesis for female deities. It is known for Panakeia, the daughter of Asklepios, for Eileithya, for Isis and even for Aphrodite, because of the inscription on an anchor, found in Spain too, as guardian of the sailors. It is of interest that the orthodox church has an early martyr in Lykaonia (7th September), who became martyr under Maximianus because he has destroyed an idol in Pompeiopolis. We see that Sozon has penetrated the Christian mythology. That strengthens the conception that there was a connection between Sozon followers and Jewish believers. Summarizing we can say: Sozon is a Phrygian Rider-God with labrys, related to the Thracian Rider-God Heros, who in Greek times was associated with Zeus, Apollo and Sabazios. This result is not at all satisfying. Sometimes it is not possible to say more. But to concede this is part of science. I have added: (1) A pic of the Tetrapylon in Aphrodisias (own photo from 2011) (2) A pic of a painting, showing Sanct Sozon with attributes of a shepherd. Sources: (1) Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher, Mythologie (2) Wikipedia
