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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 8313887, member: 75937"]Those who frequent the board are probably aware that I'm a Greek geek, that I groove on Greek grammar, that I love linguistics, that I think phonemes are fun.</p><p><br /></p><p>Because of this proclivity, I noticed something I find interesting, and perhaps a few others, such as [USER=19463]@dougsmit[/USER], will as well: that sometimes coins use a gamma (Γ) nasal and at other times they don't.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/3o7abL1nxw0AvOK1pu/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47gpi5kuuxhyj7p8ya0aeunz0vbzadb7mzvhey6lhs&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Yeah ...</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/XMFxEpeOSDNGE/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47chaxw7ojupzxbr20moivra27ahhr71vrik1eyxyl&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>In linguistic terminology, a nasal is a consonant that acts like a semi-vowel and which is sounded through the nose. There are two nasals, one made with the lips closed, which is the M sound, and one made with the lips open and the tongue pressed against the hard palate behind the teeth, which is the N sound.</p><p><br /></p><p>In both classical and modern Greek, this N sound is represented by a gamma (Γ) when it is followed by a velar consonant (one made by the velum -- the soft palate in the back of the mouth), such as G, K, KS, and CH. Otherwise, this sound is represented by a nu (N). When the gamma (Γ) is used in this way, it is known as the "<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamma%20nasal" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamma%20nasal" rel="nofollow">gamma nasal</a>." This dude explains:</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]GeD_YM6SyBk[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p>So, in city names that have a nasal followed by a velar, such as Ankyra and Anchialus, the gamma nasal is used. Read the inscriptions on the following coins from Anchialus. These coins use the gamma nasal (Γ) before the chi (X) in the city name.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/severus-anchialos-cybele-jpg.1356776/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Septimius Severus, AD 193-211.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ 27.2 mm, 10.7 gm, 8:00.</font></p><p><font size="3">Thrace, Anchialus, AD 193-211.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΑV Κ Λ CЄΠ CЄVΗΡΟC, laureate and cuirassed bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΑΓΧΙΑΛΕΩ-Ν, Cybele enthroned left, holding patera, resting left arm on drum, a lion reclines at each side of throne.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: Moushmov 2817; AMNG III 469; Varbanov 213 var. (bust type).</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-anchialus-athlete-with-palm-and-wreath-jpg.1160131/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Gordian III, AD 238-244.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 13.30 g, 27.1 mm, 7 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Thrace, Anchialus, AD 238-244.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝWΝ ΑΓΧΙΑΛΕWΝ, Nude athlete standing facing, head right, holding palm branch and wreath.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: AMNG II, 632.3, p. 276; Mionnet Suppl. 2, 136; <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/48982" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/48982" rel="nofollow">RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 48982)</a>; <a href="https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/4915" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/4915" rel="nofollow">Corpus Nummorum Thracorum cn.anchialus.4915</a>.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>So far, so good. That's the "proper" way to spell Anchialus in Greek.</p><p><br /></p><p>But look at this one from Anchialus. It uses the other letter used to represent a nasal sound, the nu (N).</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-anchialus-dionysos-jpg.941638/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina Jr., 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ 9.06 g, 24.7 mm, 7 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Thrace, Anchialus, AD 147-149.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΦΑVCΤΕΙΝΑ ΝΕΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΑNΧΙΑΛΕΩΝ, Dionysus standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus; panther at feet, left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: AMNG 434; <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/4525/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/4525/" rel="nofollow">RPC 4525</a>; Varbanov 90; BMC --; SNG Copenhagen --.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Another case where one would expect a gamma nasal (Γ) is in the city of Ankyra (of which there are <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-ankyra-in-phrygia-and-ankyra-in-galatia-edition.380918/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-ankyra-in-phrygia-and-ankyra-in-galatia-edition.380918/">two by this name</a>, one in Phrygia and one in Galatia). But the gamma nasal is not used on these two coins; rather, the nu (N) serves this purpose.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1471836[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Sabina, AD 128-137.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Roman provincial Æ hemiassarion, 3.83 g, 17 mm.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Phrygia, Ancyra.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Obv: CABЄINA CЄBACTH, draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rev: ΑΝΚVΡ-ΑΝΩΝ, cult statue of Ephesian Artemis standing facing, wearing kalathos, arms resting on supports and flanked by two stags.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Refs: <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2541" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2541" rel="nofollow">RPC III 2541</a>; Sear <i>GIC</i> 1308; BMC 25. 62, 23-24; SNG von Aulock 3433; Lindgren 885; Mionnet 4. 221, 159; SNG Cop --; Wiczay --.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1471825[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ 19.1 mm, 3.81 g, 7 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Phrygia, Ankyra, AD 147-165.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΦΑΥϹΤЄΙΝΑ ϹЄΒΑϹΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΑΝΚΥ-ΡΑΝΩΝ, cult statue of Ephesian Artemis standing facing, wearing kalathos, arms resting on supports and flanked by two stags.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RPC IV.2, <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/1727" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/1727" rel="nofollow">1727</a> (temporary); BMC 25.64,35-36; <i>RG</i> 5644; Sear 1774; SNG Cop 142-143; SNG von Aulock 3436; SNG Munich 99-100.</font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p></blockquote><p>The gamma nasal is not used in Latin nor in languages that use the Roman alphabet, such as English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, etc. Could this mean that the die-engravers who made the dies were Latin speakers? Possibly.</p><p><br /></p><p>But another explanation is that there was no concept of "proper" spelling in antiquity, no orthography. The engravers simply spelled phonetically. They heard an N sound before the K or the X and spelled Αnkyra and Anchialus accordingly.</p><p><br /></p><p>Does this observation have any significance? I doubt it. But perhaps some sort of pattern will emerge from repeated observation of many different coins. Perhaps if enough numismatists gather enough data, it will demonstrate some previously unreported linguistic phenomenon.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, let's see your coins with a gamma nasal and coins that use a nu (N) when one would expect a gamma nasal.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 8313887, member: 75937"]Those who frequent the board are probably aware that I'm a Greek geek, that I groove on Greek grammar, that I love linguistics, that I think phonemes are fun. Because of this proclivity, I noticed something I find interesting, and perhaps a few others, such as [USER=19463]@dougsmit[/USER], will as well: that sometimes coins use a gamma (Γ) nasal and at other times they don't. [IMG]https://media4.giphy.com/media/3o7abL1nxw0AvOK1pu/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47gpi5kuuxhyj7p8ya0aeunz0vbzadb7mzvhey6lhs&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g[/IMG] Yeah ... [IMG]https://media2.giphy.com/media/XMFxEpeOSDNGE/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47chaxw7ojupzxbr20moivra27ahhr71vrik1eyxyl&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g[/IMG] In linguistic terminology, a nasal is a consonant that acts like a semi-vowel and which is sounded through the nose. There are two nasals, one made with the lips closed, which is the M sound, and one made with the lips open and the tongue pressed against the hard palate behind the teeth, which is the N sound. In both classical and modern Greek, this N sound is represented by a gamma (Γ) when it is followed by a velar consonant (one made by the velum -- the soft palate in the back of the mouth), such as G, K, KS, and CH. Otherwise, this sound is represented by a nu (N). When the gamma (Γ) is used in this way, it is known as the "[URL='https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamma%20nasal']gamma nasal[/URL]." This dude explains: [MEDIA=youtube]GeD_YM6SyBk[/MEDIA] So, in city names that have a nasal followed by a velar, such as Ankyra and Anchialus, the gamma nasal is used. Read the inscriptions on the following coins from Anchialus. These coins use the gamma nasal (Γ) before the chi (X) in the city name. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/severus-anchialos-cybele-jpg.1356776/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Septimius Severus, AD 193-211. Roman provincial Æ 27.2 mm, 10.7 gm, 8:00. Thrace, Anchialus, AD 193-211. Obv: ΑV Κ Λ CЄΠ CЄVΗΡΟC, laureate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΑΓΧΙΑΛΕΩ-Ν, Cybele enthroned left, holding patera, resting left arm on drum, a lion reclines at each side of throne. Refs: Moushmov 2817; AMNG III 469; Varbanov 213 var. (bust type).[/SIZE][/INDENT] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-anchialus-athlete-with-palm-and-wreath-jpg.1160131/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Gordian III, AD 238-244. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 13.30 g, 27.1 mm, 7 h. Thrace, Anchialus, AD 238-244. Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝWΝ ΑΓΧΙΑΛΕWΝ, Nude athlete standing facing, head right, holding palm branch and wreath. Refs: AMNG II, 632.3, p. 276; Mionnet Suppl. 2, 136; [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/48982']RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 48982)[/URL]; [URL='https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/4915']Corpus Nummorum Thracorum cn.anchialus.4915[/URL].[/SIZE][/INDENT] So far, so good. That's the "proper" way to spell Anchialus in Greek. But look at this one from Anchialus. It uses the other letter used to represent a nasal sound, the nu (N). [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-anchialus-dionysos-jpg.941638/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina Jr., 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 9.06 g, 24.7 mm, 7 h. Thrace, Anchialus, AD 147-149. Obv: ΦΑVCΤΕΙΝΑ ΝΕΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: ΑNΧΙΑΛΕΩΝ, Dionysus standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus; panther at feet, left. Refs: AMNG 434; [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/4525/']RPC 4525[/URL]; Varbanov 90; BMC --; SNG Copenhagen --.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Another case where one would expect a gamma nasal (Γ) is in the city of Ankyra (of which there are [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-ankyra-in-phrygia-and-ankyra-in-galatia-edition.380918/']two by this name[/URL], one in Phrygia and one in Galatia). But the gamma nasal is not used on these two coins; rather, the nu (N) serves this purpose. [ATTACH=full]1471836[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Sabina, AD 128-137. Roman provincial Æ hemiassarion, 3.83 g, 17 mm. Phrygia, Ancyra. Obv: CABЄINA CЄBACTH, draped bust, right. Rev: ΑΝΚVΡ-ΑΝΩΝ, cult statue of Ephesian Artemis standing facing, wearing kalathos, arms resting on supports and flanked by two stags. Refs: [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2541']RPC III 2541[/URL]; Sear [I]GIC[/I] 1308; BMC 25. 62, 23-24; SNG von Aulock 3433; Lindgren 885; Mionnet 4. 221, 159; SNG Cop --; Wiczay --.[/SIZE][/INDENT] [ATTACH=full]1471825[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 19.1 mm, 3.81 g, 7 h. Phrygia, Ankyra, AD 147-165. Obv: ΦΑΥϹΤЄΙΝΑ ϹЄΒΑϹΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: ΑΝΚΥ-ΡΑΝΩΝ, cult statue of Ephesian Artemis standing facing, wearing kalathos, arms resting on supports and flanked by two stags. Refs: RPC IV.2, [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/1727']1727[/URL] (temporary); BMC 25.64,35-36; [I]RG[/I] 5644; Sear 1774; SNG Cop 142-143; SNG von Aulock 3436; SNG Munich 99-100. [/SIZE][/INDENT] The gamma nasal is not used in Latin nor in languages that use the Roman alphabet, such as English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, etc. Could this mean that the die-engravers who made the dies were Latin speakers? Possibly. But another explanation is that there was no concept of "proper" spelling in antiquity, no orthography. The engravers simply spelled phonetically. They heard an N sound before the K or the X and spelled Αnkyra and Anchialus accordingly. Does this observation have any significance? I doubt it. But perhaps some sort of pattern will emerge from repeated observation of many different coins. Perhaps if enough numismatists gather enough data, it will demonstrate some previously unreported linguistic phenomenon. So, let's see your coins with a gamma nasal and coins that use a nu (N) when one would expect a gamma nasal.[/QUOTE]
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