The Three Graces

I received this black and tan beauty in the mail this week. I was totally hooked by its colouring, condition, and Three Graces reverse. I've wanted the type for awhile now and thought this was quite a standout example, so was extremely pleased when I didn't get Clio'ed on it .

Please feel free to share your coins that show the Three Graces or any other divine trios.


COMMODUS
AE25
7.69g, 25mm
MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis, circa 177 - 192 AD
Hristova & Jekov 6.10.26.4 (this coin illustrated); RPC IV online 4319; Varbanov 702 corr. (direction of heads).
O: ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Λ ΑΥΡΗ ΚΟΜΟΔΟС, Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
R: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛƐΙΤΩΝ, the Three Graces standing facing, heads left, right, and right, respectively: the left holds amphora over dolphin, the center drapes arms over others, and the right holds wreath over amphora.
Ex Dr. George Spradling Collection
Ex Alexandre de Barros Collection

NOTES:
Called the Charites by the Greeks, and the Gratiae by the Romans, the Three Graces were minor goddesses of beauty, abundance and gaiety. Depending on who you read, their names, origins and numbers will differ, but Hesiod's version is the most prevalent - they were daughters of Zeus, attendants of Aphrodite, Apollo, and Dionysus, and they numbered three. If, like me, you're bad with Greek names, then you're likely to forget these in about 2 minutes and will be better off remembering the Graces by their respective spheres of influence. They were Aglaia (hotness), Thalia (partying) and Euphrosyne (giggles). In a nutshell, the Graces were delightful beings, there to touch the acts of gods and men with a little splendor, charm and delight.

Orchomenos in Boeotia, where they were originally worshipped in the form of aniconic aeroliths, or meteors, was famous for its cult and festivals of the Graces. Their cult images later showed them as clothed women, but the depiction of the Graces continued to change, and by the late 4th century BC they were commonly seen as three young, comely, naked females with their arms linked around each other.

Oddly, the Three Graces were largely absent on coins until the 2nd century AD, when they became fairly common at a number of provincial mints in Cilicia and Thrace. They can also be found with some frequency on coins from other provincial cities, such as Marcianopolis (in Moesia Inferior), Decapolis (in Syria), and Nicaea (in Bithynia). The form of their depiction on the coins typically follows those of contemporary sculptures of the time.


The Three Graces
17th century restoration of a 2nd century AD copy of a 2nd century BC original

There seems to be some distinction made by catalogers and scholars between coins that show the Three Graces and those that show trios of local water divinities described as Three Nymphs. Their poses can be similar (or even the same), but from what I can tell, the Three Graces are usually but not always depicted nude, and sometimes carrying wreaths, grain ears, branches, water jugs. The Three Nymphs are usually but not always shown clothed, typically carrying water jugs. If the distinctions seem a little mixed up and grey to you, well, they do to me too. Nor does it help at all that the Three Graces seem to also have been associated with water and springs. When faced with numismatic conundrums such as this, I find that the best course of action is to just forget about them and look at the pretty coin again .

 

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That is a cracking coin, the type has always gone to a higher bidder when I have tried

 

Thats a beauty! Congrats

 

A very envy-inducing coin!

 

Wonderful coin. Gorgeous! Stupendous!! And whatever other adjective applies?

 

That's a very nice coin. Well done and well scored. Maybe I'll get one of those one day. lol

 

Good catch and write up
Thx for sharing

Q

 

An exceptional coin! Those are some skinny Graces (just how I like 'em).

 

"The Skinny Graces"... good name for a band?

 

A naked girl band, yes. I like it.

 

Yes got one from Caracalla from Gadara.
three nice ladies below the eagle.
Have a nice weekend all !!

 

Nice!

 

Bing used up all my adjectives---and me without a Thesaurus!!!
Fantastic coin, zumbly, and Cyrrhus' small trio is Terrific too!

No 'menage a trois' for yours truly---but I can still dream about it......Of course, I mean the Three Graces coin!!

 

Thanks for the coinpliments, everyone. Yeah, they are a tad thin, aren't they. I guess that's how they liked them in Marcianopolis?

Oh, and Nice little trio on that Gadara, Cyrrhus... makes the coin extra special! Thanks for sharing it.

 

Any music videos from them I could watch? Ya know, for science...
Really nice provincial Zumbly!

 

oh wow, that is AWESOME Z...great color, great details, great portrait, great honeyz on the back. i've been looking for a 3 graces coin and it just hasn't worked out yet, it's hard to find one i can afford where the girls look like...well, girls and not 3 slightly elevated worn areas.

 

That Commodus is an outstanding coin!

Caracalla Pautalia, Thrace, AE32, showing the middle grace from the rear more clearly because the centration mark was not perfectly centered. This type needs a big coin to do it justice.


Gordian III, Marcianopolis, AE24

 

Thanks, that Caracalla is excellent! I love that the Graces on it are less waifish than on my coin, and agree that the placement of the centration dimple allows the middle Grace to show that it's all about that bass .

 

Fantastic coin!

 

Z-Bro => congrats on a fantastic triple-chick coin!! (it's awesome)

=> well, I admit that I don't have three pretty nude ladies, but I do have this trio ...

=> Serapis and the Dioscuri

ANTONINUS PIUS, Alexandria, Bronze Drachm
138-161 AD
Egypt, Alexandria, year 8, (144-145AD)
Diameter: 33mm
Weight: 23.15 grams
Obverse: Laureate bust of Antoninus Pius facing right
Reverse: Serapis wearing the modius between the Dioscuri, LH in exergue