So, I had never heard of the Sothic Cycle until last month at the TCACC. There a Roman Egypt expert was giving a talk, and he related that under AP Alexandria produced a series of all 12 Hercules Labors. When asked why that emperor and that mint had made them, he mentioned it had been conjectured because the Sothic Cycle renewed under his leadership. The Sothic Cycle is the time between instances of the dog star Sirius rises on exactly the same point as the sun. Under the Egyptian calendar, the cycle lasts 1461 years. So, the last one was in 1600, so we have another one coming around in just 1000 years or so. Anyway, after that talk I see this coin. I viewed it as a sign that right after I learned about the Sothic Cycle, this scarce coin struck on that very year, commemorating that very thing, was up for auction. I probably overpaid, but appears to be a pretty scarce coin. I won it on my very last bid increment, so very nearly didn't get it. Description from the auction site: Egypt, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. A.D. 138-161. BI tetradrachm (26 mm, 12.21 g, 11 h). Regnal year 2 (A.D. 139). AVT K AIΛΛ (sic) AΔP ANTWNINOC ЄVCЄB, bare bust of Antoninus Pius right, slight drapery on far shoulder / AI-WN, phoenix standing right; across field, date (L B). Köln 1290-1; cf. Dattari 2430; Kampmann & Ganschow 35.2. Light deposits. Very fine. A.D. 139 marked the renewal of the Great Sothic Cycle, a cycle of 1461 years beginning when the star Sothis (Sirius) rises on the same point on the horizon as the sun This is what I love about this hobby, how intertwined coins and knowledge, and equal pursuit of both, can be. I am pretty darned sure if I did not collect ancient coins I would have never heard of the Sothic Cycle.
that's a great coin, and interesting story...hadn't heard of the sothic cycle before.:yes: hey med, i need to give you a shout out, i picked up norwich's single volume "a short history of byzantium" (byzantine history for guys with short attention spans...i was to intimidated to get the 3 volume version) based on a plug you made for the books not long ago....it's very good...fun, easy read.
Glad you liked it. He also did a great history of Venice. The single volume Byzantine is more available and cheaper. I pieced together the 3 volume set a few years ago when they were still floating around at time fairly cheap. I do not see them very cheap anymore.
It's a fabulous and unusual acquisition! I'm not making the connection between the Sothic Cycle and the Labors of Hercules though. Does the coin actually commemorate the Sothic Cycle, or did it just happen to be minted in a year of renewal?
It was minted in the year, but actually does commemorate the event specifically. That is the meaning of of the Phoenix head being in the identical location as the sun in the background, renewal of this star at the exact location of the rising sun. That is how I interpret the reverse anyway.
Very interesting history and a great coin to boot. "Sothic Cycle" is new to me as well. Any time something new is learned, the day is not wasted!! Thanks.
Fascinating Coin! :thumb: :thumb: Great time for me to post a paragraph I would say that this commemorates both the death (the end) and the rebirth of the Sothic Cycle... That is what the Phoenix is a symbol of... Death and Rebirth It's part of Egypt's fascination with the stars... Millennia of star charts and astronomers put together and studied this path...
