Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

SKYTHIA, Olbia. Circa 360-350 BC. Æ (18mm, 5.23 g, 12h). Head of Tyche right, wearing mural crown and wreath / Archer crouching left, drawing bow; ΣΩΣTPA to right, [O]ΛBIO below. Anokhin 222; Karyshkovskij p. 410, Таб. XII=A, 1–5; Frolova & Abramzon 1299–324; SNG BM Black Sea 536–7; SNG Pushkin 142–6; SNG Stancomb 402; Sutzu II 180–1. VF, red-brown patina, some roughness.
From the Alex Shubs Collection.
This archer coinage was struck during a period of conflict between Olbia and Chersonesos. It is interesting that an archer is on the reverse of contemporary issues at Chersonesos, but facing in the opposite direction (cf. Anokhin 654). Olbia was unsuccessful in this conflict, and the victory of Chersonesos was reflected in that city’s quadriga-hoplite coinage (cf. Anokhin 658; see also Lot 122 below).

[King John]

CELTIC, Britain. Catuvellauni & Trinovantes. Cunobelin. Circa 10-41 AD. AE Unit (3.09 gm). Celtic Warriors Type.
Estimate $400
CELTIC, Britain. Catuvellauni & Trinovantes. Cunobelin. Circa 10-41 AD. AE Unit (3.09 gm). Celtic Warriors Type. Warrior on horse right, CVNOB around / Warrior standing left, holding spear and shield, TASCII[O] [VA]NTIS around, beaded border. Hobbs 1961-67; Van Arsdell 2093; SCBC 338. Good VF, bright glossy green patina, clear figures. ($400)
From the Chris King Collection. Found Hertfordshire, 1995.
The plump belly and breasts sugest that the warrior on horseback might be female, like the riders on several Gallic coins (e.g. De la Tour 6756). She (or he) seems to be riding without any clothes on, raised javelin in right hand, large oval shield with beaded rim in left hand. The reverse is remarkable because it is the only ancient British coin which depicts a fully accoutred foot soldier. D. Allen says: “In a somewhat Roman pose the coin shows a most un-Roman soldier standing with a spear as tall as he is, held upright in his right hand. On his left arm he has a deep, almost hemispherical shield, quite different from the apparently flat round shields of the short-sword fighters.” (Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 24, 1958, pg. 53).

[King John]

THESSALY, Thebai. Æ Trichalkon. Veiled head of Demeter left, wearing wreath of grain ears / Protesilaos advacing right, holding short sword and shield; prow of galley to left, monogram to right. Rogers 550; BCD Thessaly II 761

[King John]

ROMAN EMPIRE. Vespasian (AD 69–79). Orich sestertius (23.76 gm). Rome, 71. As preceding / SP—ES AVGVSTA, Spes standing left, offering flower to two helmeted Roman soldiers, third soldier in group armed with parazonium standing right behind, S C in exergue. RIC 206 (R2). Very rare. Red-brown patina. A few nicks and several light scratches. Estimate: $750
Good fine

[King John]

Thessaly, Pelinna, 4th century BC. Æ Chalkous (15mm, 2.68g, 3h).

Horseman l., striking at fallen hoplite with javelin. R/ Warrior advancing l., holding shield and two spears. BCD Thessaly 520; Rogers 427. Dark green patina, Good Fine

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 88 del 14/09/2011, lotto 746, Hammer 850 USD

HRACE, Mesembria. Gordian III. AD 238-244. Æ Pentassarion (28mm, 12.28 g, 6h). The Curetes share some of the attributes of the Corybantes, dancing divinities associated with the worship of Cybele, but their specific role in Greek mythology was to serve as the protectors of the infant Zeus while he was hidden away on Crete, safe from his murderous father Cronus. Their militant dancing, accompanied by the clashing of swords on shields, drowned out the cries of the infant. The Curetes’ dance was later re-enacted by young men at Greek festivals and games. From Group CEM. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian right vis-à-vis draped bust of Tranquillina left, wearing stephane / Two Curetes, helmeted and clad in short tunics, each holding short sword in hand and shield over head. Karayotov 118-25 (O20/R34); Varbvanov 4186 (same dies as illustration). Good VF, black-green patina with lighter green overtones. Attractive well centered strike.

 

I coribanti (in greco antico) Κορύβαντες, Korybantes ) erano i sacerdoti di Cibele (divinità nata dall'unione tra Gea e Urano).

Secondo la leggenda essi onoravano la loro divinità con danze sfrenate e orgiastiche, durante le quali spesso si autoinfliggevano delle ferite. Inventori del tamburo a cornice, creavano musica basata sul ritmo ossessivo per curare l'epilessia  e per sconfiggere la malinconia di Zeus. Inoltre onoravano il pino in onore di Attis (figlio della dea).

Furono spesso identificati con i Cureti, raffigurati al rovescio della moneta qui postata.

[King John]

Altre immagini dei Cureti.

[King John]

TARENT. Didrachme. 380-345. Behelmter Jüngling reitet l. mit Speer und Schild. Rs: Nackter Taras mit geschultertem Dreizack auf Delphin l., darunter Wellen. Vlasto 443 ff. 7,8g. Ovaler Schrötling. Hohes Relief. ss-vz

 

[King John]

CILICIA, Tarsos. Circa 410-385 BC. AR Stater – Shekel (23mm, 10.09 g, 2h). Horseman riding right; [symbol to right] / Hoplite crouching right, holding shield and spear; grain ear to right; all in dotted square within incuse square. Casabonne Type F6; cf. SNG France 221; SNG Levante 60 (same obv. die). VF, porous, edge split, obverse off center, test cut on reverse.

[King John]

RÖMISCHE PROVINZIALPRÄGUNGEN 
Sauromates II., ca. 174/175 - 210/211 n. Chr. AE 2 Denare (15,89g) ca. 193 - 196 n. Chr. Vs.: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΑΥΡΟΜΑ ΤΟΥ, drapierte Büste des Königs mit Diadem n. r., davor Rosette. Rs.: Herakles mit Pfeil u. Bogen (5. Arbeit: Stymphalische Vögel), im Feld Wertzeichen * - B. Zum Gegenstempel mit dem Kopf des Septimius Severus s. C.J. Howgego, Greek Imperial Countermarks (1985) S. 117 Nr. 63 u. Taf. 4; MacDonald 536. Dunkelbraune Patina, Rs. Gegenstempel, fast ss
BOSPORUS

[King John]

GREEK COINS
ARCADIA
No.: 168
Estimation: $ 600
TEGEA. Hemidrachm (Triobol), about 360-330. AR 2.63 g. Head of Athena Alea r., wearing crested helmet with raised cheekpiece. Rev. TEGEATAN Cepheus, nude but for crested Corinthian helmet, advancing r., holding short sword in his r. hand, large round shield decorated in its interior with running dog (?) in his l. hand; between his legs, spear and ? BMC 201, 1. Traité p. 661/662, 991. Winterthur 2257. Of great rarity. Very fine.
Kepheus, son of Aleos and Neaira, was the founder of Tegea. With his twenty sons he joined Heracles on his expedition against Hippokoon of Sparta; they all perished fighting Hippokoon. There is a very close iconographical conformity of the reverse of our coin with the well known staters of Locri Opuntii depicting Ajax the Locrian, see above no 153. There is no obvious connection between the two cities. Circulating sketch-books may have served as models for the representation of both city heroes.

[King John]

TAURIC CHERSONESOS, Chersonesos. Circa 350 BC. Æ (19mm, 6.30 g, 12h). Artemis Parthenos, holding torch in extended right hand, reins in left, driving quadriga right / Hoplite, nude but for conical helmet, crouching left, wearing round shield on left arm and holding spear in right hand; XEP below. Anokhin 658; Anokhin, Khersonesa 35; SNG BM Black Sea 734; SNG Pushkin 617–9; SNG Stancomb 464; Sutzu II –. VF, dark brown patina, a few tiny pits.

According to Anokhin, this early Chariot-Hoplite type is connected to the victory of Chersonesos over Olbia, after their war in the mid 4th century.
From the Alex Shubs Collection.

Modificato 23 Novembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

Nel Foro di Augusto era rappresentato Romolo portante il trofeo dopo la vittoria su Acrone: la statua ha ispirato, come ha dimostrato M. Camaggio, una pittura di via dell'Abbondanza a Pompei e alcune monete di Adriano e di Antonino Pio: Romolo è in movimento verso destra, è armato di corazza, tiene la lancia nella destra, nella sinistra un trofeo di armi appoggiato alla spalla. Ecco una delle monete che raffigurano Romolo. 

Hadrian. 117-138 AD. Denarius, 3.46g. (h). Rome, c. 132 AD. Obv: HADRIANVS - AVG COS III P P Head laureate right. Rx: ROMVLO - CONDITORI Romulus advancing right holding spear and trophy over shoulder. BM 710. Cohen 1316 (5 Fr.). RIC 266. Not common: 23 specimens in Reka Devnia hoard. Mint State.
Ex Phillip Davis Collection .

[King John]

CENTRAL FRANCE. Aedui. AR quinarius (1.88 gm). Aeduan Warrior series. DVBNOCOV, head right / DVBNOCOREX, warrior standing left, holding boar standard. BMC Celtic 483. Dessewffy 958. De la Tour 5026. Lightly toned. Nearly very fine Estimate: $200

 

Modificato 25 Novembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

ETRURIA. Cosa.
Estimate $1000
ETRURIA. Cosa . Circa 273-250 BC. Æ Quartuncia (5.08 gm). Bearded head of Mars right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet / [CO]-Z-A-NO, bridled head of a horse left, resting on a dolphin swimming left. Buttrey, "The mint of Cosa," in Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome 34, 1980, Type I, 5-8; BMC Italy pg. 69, 3 var. (horse head right); SNG Copenhagen 17; SNG Morcom -; Laffaille -. Good VF, choice green patina. Rare. ($1000)
The bronze coinage of the Latin colony of Cosa in Etruria and its parallel issue at Rome (Cr. 17/1a-i) have since the 19th century been termed litrae and half-litrae, Etruscan gold and silver denominations with marks of value being described as multiples of litrae. This state of affairs has lead to confusion for it had no justification in the observed behaviour of the 3rd century central Italian economy. The ancient use of the word litra, a Greek term for a Sicilian bronze unit, in the context of a purely Romano-Etruscan coinage without any contemporary parallel in Italy, seems unlikely and certainly not of contemporary usage. It may be better to describe this interesting military issue in Roman weight terms and monetary units with their customary nomenclature. From c. 270-240 BC the weight standard of the Romans fluctuated at around 270 g. (10 unciae) indicating ± 6.75 grams as the theoretical weight of the quartuncia, comfortably accommodating the Rome and Cosa bronzes which range between about 5 and 8 grams.

Il bronzetto raffigura due guerrieri etruschi con un loro compagno morto.

[King John]

ROMAN REPUBLIC. L. Postumus Albinus, 131 BC. AR Denarius (3.90 gm). Diademed bust of Diana with bow and quiver / Three horsemen riding down infantryman. Postumia.4a. Toned VF. Scarce. Ex. J.E. Seaver Collection. [Est. $275]

[King John]

IBERIA, Ventipo. Mid 2nd century BC. Æ As (34mm, 25.91 g, 12h). Helmeted male head right / Warrior, holding spear in extended right hand, shield on left arm, standing left; VE(NT)IPO to right. ACIP 2331; SNG BM Spain 1529-30; SNG Copenhagen 180–1; SNG Lorichs 281–3; MHBNF 620–1. VF, dark brown patina. Exceptional for issue, better than CNG 91, lot 27, which is the highest priced example in CoinArchives.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: GUERRIERO IBERICO.

 

Modificato 28 Novembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

CORINTHIA, Corinth. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Reign of Domitian, AD 81-96. Æ 16mm (4.21 g, 8h). Isthmian Games issue. Head of Poseidon right, wearing taenia; trident over shoulder / Event: ὁ ὁπλιτοιδρόμος - contestant in armor standing left, extending hand and holding shield. RPC 210; Amandry Séries anonymes L7 (D4/R4); BCD Korinth 569 (this coin). VF, green patina.

See A. Milavic, “Hoplitodromos: The Hoplite Race in Armor,” The Celator 5, 8 (August 1991), pp. 6-13, for a discussion of this interesting type. The Isthmian games are believed to have been initiated in honor of the death of Melicertes, as known as Palaemon, who drowned along with his mother Ino after she threw herself into sea while still cradling him in her arms. Palaemon was deified and carried to the shore by a dolphin, leading to the discovery of his body and commemoration at Corinth.
From the collection of Maj. Anthony F. Milavic, USMC (Ret.). Estimate: 300 USD
 

Al rovescio di questa moneta è raffigurato un atleta che partecipa all'hoplitodromos, una gara di corsa tra opliti equipaggiati di armatura e scudo, che si svolgeva sia alle Olimpiadi che ai Giochi Istmici di Corinto. 

 

Modificato 29 Novembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

Antica raffigurazione dell'hoplitodromos.

 

Modificato 29 Novembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

Più spesso gli atleti correvano completamente nudi.

[King John]

KÖNIGREICH BOSPORUS
BOSPORUS
RÖMISCHE PROVINZIALPRÄGUNGEN

Estimation: € 150,00
AE Sesterz, (7,22 g.), 126 n. Chr. Vs.: BASILEWS KOTUOS, Büste n. r. Rs.: Reiter n. r. galoppierend schleudert einen Speer, im Abschnitt MH. Frolova 139; Taf. XVI 24 ff. R! Grüne Patina, ss
Kotys II., 123 - 132 n. Chr.
Objekt-Nr.: 1673
 

 

[King John]

ASPENDOS. Pamphylia. Ca.370-330 B.C.
Stater. Two wrestlers grappling, BΛ between. Rv. Slinger r., triskeles to r., EΣTFEΔIIYΣ to l., all in dotted square within shallow incuse. 10.94 grams. Cf. BMC 33, SNG PFPS 5. Unusually fine classical style for the issue, suggesting an early date, possibly 370-360 B.C. Well centered and sharply struck. Lovely medium gray with slight golden iridescence. Extremely Fine. (1,500-2,000)
From the Lawrence R. Stack Collection of Ancient Greek Coins. 
Ex Hess-Divo 307 (June 2007, lot 1282).

[King John]

Byzantine PB Seal. Soldier standing facing, holding spear and shield; legend around / Legend in five lines. 17.63g, 29mm, 12h.
Very Fine.

@Poemenius ci vuoi dare qualche informazione aggiuntiva?

ILLUSTRAZIONI: GUERRIERI BIZANTINI

 

Modificato 1 Dicembre, 2016 da King John

[King John]

IL "FUOCO GRECO"

É stata una delle più terrificanti armi usate nel medioevo, ma la miscela degli ingredienti è andata persa con la morte dei suoi inventori, una famiglia di chimici ingegneri provenienti da Costantinopoli. Dal XII secolo in molti si sono scervellati per cercare di capire di cosa fosse composto quello che era chiamato “fuoco greco”. È stato utilizzato dai Bizantini  a partire dal VII secolo. Era un’arma molto temuta perché si aggrappava alla pelle e non si poteva togliere né spegnere con nulla. Veniva usata negli assedi delle città, buttandolo dalle mura, o durante la battaglie navali per bruciare la flotta avversaria. Anche il professor John Haldon, dell’Università di Princeton (New Jersey), ha cercato di risalire ai componenti arrivando solamente a delle ipotesi. “Certamente – dice – erano presenti nafta e resina di pino; la prima è infiammabile e la seconda è appiccicosa ed allunga il tempo di combustione”. Altri ricercatori dicono che fosse composto da pece, zolfo e calce viva. I primi due ingredienti provvedono alla combustione, mentre la calce viva non permette al composto di essere spento con l’acqua. L’acqua, infatti, al contatto con la calce viva si trasforma in idrossido di calcio che sprigiona un forte calore che va ad aumentare l’incendio in corso. A parte la formula originaria, il fuoco greco è stato utilizzato da diversi eserciti dando sempre un grosso contributo alla vittoria. L’assedio di Costantinopoli del 717, da parte dei musulmani, fallì per l’uso del fuoco greco con il quale i bizantini devastarono il campo e le attrezzature militari arabe. Largo uso ne veniva fatto durante le battaglie navali. Piccole e veloci imbarcazioni con a bordo questi antenati dei lanciafiamme passavano in mezzo alle navi nemiche spruzzandole di fuoco greco. I contenitori potevano essere di grosse dimensioni, ma anche delle otri in pelle con un tubo di rame. Schiacciando l’otre partiva un getto di composto che, una volta acceso, era inestinguibile. Nemmeno chi si buttava in acqua era salvo perché il composto galleggiava sull’acqua e continuava a bruciare. È stato certamente un’arma di terrore.

[King John]

Rappresentazione del "fuoco greco" tratta dal  Codex Skylitzes Matritensis, Bibliteca Nacional de Madrid, Vitr. 26-2, Bild-Nr. 77, f 34 v. b.