Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

THESSALY, Trikka. 4th century BC. Æ Dichalkon (17mm, 3.54 g, 9h). Head of nymph Trikke r. with hair rolled, wearing pendant earring and pearl necklace / TPIKKAIΩN l. up, warrior, naked but for crested helmet, advancing r. with sword and oval shield decorated with hippocamp. Rogers 553, fig. 310; Traité IV, 556 and pl. CCXCII, 6. Near VF, attractive dark green patina; slightly flat struck on both sides at high relief points.
The writer believes that the correct spelling for the name of the nymph appearing on the Trikka bronzes is Trikke and not Trikka which is the city’s name.

 

[King John]

 

[King John]

TRAJAN
Estimate $300
TRAJAN. 98-117 AD. AR Denarius (3.35 gm). Struck 103-111 AD. Laureate bust right, wearing aegis / Captive Dacian seated right at foot of trophy. RIC II 220; BMCRE 189; RSC 537. Near EF. ($300)

ILLUSTRAZIONE: RESTITUZIONE DEI COLORI ORIGINALI DI UN PARTICOLARE DELLA COLONNA TRAIANA.

Modificato 1 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 500-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.73 g). Hoplite, nude but for Corinthian helmet, holding shield, standing in semi-crouch right; to right, tunny downward / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 119; Greenwell 91; SNG France 266; cf. Boston MFA 1497 (stater); cf. A. Milavic, “Hoplitodromos: The hoplite race in armor served as a vehicle to train for war” in The Celator 5.8 (August 1991), fig. 6 and front cover. Good VF, toned, slightly off center.
From the LVL Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 357 (12 August 2015), lot 106 (hammer $1400).
The hoplite is about to begin the foot race in which the runners carried their military equipment.

[King John]

ARABIA, Bostra. Trajan. AD 98-117. AR Tridrachm (17mm, 10.87 g, 7h). Struck AD 112-114. Laureate bust right, with aegis on shoulder / Aquila between two signa, that to the left surmounted by hand, that to the right by wreath; all with hand grabs to right. W.E. Metcalf, “The Tell Kalak Hoard and Trajan’s Arabian Mint,” ANSMN 20, 9 note and var. (signa switched, grabs to left); SNG ANS -; Sydenham, Caesarea 225 var. (same). EF, bright surfaces, minor edge irregularity. Rare bust type, and an unrecorded variety.

[King John]

Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Eukratides I 'the Great' AR Tetradrachm. Circa 171-145 BC. Diademed and draped heroic bust left, holding spear, wearing helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear / The Dioskouroi on horseback right, each holding spear and palm; BAΣIΛEΩΣ MEΓAΛOY EYKPATIΔOY around, monogram to lower right. Bopearachchi 8B; SNG ANS 485; Mitchiner 179a. 16.99g, 34mm, 11h.
Near Extremely Fine. A superb example of this iconic type.
This remarkable tetradrachm of Eukratides I represents a pinnacle of Hellenistic numismatic portraiture. Depicting him in an unprecedented way as a helmeted warrior with a nude and muscular back, diadem ties flowing down it, and in a posture of preparing to strike with a spear or javelin. This image succeeds marvellously in evoking the romantic spirit of the by-gone golden age of Greek glory as embodied by heroes such as Leonidas and Epaminondas, who as tradition dictated, would fight in the front rank alongside their soldiers to lead and inspire by example.
Such a posture was well known in Greek art and sculpture, being not only the typical stance of the Greek hoplite warrior, but also of the gods Zeus, Poseidon and Athena, most famously preserved in the form of the Artemision Bronze statue now in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Eukratides' stance is also reminiscent of the coins of Demetrios Poliorketes and Diodotos I, who both issued tetradrachms featuring a naked Poseidon and Zeus, respectively, wielding their weapons in a similar overarm stance; there however, the whole bodies were shown. Eukratides' use of this classic form to depict himself was an innovation that clearly made a lasting impression - the portrait type would be copied by successive Greek kings in India, and would later be adopted by several Roman emperors from the time of Septimius Severus onwards, as the role of the emperor became increasingly militarized in nature. 

 

ILLUSTRAZIONE: SOLDATI DEL REGNO DI BATTRIA (240 A.C.)

[King John]

SAMARIA. Circa 375-333 BCE. AR Obol (0.65 gm, 5h).
Estimate $300
SAMARIA. Circa 375-333 BCE. AR Obol (0.65 gm, 5h). Persian king seated right, holding flower to nose and sceptre, thymiaterion before; "BT" (Bagabatas) above / Persian king slaying bull, pellet in center. Meshorer & Qedar 6. Good VF, toned, die break on reverse, some striking weakness. ($300)
Bagabatas is unknown, but must have been a Persian administrator in Samaria. The obverse design is derived from the seated king on staters of Mazaios of Myriandros (cf. SNG France 422).
SECTION INTRO
Samaria was founded by Omri, king of Israel, as the new captial of Israel circa 900 BC. The first phase of its existence ended with the Assyrian conquest of 721 BC, when the Israelite population was deported to Babylon, to be replaced by a mixed community of Chaldeans, Syrians, and Arabs. When the Israelites returned with the Persians after 539 BC they settled into a diffuse cosmopolitan city, with numerous pagan temples and cults, the most significant being those of Baal and Astarte. Surrounded by these disparate foreign influences, the Samaritans evolved into a distinctive Jewish sect that survives to the present day in small towns at the foot of their sacred mountain, Mt. Gerizim. The Samaria Hoard and other recent finds in the region have revealed an amazingly complex coinage that was unknown until the last decade. Both Samaria and Judaea produced a fractional coinage in the 4th century BC, reproducing Greek and Persian types with legends naming the province. However, Samaria went well beyond the standard types, using types with Persian kings and deities, animals fantastic and natural, other Semitic types, as well as traces of Greek mythology. The extensive studies by Meshorer and Qedar will be supplemented by further detailed examinations of the unique iconography of the series.

[King John]

LOMBARDIC KINGDOM OF ITALY. CUNINCPERT.
Estimate $3000 
LOMBARDIC KINGDOM OF ITALY. CUNINCPERT. 688-774. AV Tremissis (1.41 gm). Pavia mint. DN CVNI-INCPE RX, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; in field to right, manus Dei / SCS MI-HAHIL :., St. Michael standing left, holding long cross. Bernareggi, Il sistema economico e la monetazione dei Longobardi nell'Italia Superiore, pg. 138, 18; Gnecchi collection 3950; Arslan, Le monete dei Ostrogoti, Longobardi e Vandali, pg. 60, 43. Very rare. EF. ($3000) Ex Aufhäuser Auction 14, (1998), lot 566.
In the early years of Lombardic settlement coinage seems to have been the product of local initiative, and only later in the 7th century was there an attempt to reestablish a royal monopoly. Cunincpert was the first Lombardic monarch to place his name and title explicitly on the coinage. The above specimen with the hand of God symbol recalls chapter 242 of Rothari's Edict of 643: " He who stamps gold or mints coin without the king's command shall have his hand cut off".

 

Modificato 2 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

GRIECHEN THESSALIEN 
PELINNA 
 AE (1,87g). ca. Mitte 4. Jh. v. Chr. Vs.: Thessa­lischer Reiter n. r. Rs.: ΠEΛIN/[NA]IKON, rechtshin aus­schreitender, speerschwingender Krieger in thessalischer Tracht mit Schild in der erhobenen Linken. R! Braune Pa­tina, ss

[King John]

GAUL, Caleti. Circa late 2nd-1st century BC. Hemistater (Electrum, 15mm, 3.11 g 9), in the area of modern Fécamp. Laureate head of Apollo to right, in Celtic style with curly locks, and with traces of a wheel-shaped tattoo on his cheek. Rev. Charioteer, wearing robes, with long hair and holding a leaf-tipped spear, driving ‘biga’ drawn by a single horse to right; to right, floral ornament in place of the second horse; below, eight-spoked wheel. BN 10198 var. D&T 101 var. Flesche 191 ( same obverse die but different reverse ). An attractive piece with a particularly clear reverse. Very fine.
From the Cologny Collection and from the collection of E. Karl, UBS 77, 9 September 2008, 87, acquired in Munich in 1999.
For similar examples, struck from the same obverse die, see Peus 369, 2001, 37 and Flesche 191. That coin was ascribed to either the Sequani or the Helvetii and has a very similar charioteer on the reverse (he has the same long hair and leaf-tipped spear), but the whole type is to left and the wheel below the horse has a double rim.

[King John]

Caracalla AR Denarius. Rome, AD 206-10. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate bust right / LAETITIA TEMPORVM, the spina of the Circus Maximus decorated as a ship facing left, with the turning posts at its prow and stern, a sail mounted on the central obelisk, and the spina's other ornaments visible in between; above the ship, four quadriga's racing left; below, seven animals: an ostrich at left and a bear at right; between them a lion and a lioness chasing a wild ass and a panther attacking a bison. RIC 157; BMC 508. 3.64g, 18mm, 7h. Toned, Very Fine. Rare. Commemorating the Ludi Saeculares held by Septimius Severus in 204, this design is a type that was used by Septimius Severus himself (see lot 502), as well as his sons Caracalla and Geta. This rare type depicts a scene described by Dio Cassius, with the Circus Maximus fitted out with a ship from which were released a selection of rare and interesting animals.

[King John]

Caracalla, Bronze - Mint.: Serdika (Sofia), Av.: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right (Doprava orientovaný portrét v brnení, s drapériou a s vavrínovým vencom.), Rv.: Trophy on shaft, comprising of cuirasse, mantle, helmet, spears and shields, at centre left, Geta, cuirassed, standing, holding sceptre in raised right hand and resting left hand on knee, his left foot on a kneeling captive. To right, Caracalla, laureate and cuirassed, holding sceptre in raised left hand, right hand resting on knee, right foot on a second captive. (Brnenie ako trofej na tyči v strede. Zľava Geta stojaci v brnení, v pravej ruke drží kópiu a druhú ruku má položenú na stehne. Ľavou nohou stojí na trupe zajatca. Sprava stojaci Caracalla, ovenčený a v brnení, v ľavej ruke drží kópiu a druhú ruku ma opretú o telo, pravou nohou stojí na trupe zajatca.), Weight: 15,7 g, Diameter: 29 mm, Metal: Ae, References: Ruzicka, The Coinage of Serdica: 411, Rev. Pl. IX. Budapest, Paris, Sofia: 3884, Vienna: 33200, in trade, Mionnet Supp. II, 1713, Egger Cat. 1908.,Quality: EF

[King John]

Trajan, AD 98-117. AE Sestertius minted at Rome, winter AD 114-early 116. Laureate and draped bust right of Trajan. Reverse: Trajan seated left on platform with prefect behind, extending right hand; before him, Parthamaspates and soldiers holding spears and standard; in exergue, REX PARTHVS. Cf. RIC 669 [as R4]; cf. BMC p. 218; Woytek 551v2 (this reverse die). Extremely rare. Struck on a full flan with tooling in fields and great detail in the reverse die. Olive-green patina. Extremely Fine. .
Of great historical importance; only three specimens known (two reside in museums). Trajan was never shy about using his conqueror's titles in his inscriptions. This coin exhibits great action and three-dimensional power; note the delicate details on the reverse. It is a wonderful example of the selection of types: on the obverse, allegiance to the emperor and his course, and on the reverse, propaganda using current events, like a newspaper would today. The wise Trajan knew coins would be circulating throughout the vast Roman Empire for a relatively long period .
Estimated Value $20,000 - 24,000.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: SOLDATI ROMANI SUL DANUBIO DURANTE LA PRIMA GUERRA DACICA. DA DESTRA: UN PRETORIANO, UN CENTURIONE PRETORIANO, UN TRIBUNO PRETORIANO

Modificato 4 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Maxentius, 307-312 A.D.
Gold Medallion of 4 Aurei, part of a donative distributed after April 20, 308 A.D. in honor of the first consulship of Maxentius. Rome. Bare head of Maxentius l.; IMP C M VAL MAXENTIVS PF AVG. Rv. Virtus advancing r., his cloak billowing behind him, holding a trophy over his shoulder and a shield in one hand, and a spear in the other; PRINCIPI IM-P-ERII ROMANI, PR in ex. 21.17 grams. RIC 172; Bastien, Donativa, p.71, 6; Carson, "The Greatest Discovery of Roman Gold Pieces Since the Great Find at Arras," London Illustrated News, Nov. 14, 1959, p.650, fig. 1; Carson, Treasure, 108; Gneicchi--; Cohen--. Extremely Rare and one of only four known. Shallow scuff on head. Extremely Fine. (125,000-150,000)

 

ILLUSTRAZIONE: DA SINISTRA, UN PRETORIANO, L'IMPERATORE MASSENZIO, UN TRIBUNO PRETORIANO. SULLO SFONDO IL PONTE MILVIO.

Modificato 4 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Gallienus AV Aureus. Siscia, AD 262-268. GALLIENVS AVG, laureate head right / MARTI PROPVGNATORI, Mars advancing right wearing crested helmet, cuirass, pteruges and high caligae with ties. RIC V -; Calicó -; Göbl -; MIR -: unpublished in the standard references. 3.37g, 17mm, 6h. Minor marks, otherwise Good Extremely Fine. Apparently unique and unpublished. From the James Howard Collection. For reverse legend and type cf. Göbl MIR 36, 1439h i and ff (radiate bust left) and 1439h and1440h (head left, wearing crown of reeds). For an in depth discussion on the mint of Siscia under Gallienus cf. R. Göbl. MIR 36, pp. 118-122; R.A.G Carson, Coins of the Roman Empire, p. 103 and Besly-Bland, The Cunetio Treasure, p. 38. There is no doubt that the mint at Siscia was first opened by Gallienus in AD 262 with personnel transferred from the mint of Rome. However, the issues of the two mints may generally be distinguished by their different reverse types and the distinctive extended laurel ties of Siscia. Gallienus encouraged a new style of sculpture in Rome, which harked back to the classicism of the 1st century, so that the early expressive bust styles of Siscia are very similar to those at Rome (cf. MIR 36, Rome series 9, pls. 54 and 55) with a forceful expression, aquiline nose and pronounced furrow in the upper lip. This portraiture is clearly intended to present him as an authoritarian and resolute leader capable of restoring order and prosperity in a time of imminent threat to the empire from all around, both barbaric and in the form of pretenders including Ingenuus, Regalianus, Macrianus, Quietus, Aemilianus, Aureolus and Postumus. Gallienus saw himself during his sole rule as a soldier and poet, who was personally steeped in Greek culture, a philhellenist, like Hadrian, interested in the neo-Platonist philosophy of Plotinus, the last great pagan philosopher.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: Legionari soccorrono l'imperatore Gallieno ferito. A destra, con la cuffia di scaglie, un legionario Lanciario. Al centro un arciere. Alla sinistra due legionari di prima linea armati pesantemente e protetti da un corpetto semirigido e collari di scaglie, indossati sopra alle maglie di ferro, e gambali.  

 

Modificato 5 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Charioteer with Racehorse Contorniate. Orichalcum, 37 mm (27.12 gr). Rome, ca. 357 AD. Half-length figure of charioteer right, seen from front, holding whip in right hand and racehorse by reins in left hand; in left field helmet on base, here tooled into palm branch / DOMN—INVS around (first N displaced by tooling), IN VENETO in exergue, victorious charioteer Domninus standing front, head left, in frontal quadriga, holding whip (removed by tooling) and wreath in right hand and palm in left hand. The four horses that pull the chariot have palms attached to their heads; the two inner horses turn their heads back inwardly towards each other. Alfoldi 493a, pl. 223, 4 (this coin, unique). High relief obverse. Very fine.
Ex Sotheby, Zurich, July 1982, Brand, lot 135.
A very early contorniate, and the only known specimen from this die combination. The reverse die is one of the few to name the charioteer's faction, in this case the Blues (IN VENETO). 
Estimate: US$5000

[King John]

L. Farsuleius Mensor, Denarius, Rome, 75 BC AR (g 3,97 mm 21 h 5) Diademed and draped bust of Libertas r. behind, pileus and S C before, MENSOR, Rv. Warrior, holding spear and reining biga r., assists togate figure into biga below, control numeral in ex. L FARSVLEI. Crawford 392/1b Farsuleia 2 Sydenham 789.Old cabinet tone, extremely fine - good extremely fine.

[King John]

CONTORNIATE, In the name of Divus Trajan. Circa late 4th century AD. Æ 37mm (22.67 gm, 7h).
Estimate $2000 
CONTORNIATE, In the name of Divus Trajan. Circa late 4th century AD. Æ 37mm (22.67 gm, 7h). DIVO NERVA-E TRAIANO, laureate bust of Divus Trajan right, slight drapery on left shoulder; PE monogram in right field / Aerial view of chariot race in the Circus Maximus: spina with obelisk of Augustus flanked by metae, lap-counter, and statues of horseman and boar right; two quadrigae left above; two quadrigae right below, one with charioteer holding palm and extending hand; figure between, waving mappa. Alföldi, Kontorniat, Tf. 221, 3 (this coin). Good VF, mottled brown surfaces. ($2000)
From the Garth R. Drewry Collection. Ex Frederick S. Knobloch Collection (Stack's, 1-3 May 1980), lot 1403.

[King John]

RÖMISCHES KAISERREICH
GORDIANUS III. 238-244
Pisidien, Antiochia. AE-32 mm. Belorbeerte, drapierte und gepanzerte Büste r. Rs: Behelmter Krieger r. mit Speer und Schild. SNG Frankreich 1223 f. Dunkle Patina. Felder etwas geglättet. vz-ss/ss

ILLUSTRAZIONE: Legionari impegnati contro arcieri a cavallo Sasanidi. A destra, in azione, lanciari con le faretre per i giavellotti, al centro un ufficiale ferito indossa una maglia di bronzo ed un elmo dotato di cimiero. Lo protegge un legionario con lo scudo.

Modificato 7 Febbraio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Coins of Thessaly, the BCD Collection
Pherai
Alexander. Tyrant, 369-358 BC. Stater (Silver, 12.07 g 12). Head of Ennodia facing, turned slightly to right, wearing pearl diadem, grape-cluster earring and pearl necklace; on left, torch. Rev. AL- EXAN-D-R-EIOS Alexander riding horse galloping to right, the reins in his left hand and a lance held level in his right, wearing cavalry helmet, cuirass and with his sheathed sword on a baldric around his chest; on horse’s rump, double ax. BMC 14 ( same obverse die ). Gulbenkian 482 = Locker Lampson 181 ( same reverse die ). Extremely rare, one of the most beautiful and impressive coins produced in 4th century Greece. Lightly toned. Extremely fine. Ex Giessener Münzhandlung 44, 3 April 1989, 292 (DM 180,000).
Alexander of Pherai was one of the sons of the tyrant Jason, who was murdered by conspirators in 370 and was succeeded by his brother Polydoros who was, in turn, murdered by his own brother Polyphron. Alexander, his nephew, murdered him in 369, and embarked on a rule of oppression and tyranny. He was a severe threat to the Aleuadai of Larissa so they called on Macedonian aid, which succeeded in forcing Alexander to flee Pherai. After the Macedonians also withdrew, Larissa called for Theban aid, which arrrived in the person of Pelopidas. This forced Alexander into an alliance with Athens, but by 364 he was defeated and forced into peace. After the death of Epaminondas in 362, Alexander turned on his erstwhile Athenian allies and attacked them, even raiding the Piraeus. He was finally killed by his wife Thebe’s brothers, who she goaded to do so out of hatred for his cruelties.
A note from BCD : There isn’t much one can say about this stunning coin, it speaks for itself. Probably the best by far that has ever been offered at auction.

[King John]

Magna Graecia
Calabria
Estimate: CHF 1'500.00
Stater (Silver, 7.86 g 5), 340-335. Nude jockey seated on horse standing to right, crowning him with a wreath held in his right hand; below horse, nude boy kneeling right, cleaning the horse’s left front hoof; to right, . Rev. Phalanthos, nude riding dolphin side-saddle to left, holding trident in his right hand and shield in his left; below, above waves. FB 702. HN III, 888. Vlasto 512. A lovely piece with a particularly beautiful obverse. Extremely fine.

[King John]

ETRURIA, Populonia. 3rd century BC. AR 20 Asses (8.39 g). Head of Menrva facing slightly left, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet; [X X flanking neck] / ‘pupluna’ in Etruscan, star of four rays within crescent. Vecchi II 79.4 = Sambon, Les monnaies antiques de l’Itale, 65a = BMC p. 396, 1 (this coin); HN Italy 158; SNG France 24 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 8 (same dies); Basel 13 (same dies); McClean 133 (same dies); Hirsch 15 (same dies). Good VF, toned, double struck and a couple scratches under tone on reverse. Very rare.
From the David Herman Collection. Ex Hess-Leu 24 (16 April 1964), lot 13; British Museum (deaccessioned).
Estimate: $3000

[King John]

Illustrazione: statua in bronzo di guerriero etrusco (circa 300 a.C.).

[King John]

Estimate: EUR 400
- als Augustus. Sesterz (25,23 g), Rom 86 AD. Av.: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CEN PER PP, Portrait n.r. Rv.: SC (in ex.), Kaiser l.begrüßt Offizier mit Handschlag,zu Füßen Altar, rechts Legionär mit Lanze und Schild, im Hintergrund zwei Standartentr
Domitianus 81-96
Römisches Kaiserreich: Vespasianus bis Nerva

[King John]

TAURIC CHERSONESOS, Chersonesos. Circa 350-300 BC. Æ 20mm (6.61 g, 5h). Artemis Parthenos, holding torch, in quadriga right / Hoplite kneeling left, holding shield and spear. SNG BM Black Sea 734. Good VF, dark green-brown patina.
From the Christopher Morcom Collection.
Estimate: $500