Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 150	Auction date: 2 December 2024
Lot number: 548 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Selinus Tetradrachm circa 440, AR 29 mm, 17.34 g. ΣΕΛ – ΙΝ – ΟΝΤ – ΙΟΣ Slow quadriga l. in which stand Apollo and Artemis, respectively shooting arrow and holding reins. Rev. ΣΕΛ – Ι – NΟ – Σ The river-god Selinos, naked, standing l. holding branch and pouring libation over garlanded altar, in front of which stands cockerel; in r. field, statue of bull standing l. on platform set upon stepped block; above, Selinon leaf. Rizzo pl. 31, 13. C. Boehringer, Konkordanz, 8. Schwabacher 4. SNG Lloyd 1222 (these dies). Rare and in superb condition for this difficult issue. Struck on a very large flan and exceptionally complete. Superb iridescent tone and extremely fine Ex Giessener Münzhandlung 33, 1986, 37 and Nomos 25, 2022, 43 sales. The close relationship between the Classical period coinage of Selinus and Himera has not escaped notice, as it seems to provide evidence of ties between these two cities, despite their locations on opposite shores of Sicily. We can recognise a general similarity between the tetradrachms of these cities: both have a chariot scene on the obverse and a sacrifice scene on the reverse. We can also see that a cock, the badge of Himera, has been incorporated into the design of this magnificent Selinus tetradrachm; indeed, it enjoys as prominent a position as the Selinon leaf, which was the canting type for Selinus. The solidarity of these Greek cities dates back to at least 480 B.C., when Himera and Selinus alone supported the Carthaginians against Acragas, who was a troublesome rival to both. It is a curious, yet typically Greek Sicilian twist of fate that Himera and Selinus were both destroyed by Carthage in 409 B.C. The chariot scene is atypical in that it includes two deities – in this case the sibling gods Apollo and Artemis. Artemis drives the quadriga as her twin brother Apollo draws his bow; the choice of this type is hardly surprising since Apollo was the deity of choice at Selinus, which had a massive temple dedicated to the god on its eastern hill. The reverse shows the river-god Selinus holding a lustral branch of purification as he strides toward a garlanded altar to sacrifice from a patera (for four interesting varieties, see Kraay- Hirmer nos. 186, 188-190). We are fortunate that the inscription names Selinus, who otherwise might be mistaken for Apollo. In addition to the aforementioned cock and Selinon leaf, there is also a bull upon a monumental base. Were it not for the fact that the base differs so greatly from one die to the next, we might presume that it was a local monument; but the inconsistent presentation virtually rules out that possibility. A. H. Lloyd, in his study of the coin types of Selinus in the 1935 Numismatic Chronicle, identifies the statue as the brazen bull of Phalaris in which Phalaris of Acragas (tyrant c. 570- 549 B.C.) is said to have roasted his enemies alive. Since Himera was one of the important acquisitions of Phalaris in his quest to become tyrant of Sicily, Lloyd considered this type to represent the longstanding friendship between Himera and Selinus. Estimate: 35000 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: SCENA DI LIBAGIONE CON UN GIOVANE UOMO (APOLLO?) CHE VERSA IL CONTENUTO DI UNA PHIALE SU DI UN ALTARE

 

Modificato 6 Novembre da King John

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 150	Auction date: 2 December 2024
Lot number: 855 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Antoninus Pius augustus, 138 – 161 Medallion 151-152, Æ 35 mm, 35.23 g. ANTONINVS AVG – PIVS P P TR P XV Laureate head r. Rev. Heracles standing facing, grabbing Antaeus with his two hands and lifting him off the ground; in r. field, rocky ground and in l. field, club, lion-skin and quiver close to a tree. C –. Gnecchi –. Toynbee –. Apparently unique and unrecorded. A very interesting and appealing reverse composition. Brown tone gently smoothed, otherwise good very fine Privately purchased from Edward J. Waddell. From the Dr. Briggs Braillar collection. On the reverse of this unique medallion is illustrated the fight between Hercules and Antaeus. A giant of Libya and the son of Poseidon and Gaia (the earth goddess), Antaeus would challenge travelers to wrestling matches, easily killing his opponents and collecting their bones to construct a temple to his father. Antaeus had defeated most of his opponents until it came to his fight with Hercules. He met him during his way to the Garden of Hesperides to complete his eleventh labor. Upon finding that he could not beat Antaeus by throwing him to the ground as he would reheal due to his parentage (Gaia), Hercules discovered the secret of his power. Holding Antaeus aloft, Hercules crushed him in a bearhug. Estimate: 7500 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: Monumento ad Ercole ed Anteo. Il Monumento è opera dell'artista fiammingo Teodoro Vanderstruck e risale agli anni tra il 1684 e 1687. Pensato originariamente per ornare la vasca collocata davanti a Palazzo Ducale, in realtà venne più volte trasferito fino all'attuale collocazione all'interno della Casa della Musica. Una copia della statua è posta a ridosso della facciata posteriore del Municipio . Il Monumento originale è realizzato in rame ed è noto anche con il nome dialettale parmigiano " I du Brasè". Rappresenta l'unico statua rimasta tra quelle che si trovavano all'interno del Giardino Ducale dei Farnese

Modificato 7 Novembre da King John

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 572	Auction date: 9 October 2024
Lot number: 207 Price realized: 120 USD   (Approx. 109 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: SICILY, Gela. Circa 208-200 BC. Æ Hemilitron (19.5mm, 6.08 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Gelas right / Antiphemos standing right, holding sword, about to sacrifice ram leaping right; H to left. Jenkins, Gela, Group XIVa, 558; BAR Issue 1; CNS 69; HGC 2, 385. Rough dark green-brown patina, cleaning scratches. VF. Rare. Ex Musa Numismatic Art inventory 14212 (ND); Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 494 (23 June 2021), lot 18; Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 360 (30 September 2015), lot 5; CNG Inventory 712059 (April 1999). Estimate: 100 USD

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149	Auction date: 2 December 2024
Lot number: 25 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: The Seleucid kings. Antiocus I Soter, 281 – 261 Tetradrachm, Sardes circa 281-268, AR 26 mm, 13.21 g. Diademed, horned head of Seleucus I r. Rev. BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ – ANTIOXOΥ Horned horse head r. In r. field, two monograms. WSM 1359 (these dies). SC 322. Of the highest rarity, the second known and the only one in private hands. A portrait of excellent style struck in high relief. Surface somewhat porous and areas of corrosion, otherwise good very fine Seleucus I Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid dynasty and architect of an empire spanning from Asia Minor in the west to the borders of India in the east was struck down by the assassin's blade in 281 BC, leaving his son Antiochus I Soter to succeed him. Although Antiochus I had ruled alongside his father since 294 BC and was well known in the Upper Satrapies, he was more of an unknown quantity in the west. Thus, upon news of Seleucus' death, the cities of Syria Seleucis took the opportunity to rise up in revolt while Ptolemy II Philadelphus lay claim to parts of southern Asia Minor. Antiochus I seems to have quickly put out the fires in Syria and asserted his royal legitimacy in western Asia Minor, but he soon faced the new and major menace posed by the Galatians. These fearsome Celtic warriors had burst into Macedonia around 280 BC and after a failed attempt to sack Delphi in 278 crossed the Hellespont to serve as mercenaries for Nicomedes I of Bithynia. Once they had served their purpose in Nicomedes' army, in 277 BC they took to roaming western Asia Minor and extorting protection money from the cities-something that was very detrimental to the Seleucid royal economy. After years of Galatian terror and the inability of the king to contain it, Antiochus I defeated the Celtic marauders using war elephants in a celebrated battle that may have taken place around 269/8 BC. In gratitude, the cities subsequently hailed Antiochus I as Soter ("Savior"). At the same time that western Anatolia was being ravaged by the Galatians, Ptolemy II made a second attempt to seize Seleucid possessions. By the time the First Syrian War (274-271 BC) was over, Ptolemy II had taken parts of Caria, Cilicia, and Pamphylia from Antiochus I, but the bulk of the Seleucid kingdom remained intact under his authority. This began to change in 263 BC, as Eumenes I, a Pergamene dynast whose father had previously been loyal to Seleucus I sought independence and successfully detached much of northwestern Asia Minor. Antiochus I did not live long enough to try and reclaim it. He died in 261 BC at the age of 64. Estimate: 2500 CHF

[santone]

Sempre belle le protomi equine

[King John]

Astarte S.A. > Auction 23	Auction date: 28 October 2024
Lot number: 329 Price realized: 1,100 CHF   (Approx. 1,270 USD / 1,172 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Egypt. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138 AD. Tetradrachm (Billon, 23.41 mm, 13.22 g). Dated Λ ΔEKATOY = year 10 (125 / 126 AD) ΑΥΤ KAI TPAIA AΔPIA CEB Laureate, cuirassed and draped bust of Hadrian right, seen sideways from the back. Rev. L ΔE KATOY ( = year 120) The snakes Agathodaemons with "pshent" crown (left) and Uraeus with "basileon" or Isiac crown (right), both on the exergual line, erect and facing; in the folds of their tails, the first holds a caduceus (symbol of Hermanubis) and the second a sistrum (the emblem of Isis). Vogt I, p. 101. Vogt II, p. 48. BMC 668. Geissen 894-895. Dattari-Savio 7508 (same die). RPC III 5596.45, this specimen. Emmett 804. Staffieri, G. M., Alexandria in Nummis, pp.121-122 and 342-343, Muzzano 2017. Cf. Savio, Tetradrammi alessandrini, pp 77-81. Extremely Fine with high definition of details. Ex Numismatica Aretusa SA, (Franco Chiesa)1981. Tetradrachm minted with this reverse only in the tenth year of Hadrian's reign. The imperial portrait is of high artistic quality and certifies the serene majesty of the sovereign. The reverse refers to the Egyptian mythology of the facing pair of snakes: on the left the peaceful male Agazhodaermon sacred to Zeus-Sarapis and on the right the combative Pharaonic female Uraeus sacred to Isis which, together, indicate well-being and political stability, as well as fertility. In this rare example reported only by Dattari-Savio, the tails of the two snakes extend beyond the exergual line, accentuating the perspective and three-dimensionality of the scene. Starting price: 150 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: Agathos Daimon depicted in the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Alexandria, Egypt I greci tenevano l'effigie dell'Agathodaimon (o Agathos Daimon, in greco: ἀγαθός δαίμων, "demone buono") nelle loro case come buon auspicio poiché era il genio buono. Il termine greco del demone è molto diverso da quello cattolico. Un dáimōn, (essere divino) si trova a metà strada fra ciò che è divino e ciò che è umano e spesso ha funzione di intermediario tra i due. Nella mitologia dell'Antica Grecia era considerato una divinità protettrice del grano, dei vigneti e pure delle città. Fu presente anche nella mitologia romana soprattutto nella veste di genius loci, venendo associato anche alla fortuna, alla salute e alla saggezza. La sua effigie era un piccolo serpente con la testa coronata e la coda con un fiore di loto, oppure come giovane che reggeva la cornucopia in una mano e nell'altra un mazzo di spighe e papaveri. Agatodemonisti erano chiamati dai romani la gente che non beveva vino mescolato ad acqua, a miele, essenze ecc. come facevano solitamente i Romani (romanoimpero.it).

Modificato 16 Novembre da King John

[santone]

Bel ritratto dell'imperatore Adriano 

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 150	Auction date: 2 December 2024
Lot number: 636 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Phaestus Stater circa 300-270, AR 26 mm, 11.06 g. TA – Λ – ΩΝ retrograde Naked Talos, with spread wings, standing facing and holding stone in each hand. Rev. ΦΑΙΣ – ΤΙΩ – Ν retrograde Bull advancing r. Svoronos, Créte, –. Le Rider, Monnaies Crétoises, –. Kraay-Hirmer pl. 167, 551 (this coin). Apparently unique. An issue of tremendous importance and fascination struck on exceptionally fresh metal and with a wonderful iridescent tone. Minor areas of weakness, otherwise good extremely fine Ex Hess-Leu 11, 1959, 230 and Glendining's & Baldwin 10 December 1986, Knoepke, 227 sales. From the Michel Eddé (1928-2019) collection. In the early history of the Greeks the island of Crete was of great importance: not only did tradition identify it as the birthplace of Zeus, but the island's Minoan culture was one of the earliest literate civilizations of Greece. Unfortunately, the early Minoan culture had suffered nearly complete destruction by 1200 B.C. and the island never recovered its former Bronze Age glory. Even after Greece emerged from its Dark Age, Crete was underdeveloped. Indeed, the Cretans did not strike their first coins until at least a century after their trading partners in Central Greece. With a distinctive culture and relative isolation, however, it was certain that when the Cretans began to produce coinage, something intriguing would result. Probably the main reason the Cretans had not issued coins earlier in their history was because they had no indigenous sources of gold and silver so they had to rely entirely on external sources. Before the time of Alexander III the main supply of coin silver was the 'turtles' of Aegina, the powerful maritime state which had established a colony on Crete at Cydonia. Most early Cretan coins are overstruck on Aegina 'turtles' and then later Cretan coins often are overstruck on the earlier Cretan coins, thus producing a third generation of coinage from one planchet. In this respect Crete was truly an island economy, as there was intensive recycling of coinage and little evidence for the export of its own coin types. With the decline of Aegina, and the rise of the Macedonian Kingdom under Philip II and Alexander III, many new coin types were imported to Crete. Fuelled by a need to replace the dwindling supply of 'turtles', and inspired by the return of Cretan mercenaries from abroad with pay in hand, Crete was poised for a quantum leap in its coinage. The most prolific Cretan issues were struck at 28 mints in the period 330-280/70 B.C., made possible by the campaigns of Alexander and the wars of his successors, all of which provided wealth and opportunity for Cretan mercenaries. Many Cretan issues are either remarkably original or blatantly imitative of other Greek coins. The level of artistry employed varied so greatly as to contain true masterpieces and barbaric atrocities with inscriptions that often are retrograde. This is equalled in no other area of Greek numismatics and is one of the most engaging aspects of the island's coinage. The most remarkable engraving on Crete was done for the city of Phaestus, which produced a series of tetradrachms of great artistry and typology during the first 50 years of the Hellenistic period. The reverses – as here – usually show a bull, but the obverses depict a variety of subjects, including Heracles seated or attacking the Lernean Hydra, the local hero Velchanus seated, and a naked, winged male figure (Talus) holding two round stones, one of which he prepares to hurl. Talus was a fearsome, winged creature made of bronze who circled the island three times a day in performing his duty to Zeus, who had sent him there to protect Europa. When Talus encountered anyone attempting to land on the island he would capture them and subject them to a fire, into which he would willingly leap, deriving great pleasure in the pain he caused. Though usually successful in his efforts, when he tried to prevent the Argonauts from landing Talus perished, either from the use of witchcraft or a well-aimed arrow from the bow of Heracles. Estimate: 150000 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: scena su un cratere attico a volute raffigurante Medea che assiste alla morte del gigante Talos, l'ultimo degli uomini di bronzo, soggiogato da Castore e Polluce

[santone]

Entrambi belli 

[King John]

Minted in Phiastos, Crete c. 300-250 BC, this bronze coin shows the giant Talos hurling a stone in his right hand and holding another in his left. On the other side is the inscription ΦΑΙC−ΤΙΩΝ with Laelaps, the Golden Hound of Crete, catching the scent of its quarry.

Modificato 19 Novembre da King John

[King John]

[VALTERI]

Una attraente figura di una delle mitiche guerriere, le Amazzoni, rappresentata in ginocchio, con arco e faretra : da uno statere di Soloi di Cilicia con al rovescio l' emblematico grappolo di uva, che passerà il prossimo 7 Dicembre in REX Num, 15 al n. 201 .

E' l' occasione per rinnovarti @King John i miei complimenti per la Tua lunga, sempre interessante fatica .

 

[King John]

@VALTERI grazie per i complimenti ma è un piacere troppo grande esplorare insieme le infinite raffigurazioni riportate sulle monete antiche.

Proseguiamo adesso con il tema delle Amazzoni.

 

Heritage World Coin Auctions > Dallas Signature Sale 3119	Auction date: 1 November 2024
Lot number: 31056 Price realized: 1,700 USD   (Approx. 1,566 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Ancients LESBOS. Mytilene. Ca. 412-378 BC. EL sixth-stater or hecte (11mm, 2.60 gm, 5h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 5/5. Head of Ares right, bearded, wearing helmet decorated with griffin / Helmeted head of Amazon right; in linear square, all within incuse square. Bodenstedt 65. HGC 6, 991. Well-centered obverse strike on a buttery flan. ILLUSTRAZIONE: Bottom register of a red-figure lekythos. This scene depicts the Greeks, led by Theseus, engaged in combat with the Amazons led by Queen Hippolyte. Attributed to the Eretria Painter, c. 420 BCE. Attica. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

[santone]

Bella rappresentazione

[VALTERI]

L' immagine di amazzonomachia del Tuo precedente post @King John , da un piccolo, vecchio libro ( Mondadori 1956 ) .

[King John]

Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 32	Auction date: 7 December 2024
Lot number: 1103 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: CARIA. Cidramus. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 31 mm, 15.14 g, 6 h), time of the Severans, circa 193-217. ΔHMOC Laureate and draped bust of Demos to right. Rev. KIΔ𐤭AMHNΩN Veiled goddess standing front, supporting kalathos on her head with her left hand. Martin -. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG München -. SNG von Aulock -. Apparently unpublished. Attractive earthen highlights over a dark patina. A few faint cleaning scratches, otherwise, very fine. From an American collection, ex Demos 31, 12 April 2024, 150. Starting price: 75 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: Tra i copricapi femminili troviamo il KALATHOS, la cui forma (dalla base circolare che si allarga al di sopra) riprende un canestro originariamente di vimini che veniva utilizzato dalle donne per riporre materiali propri delle loro attività oppure frutta e spighe. Divenne quindi simbolo dell’operosità femminile, di abbondanza, di fertilità e caratterizzò alcune divinità come ad esempio Demetra. In foto ne vediamo un esempio sul capo di una dea seduta in trono (terracotta del V-IV secolo a. C. conservata al Louvre)

 

Modificato 25 Novembre da King John

[King John]

Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 32	Auction date: 7 December 2024
Lot number: 2908 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Konstantinos, 6th-7th centuries. Seal (Lead, 23 mm, 9.39 g, 6 h). The Women at the Tomb or the Myrrh Bearers: in the center, the empty tomb of Christ surmounted by a cross; on the left, nimbate angel seated right, raising his hand; on the right, two women standing left, both nimbate; star in upper field. Rev. Cruciform monogram KⲰNCTANTINOV. Apparently unpublished, but cf. Zacos/Veglery 2964 and G. Boersema (2022): Sigillographic evidence for early Byzantine Jerusalem pilgrimage, in: SBS 14, p. 141, 2 (for two other seals with this scene). An exceptional seal with an extremely rare narrative scene from the Gospels. Good very fine. From an important collection of Roman and Byzantine seals, tesserae and amulets, formed before 2021. The obverse of this seal features an exceptionally rare narrative scene: the women preparing to anoint the body of Christ, only to find an empty tomb with an angel proclaiming His resurrection. The significance of this scene in early Christianity is underscored by its presence in all four gospels (Matthew 28:1–7; Mark 16:1–7; Luke 24:1–7; John 20:1–11). Besides a handful of seals and bronze rings, this scene appears most notably on lead pilgrim flasks, known as the Monza-Bobbio ampullae. On these flasks, as on our seal, Christ's tomb is depicted in the style of the actual shrine (aedicula) in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at that time. In many of these depictions, including ours, the grillwork of the tomb's metal doors - allowing pilgrims entry - can be discerned. This specific choice of imagery may indicate that the seal's owner traveled to Jerusalem to visit these holy sites, as many of the faithful did throughout Byzantium and beyond. Starting price: 75 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONE: Le donne trovano la tomba vuota e l'angelo (Vangelo secondo Luca); Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, VI secolo.

[santone]

Bel sigillo 

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 150	Auction date: 2 December 2024
Lot number: 818 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Trajan augustus, 98 – 117 Sestertius 103-104, Æ 35 mm, 25.8 g. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P Laureate bust r. with aegis. Rev. SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI S C. The Circus Maximus, as seen from the Forum Boarium: porticos with two entrances, with monumental gate crowned by quadriga, triumphal arches, curved wall, temple of Sol, spina with obelisk flanked by equestrian statue of Trajan and shrine of Cybele in background. C 546. BMC 853. RIC 571. CBN 222. Woytek 175a (this coin cited). Hirmer pl. 76, 267. Very rare and possibly the finest known specimen of this important and intriguing issue. Struck on a very broad flan and with a reverse exceptionally well detailed and complete. Lovely untouched green patina and extremely fine Ex NAC 7, 1994, 723; Superior Stamp & Coins 8-9 December 1995, 90; Ira & Larry Goldberg 72, 2013, Hunter, 4144 and NAC 97, 2016, 111 sales. From the Peter Bowe collection. The skeletal outline of the Circus Maximus in Rome today is only a faint indication of the grand structure that once was the focal point for entertainment in the capital. This hippodrome is said to have been Rome's oldest stadium. It evolved from a simple racetrack between the Aventine and Palatine hills with no formal structure, to one incorporating wooden, and then stone benches, and finally a massive superstructure as seen on this sestertius. Over time the area was decorated with monuments, statues, trophies, shrines, arcades, towers, porticoes, triumphal gates and arches. Gilded metal at each end of the spine (spina) of the sand racetrack glistened in the sun, and a tall obelisk of Ramesses II that Augustus had shipped to Rome in 10 B.C. served as the centrepiece of the spina. Pliny the Elder describes the circus as able to accommodate 250,000 people, but this figure no doubt includes those viewing from the slopes of the flanking hills. However, at its peak in the mid-4th Century A.D. it is believed to have been able to seat more than 200,000 spectators. The circus was damaged on many occasions, including by fire during the reigns of Augustus and Nero. Restorations to the structure, it seems, are celebrated on coinage. For this reason, Trajan issued sestertii depicting the hippodrome, which probably served as the prototype for Caracalla's issue since both show the structure from the same elevated perspective with simultaneous exterior and interior views. A variety of events were held there, including parades, theatrical events, foot races, boxing and wrestling matches and equestrian contests. Bloody spectacles were also hosted, such as gladiatorial combats (ludi gladiatorii) and exotic animal hunts (venationes). Chariot racing (ludi circenses), however, was the most popular event held in the circus. In Trajan's time two dozen races would have been held in a single day, with eight teams competing in each event. A race consisted of seven laps that could be completed in less than ten minutes. The chariots were usually drawn by teams of two, three or four horses. Occasionally there were teams of six horses, which certainly was more of a crowd-pleasing novelty than a practical event. Estimate: 40000 CHF ILLUSTRAZIONI: RICOSTRUZIONI DEL CIRCO MASSIMO

[santone]

Interessante rovescio 

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVIII	Auction date: 14 January 2025
Lot number: 411 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: KINGS of PERSIS. Vahbarz (Oborzos). 3rd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 17.07 g, 4h). Istakhr (Persepolis) mint. Diademed head right, wearing kyrbasia / Figure in Achaemenid royal attire, with bow and quiver over shoulder, standing right, holding in his left hand the hair of a Greek hoplite kneeling right, wearing military attire and with shield on left arm, who he is preparing to slay with a dagger held in his right hand; whwbrz to left; krny in Aramaic to right; wntwy in Aramaic in exergue. Cf. van't Haaff, Persis, Type 532Aab (for drachm); otherwise unpublished. Lightly toned, with iridescence, traces of deposits, light circulation marks. Near EF. Bold reverse. Excessively rare. INTRO HEADER: Vahbarz as Commander-in-Chief Among the issues of Vahbarz (Oborzos) are the extremely rare drachms – and now, tetradrachm – showing an Achaemenid-style ruler slaying a captive Greek hoplite. So far, only three examples of the drachms are known, all struck from the same pair of dies. The tetradrachm of the same type, the reverse design of which shares stylistic affinities with the drachms, indicates a particularly special issue and that a single engraver – a master craftsman – was responsible for the reverse dies of both denominations. The obverse of our tetradrachm is die linked with those of Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I (see, for example, CNG 123, lot 334), placing the two rulers in close chronology. The legend here calls Vahbarz (Oborzos) ynrk (krny), rather than the more usual àKR†RP (prtrk'), a title that appears on his later coinage. Vahbarz (Oborzos) is the only ruler of Persis to have coins with this title on them. Other examples of his coins with krny include two tetradrachms (van't Haaff, Persis, Type 562A, examples a and b), and a unique drachm in a private collection (Müseler, Dating Fig. 13), all with the fire-altar reverse. None of these coins have the royal standard that normally appears in the design. A probable explanation is that Vahbarz's status as commander-in-chief, and not ruler in his own right, would account for the absence of the standard. In addition, one of these tetradrachms, as well as the drachm, includes a ¡ in the exergue (cf. SC 241-243[for monogram]). This monogram is similar to Seleukid issues of the coregency of Seleukos I and Antiochos I, attributed in SC to an uncertain mint in Drangiana or Western Arachosia, and dated to 294-281 BC. All together, the krny coinage of Vahbarz forms a compact group. The reverse design has been the subject of interest since the first drachm showing an Achaemenid style ruler slaying a captive Greek hoplite came onto the market almost four decades ago. That coin, discovered by the late Wilhelm Müseler in 1986, was sold in Peus 316 (lot 259). Michael Alram, in his publication of the coin the following year ("Eine neue Drachme des Vahbarz [Oborzos] aus der Persis?," in Litteratae Numismaticae Vindobonenses 3 [1987], p. 149) was quick to note the unusual subject, arguing that the coinage of Persis was conservative in design, with ideologically predetermined elements, and lacking the influence of foreign ideas. While true in most respects, the coronation-type coinage of Baydād (Bagadat) provides a visible counterpoint: an innovative design that is of indigenous, rather than foreign ideas (see the reliefs of the enthroned Achaemenid king Dareios I from the Apadana at Persepolis which served as the model for Baydād [Bagadat]). For Vahbarz (Oborzos), the trope has a long history, both in the ancient Near East, as well as in Persian art. Two seals of the Achaemenid period showing potential prototypes of the victor slaying the captive (J. Boardman, Persia and the West, p. 160, figs. 5.6 and 5.7). One of these shows Artaxerxes III Ochos slaying the rebellious pharaoh Nektanebo I, while the other depicts one Greek hoplite spearing another. Among the tombs in Necropolis II at Limyra in Lykia is a tomb relief of one hoplite about to slay another. All three examples demonstrate that this scene was a well-known eastern motif. Other than the coins themselves, very little is known about the career of Vahbarz, or the events commemorated on this particular issue. An anecdote in the Strategmata, or Stratagems in War, by Polyainos, a Macedonian author and rhetorician, has since been recognized to be referring to Vahbarz. Written in AD 163, during the Roman-Parthian War of AD 161-166, and dedicated to Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, it is a collection of narratives describing various stratagems, in particular, those involving various military leaders. In Book VII, which describes the actions of a number of non-Greeks, Polyainos relates the murder and secret burial of 3000 Greek military settlers by Oborzos, whom he considered to be plotting against him (Chapter 40). This tale, however, contains an underlying sense of deception that would seem hardly appropriate for such a prestige issue. Given the Achaemenid association, the design rather recalls the Greco-Persian Wars of the early 5th century BC and the subsequent events that resulted in the disintegration of the Persian Empire and the rise of the Macedonian kingdoms. The kingdom of Persis, which until the third century BC had been a quasi-vassal state of the Seleukid Empire, may have taken the defeat of Antiochos III at Thermopylai in 191 BC to exploit its autonomy. This change was short-lived, however, as the Seleukids seemed to recover as Antiochos is recorded as being present in the area. Vahbarz appears to have submitted his independence and been installed as a frataraka, as his subsequent coinage is of the fire-altar type. It is quite possible that the anecdote about his treachery may have been spread to undercut any future rebellion and assuage Seleukid sensibilites. All that remains is the extremely rare numismatic evidence of Persian glory. Estimate: 75000 USD

 

Modificato 2 Dicembre da King John

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[King John]

Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 32	Auction date: 7 December 2024
Lot number: 1457 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: L. Hostilius Saserna, 48 BC. Denarius (Silver, 20 mm, 4.07 g, 10 h), Rome. Bare head of Gallia to right, wearing long hair; to left, carnyx (Gallic trumpet). Rev. L•HOSTILIVS - ASERNA Diana (Artemis) of Ephesus standing facing, with long hair and laurel wreath, holding spear in her left hand and placing her right on the head of a stag leaping to left. Babelon (Hostilia) 4. Crawford 448/3. CRI 19. RBW 1570. Sydenham 953. A well struck example with beautiful iridescent toning. The reverse struck slightly off center and with very light marks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. The denarii of L. Hostilius Saserna consist of three types, all relating to Julius Caesar's conquests in Gaul: the first, Crawford 448/1, depicts a female head, probably of Clementia, on the obverse, and Victory holding a trophy of Gallic arms on the reverse, whereas the second - and probably the most famous - Crawford 448/2, shows a Gallic chieftain on the obverse ('Vercingetorix') and a chariot carrying a Gallic warrior on the reverse. Our coin belongs to the third group, Crawford 448/3, showing on the obverse the personification of Gallia with dishevelled hair, or perhaps the head of a captive Gallic woman, accompanied by a carnyx, a musical reed instrument with a horn shaped into the head of a boar. Carnyces produced a harsh sound and were used by the Gauls in battle to instill fear in their enemies. The reverse of our coin, on the other hand, shows an archaic cult statue of Diana of Ephesus with a spear and a her stag at her side. This is probably a reference to the city of Massilia (modern Marseille), which housed a magnificent temple dedicated to Diana of Ephesus, and which Caesar captured on his way to Spain to confront Pompey. Starting price: 200 CHF illustrazione: statua di Artemide

Modificato 3 Dicembre da King John

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVIII	Auction date: 14 January 2025
Lot number: 362 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: PHOENICIA, Byblos (Gebal). Uncertain king. Circa 433-425 BC. AR Shekel (26mm, 13.67 g, 12h). Galley with three hoplites left; below, hippocamp left / Vulture standing left on incuse ram lying left, head right. E&E-B Group III.1, 102 (O1/R1 – this coin, illustrated); Betlyon 5; Rouvier 630; HGC 10, 126. Lightly toned, minor granularity, a few light scuffs on obverse, a few small bumps on edge. Near EF. An exceptional example of this very rare issue with all details clear. Ex Peus 361 (3 November 1999), lot 244. Estimate: 5000 USD

 

Modificato 4 Dicembre da King John

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