Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

COELE-SYRIA, Chalkis ad Libanon. Ptolemaios. Tetrarch, circa 85-40 BC. Æ (18mm, 4.03 g, 2h). Helmeted and draped bust of Athena right / The Dioskouroi, armored, standing confronted, holding spears; monograms around. Herman 9; HGC 9, 1445. VF, earthen dark green-brown patina. Rare.

 

[King John]

Constantine II Æ Nummus. Arles, AD 333. CONSTANTINVS IVN N C, laureate, cuirassed bust right / GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers holding spears and shields, two standards between them, horned bulls' heads on banners, laurel wreath at top centre, · in centre, Mintmark: SCONST. RIC VII 371 var. 2.47g, 17mm, 11h. Extremely Fine.

 

Modificato 20 Novembre, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Ottoman Dynasty,  Ottoman, Mustafa II, silver kuruş (19.98g, 38mm), Kostantiniye 1106, with top section of the letter K in mulkahu, KM-120.  Note: From the Ronald Newburgh collection. All large, impressive coins in exemplary condition. Extremely Fine to Mint State.

Modificato 21 Novembre, 2017 da King John

[King John]

KINGS of MACEDON. Time of Alexander III - Philip III, circa 325-310 BC. AE (Bronze, 16mm, 5.02 g), uncertain Macedonian mint. Macedonian shield with boss decorated with thunderbolt. Rev. B - A Macedonian helmet; below, trident head. Liampi, Chronologie 28-30. Price 398. Attractive greenish brown patina. Very fine.
From a European collection, formed before 2005. 

ILLUSTRAZIONE: uno degli  hypaspitai  (ὑπασπισταὶ τῶν ἑταίρων, hupaspistaì tỗn hetaírôn o "portatori di scudi dei compagni") dell'esercito di Alessandro il Grande , che affiancavano i pezeteri, pesantemente corazzati ed armati con la lunghissima picca macedone, la sarissa di 5–7 m.

[King John]

The Roman Empire 
Hadrian augustus, 117 – 138 
Aureus 134-138, AV 7.28 g. HADRIANVS – AVG COS III P P Bare head r. Rev. Hadrian advancing r., followed by three soldiers carrying standards; in exergue, DISCIPLINA AVG. C 540. BMC 602. RIC 232. Calicó 1251 (these dies). Very rare and in exceptional condition for this difficult and intriguing issue. A wonderful portrait struck in high relief and a finely detailed reverse composition. Minor marks, otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc This remarkable aureus of Hadrian, which celebrates ‘the discipline of the emperor,’ reveals an often underappreciated side of this emperor’s personality – a strong belief in disciplina militaris. Dio Cassius (68.9) and the author(s) of the Historia Augusta (Hadrian 10.2-11.1) both comment on Hadrian’s belief that the army should be run strictly, frugally and efficiently. The latter gives the impression that Hadrian was a stickler for details, and that he often scrutinised military documents. They further note that he led by example, sharing in the privations of the common soldier by eating the same food, by living simply when in their presence, and often by marching twenty miles per day in full armour to provide a good example. The Historia Augusta suggests he did this to imitate the behaviour of, among others, his adoptive father Trajan. Hadrian insisted that even when soldiers were not on actual service they participated in rigorous training drills, which he sometimes led personally. This paints a picture quite unlike the usual view of Hadrian as a thoroughly indulgent emperor who was distracted by the arts, toured his empire in high style, was infatuated with many aspects of Greek culture, and who spared no expense in the construction of his palatial Villa in Rome. The concept of discipline was well-suited to the lifestyle of Roman soldiers, who sometimes worshipped the minor divinity Disciplina. The archaeological record shows that Hadrian strongly promoted her virtues (which included frugality, sternness and faithfulness) among the legions in Britain and North Africa. Her cult must have been well-established among the soldiers stationed along Hadrian’s Wall, for the cavalry fort of Cilumum at the River Tyne was dedicated to the goddess. Hadrian’s successor, Antoninus Pius, also was attentive to these ideals, and he issued sestertii (RIC 604 and 769) which replicate this original composition of Hadrian.

[King John]

EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Roman Republican. Geto-Dacians. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.89 g, 12h). Laureate head right; two crescents above, S behind; blundered legend before / Two figures (warriors?) standing facing, looking toward each other, holding a signum or aquila between them; figure on right holding a spear with his left hand. Cf. Davis Class A, Group III for general style of type, otherwise apparently unpublished. Good VF, toned, light marks and scratches. Rare.

[King John]

M. Arrius Secundus. Denarius 43, AR 3.85 g. ARRIVS Young male head r. with slight beard. Rev. Two soldiers advancing r., the foremost holding spear in l. hand and reaching back with his r. to grasp one of the two standards held by the soldier behind him. Babelon Arria 3. Sydenham 1085. Sear Imperators 320. Woytek, Arma et Nummi p. 558. RBW –. Crawford 513/3.
Of the highest rarity, apparently only the third specimen known and the only one in
private hands. One of the rarest denarii of the entire Republican series offered
n public sale once in the Borghesi collection in 1893 and missing in all
major private collections including Haeberlin, Nicolas, RBW and
Student. Old cabinet tone, two minor banker’s mark on
obverse, otherwise good very fine 
The second type of the M. Arrius Secundus struck in 41 B.C. is one of the rarest issues of all republican coinage. The portrait on the obverse, while purportedly that of an ancestor – probably Quintus Arrius, perhaps the moneyer’s father, who defeated Spartacus’ lieutenant, Crixus, during the Servile War (73-71 B.C.) – displays the same ambiguity as discussed under the denarius of C. Numonius Vaala in this sale, except that instead of the portrait with a strong resemblance to Julius Caesar that appears on the denarius of Vaala here it more closely resembles Octavian.
The reverse scene is quite interesting. It depicts two solders, the one on the left holding two military standards while the one on the right holds a spear and reaches back to retrieve one of the standards from the first soldier. The significance of the type is obscure, but may be interpreted as illustrating an important event from M. Arrius Secundus’ father’s career during the Servile War. On occasion when the Roman army was facing difficult odds during a pitched battle – which happened time and again during Rome’s struggle with the rabble army of Spartacus – a soldier might cast a legionary standard into the ranks of the enemy soldiers. The purpose for doing this was to spur on the soldiers to defeat the enemy forces in their efforts to retrieve the standard, a symbol not only of Roman military might, but also, at least from the perspective of the individual legionary, a sacrosanct emblem of his personal virtue. The loss of a legionary standard brought shame upon the legionaries. If Secundus’ ancestor committed such a heroic gesture thereby inspiring his troops to inflict heavy casualties upon the enemy during the heat of the battle, it would certainly have served as ready fodder for his coin type.

[King John]

Sicily, Motya AR Tetradrachm. Circa 415-397 BC. Eagle standing to right, Punic legend 'mtv' above / Crab, fish below (probably a Mero, Epinephelus guaza - see F.E. Zeuner, Fish on Ancient Coins, NCirc LXXI, 1963, pp. 142-143, rather than the Polyprium cernium it is usually identified as) swimming to right. BMC 2; Jenkins, Punic 43 (O4/R6), citing the unique specimen in BMC. 17.11g, 24mm, 2h. Small area of flat striking, otherwise Good Extremely Fine. Of the highest rarity, only the second known example, and the only one in private hands. From the Eckenheimer Collection. As the Greek colonies in Sicily increased in numbers and importance the Phoenicians, who had established numerous small outposts there, gradually abandoned their settlements in the immediate neighbourhood of the newcomers, and concentrated themselves in the three principal colonies of Solus, Panormos, and Motya. This latter, on account of the natural strength of its position (being situated on a small island connected to the mainland only by an artificial causeway), and its proximity to Carthage, became one of the chief strongholds of the Carthaginians. During the campaign of Hannibal Mago in 409 BC, the city became the base for the Carthaginian fleet, as it was again during the second expedition under Hamilcar in 407. The strategic value of Motya thus caused Dionysios I of Syracuse to direct his principal efforts to its reduction when he launched a counter-invasion of the Carthaginian territories in Sicily in 397. The citizens of Motya made preparations for a vigorous resistance by cutting off the causeway and readying themselves for a protracted siege. Dionysios was compelled to construct his own approach across the gulf, and applied his siege engines to the walls, which included the newly invented catapult. Even when the siege towers were at the walls the Motyans continued a desperate resistance, and when the walls and towers were carried by the Greek forces they continued to fight from street to street and house to house. Such was the grim resistance offered by the defenders that when at last the troops of Dionysios made themselves masters of the city, they put the whole surviving population, men, women, and children, to the sword.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: L'ASSEDIO DI MOZIA (MOTYA) DEL 398 A.C. DA PARTE DEI SIRACUSANI E DEI LORO ALLEATI SICELIOTI

[King John]

KALABRIEN - Tarent
Stater (7,81 g), 302/231. Av.: Reiter mit Schild links. Rv.: Taras sitzt auf Delphin rechts, hält Speer und Dreizack unter Hippocamp rechts. Vlasto:700: z.Tl. korrodiert f.vzgl.
Estimate: EUR 350

[King John]

KINGS OF BOSPOROS. Kotys II (124-132). Ae. Pantikapaion.
Obv: BACIΛEWC KOTYOC. 
Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, trident in front.
Rev: MH.  Head of horse left, shield, spear, helmet, double axe and sword. BMC 4. Condition: Very fine. Weight: 10.05 g. Diameter: 24 mm.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: OPLITA DEL BOSFORO III-II SECOLO A.C.

[King John]

CARTHAGE. Circa 350-320 BC. AV Hemistater (11.5mm, 4.48 g, 11h). Carthage mint. Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and necklace with eight pendants / Horse standing right; palm tree in background, three pellets before leading foreleg. Jenkins & Lewis Group IIIf, 55 (same rev. die); MAA 5; CNP 169b; SNG Copenhagen –; de Luynes 3741 (same rev. die). Good VF, toned. Very rare.
From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex Numismatic Fine Arts XXV (20 November 1990), lot 41.
By the third century BC, the Punic goddess Tanit and the horse had become the standard types of Carthaginian coinage and remained so for the balance of the city’s existence. Tanit was the primary deity of Carthage. A celestial divinity with some fertility aspects, she was the North African equivalent of Astarte. She is always depicted on the coinage wearing a wreath of grain which may have been borrowed from Demeter and Persephone as the Carthaginians assimilated the Sicilian culture into their own during the various Punic excursions to the island. The use of the horse on the reverse is usually considered part of the foundation myth of Carthage. According to Virgil's Aeneid , the Phoenician colonists who founded Carthage were told by Juno (or Tanit) to establish the new colony at the place where they discovered a horse's head in the ground. An alternate theory is that the obverse head is actually Demeter or Persephone, whose worship was introduced to Carthage in 396 BC to make amends for the destruction of the goddesses' temples outside Syracuse by the Carthaginian army.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: SOLDATI CARTAGINESI

[King John]

Caligula AE Sestertius
Caligula (37-41 AD). AE Sestertius (35-36 mm, 27.75 g), Rome, 39-40 AD.
Obv. C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P / PIETAS, Pietas, veiled and draped, seated to left, holding a patera in her extended right hand and resting his left elbow on a statue of Spes.
Rev. DIVO–AVG / S-C, elaborately decorated and garlanded hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus, surmounted by a quadriga and other figures, before which stands Caligula, veiled and togate, his head turned to left, sacrificing from a patera over an altar, an attendant restrains a bull to left and partly behind Caligula, a second stands on right, holding a patera. 
RIC 44; C 10; CBN 104.
ILLUSTRAZIONE: ARCO DI COSTANTINO, TONDI ADRIANEI, SCENA DI SACRIFICIO

 

[King John]

PICENUM, Hatria. Circa 280 BC. Æ Aes Grave Biunx (48.58 gm, 6h).
Estimate $500
PICENUM, Hatria. Circa 280 BC. Æ Aes Grave Biunx (48.58 gm, 6h). Cock standing left; •• to left / Shoe right. Thurlow & Vecchi 185; Haeberlin pl. 76, 6; HN Italy 15. Near VF, dark brown patina, earthen highlights. ($500)
From the Garth R. Drewry Collection.

 

illustrazione:  Un paio di caligae, le calzature militari fatte con suola pesante. Le caligae  erano indossate dai soldati delle legioni romane durante il periodo repubblicano e imperiale dell'Urbe. Esse erano indossate da tutti i gradi delle legioni fino al centurione.

 

[King John]

 Kings of Macedon. Pyrrhos. 274-272 B.C. AE 16 mm. 3.727 grams.
       Struck in Pella. Obverse: Macedonian shield, with monogram of
     Pyrrhos at centre. Reverse: Helmet, beneath which BA - EI divided
     by monogram; all within oak-wreath. Liampi M18b. Extremely Fine.

IMMAGINE: l'ESERCITO DI PIRRO (IL SECONDO SOLDATO A PIEDI DA SINISTRA E' UN ALLEATO SANNITA E L'ULTIMO A DESTRA UN MERCENARIO GALLO).

[King John]

Auction 51 Part II 
Greek Coins 
Umbria, Ariminum
Bronze circa 268-225, 6.49 g. Bust of Vulcan l., wearing wreathed pileus. Rev. Warrior standing l., holding shield and spear. SNG ANS 101. CNAI 7. Historia Numorum Italy 8.
Rare. Brown tone and about very fine
Estimate: 300 CHF

[King John]

Herod Archelaus. 4 BC-6 AD. 2 prutot, 2.76g (1h). Obv: HPW - [Δ]H[C] around double cornucopias, adorned with grapes, horns parallel and turned to left. Rx: EΘNA[P] / X / H[C] above war galley left with aphlaston, oars, cabin, ram. Hendin 1194. RPC 4914. Sofaer pl. 209, 68. Good VF

IMMAGINE: OPLITA IN SERVIZIO SULLE NAVI DA GUERRA GRECHE

[King John]

ARGOLIS, Argos. Circa 330-270 BC. AR Trihemiobol (12mm, 0.97 g, 3h). Wolf at bay left; archaic heta above / Crested Corinthian helmet left; A-P flanking. BCD Peloponnesos 1096; HGC 5, 673. VF, toned, some porosity, slightly off center. From the J. Cohen Collection.A note from the collector: This collection of Peloponnesian coins was born from my personal interest in ancient Greek history and inspired primarily by the BCD sales. The collection was formed as a study of the varying coinage types produced through the ruling cycles of the Peloponnese. Initial focus of the collection was on Sparta, the coinage produced under Roman rule and issues produced bearing the iconography of the Achaean League. Given the less than amicable relationship between the League and Sparta, this area proved highly interesting to collect. The initial phase of collecting Sparta/Lacedaemon pieces set the groundwork for the evolution of the collection. The collection was then expanded to Sparta's immediate neighbor in Messene and then to the entire Peloponnese. As I moved through the wider Peloponnesian regions I aimed, where possible, to collect an example of Achaean League coinage of the respective City States, examples of the Greek Imperial coinage and finally, Roman Provincial coinage. The goal being to develop a snapshot of the evolution of coins issued within the Peloponnese. Collecting in this way allowed for a timeline of both political and artistic change throughout the Peloponnese to be mapped out. The uniform coinage, both in silver and bronze of the Achaean league can be compared against the unique iconography of the corresponding Imperial issues and the later, highly stylized Roman issues. From a historical perspective, the evolution and membership of the League as well as the wars within the region can also be viewed through the issuing of coinage.Numismatically, the primary goals of this collection have been broadly achieved by focusing on the smaller issues of the City States within the Peloponnese, no large silver issues beyond the enigmatic Tetradrachms have representation within the collection.  The product of my labors is what I believe to be a highly diverse, interesting and accessible group of coins which provides an insight into one of the most interesting periods and regions of the Ancient world.

[King John]

Ptolemy IV, Egypt, 221-205 BC. AE 15mm, 3.47g.

Obv: Helmeted bust of a beardless male right
Rev: BASILEWS PTOLEMAIOU, Eagle standing left on 
thunderbolt, wings closed, filleted cornucopiae at shoulder

Svoronos 1155, SNGCop 235; Rare

An interesting mystery bust that I have not seen any real 
explanations for. The majority of the overse busts on AE
coins of Ptolemy IV are that of Zeus Ammon. Struck during 
the reign of Ptolemy IV, who ruled the Ptolemaic kingdom 
from  
This coin is pleasing in hand. The scanner made the edge look sort of green, almost like it has bronze disease. 

Courtesy of Romae Aeternae Numismatics, July 2010.
http://stores.ebay.com/Romae-Aeternae-Numismatics_Greek-Coins

ILLUSTRAZIONE: Elefante e cavaliere dell'esercito tolemaico, II secolo a.C.

Modificato 30 Novembre, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Imperio Romano / Roman Empire
(794/41 d.C.). Claudio. Denario. (Co. 41). Anv.: TI. CLAVD. CAESAR AVG. P. M. TR. P. Su cabeza laureada. Rev.: IMPER. RECEPT. Campamento pretoriano, con soldado e insignia militar. 3,61 grs. Muy rara. MBC+. Est. 1.500.

IMMAGINE: LA VITA IN UN ACCAMPAMENTO ROMANO

[King John]

Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (18mm, 3.23 g, 6h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck AD 319-320. Helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over right shoulder / Two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT/PR in two lines over decorated altar; PLN. RIC VI 159. Near EF, dark greenish-brown patina, a trace of silvering.
From the Elliott-Kent Collection. 

IMMAGINE: SOLDATI ROMANI RESPINGONO UNA SCORRERIA DI BARBARI (IV SECOLO D.C.)

[King John]

SICILY, Himera. Circa 479-409 BC. AR Litra (10.5mm, 0.65 g, 5h). Helmeted and bearded head of male left / Pair of greaves. Gorini, Gruppo 18; HGC 2, 445. Good VF, toned, light porosity.
From the MM Collection. Ex Gorny & Mosch 232 (5 October 2015), lot 50.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: OPLITI CHE SI PREPARANO PER LA GUERRA

[King John]

UMBRIA, Tuder. 270-260 BC. ÆS Grave Trians (25.45 gm). Bound fist of fighter (=Pugno rilegato di combattente) / Two clubs. T&V.165. VF, dark green [Est. $650]

IMMAGINE: Il Pugile in riposo – o Pugilatore delle Terme, o Pugilatore del Quirinale, alle pendici del quale fu rinvenuto nel 1885 –, conservato nel Museo Nazionale Romano, è una scultura bronzea greca risalente a un periodo che va dalla fine del IV secolo al II secolo a. C. ed è attribuita a Lisippo o alla sua scuola.

Modificato 3 Dicembre, 2017 da King John

[King John]

The Roman Empire   Erotic Spintriae, time of Tiberius
No.: 463  Schätzwert/Estimation: CHF 6000.-
d=22 mm
Spintria early first century BC, æ 5.04 g. Erotic scene. Rev. I within wreath. Buttrey, The Spintriae as Historical source, NC 1973, 12 var. (different number). Bateson, Roman Spintriae in the Hunterian Coin Cabinet, Glaux 7, pl. 86, 32 var. (XIII).
Rare. Green patina and good very fine

[King John]

C. Servilius Vatia. Restored issue, 82-80 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.86 g, 12h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right, hair rolled back and falling in two locks down neck; B above lituus to left; mark of value below chin; ROMA below / Battle on horseback between a man wielding shield in right hand and sword in raised left hand and man (M. Servilius Pulex Geminus) galloping left, and piercing with spear the other horseman, and holding shield inscribed M (Marcus); C • SERVEIL in exergue. Crawford 370/1b; Sydenham 720; Servilia 7; Kestner 3180-3181; BMCRR Rome 1169-1170; RBW 1390. Good VF, lightly toned, a few minor marks on obverse.
From the Kallman Collection. Ex Triton XI (8 January 2008), lot 603.
The reverse type celebrates M. Servilius Pulex Geminus, who was elected augur in 211 BC and held that office for about forty years, and was consul in 202 BC. According to Plutarch, he received numerous wounds in twenty-three single combats, being victorious in all (Plutarch, Paulus Aemilius , xxxi).

ILLUSTRAZIONE: TRUPPE REPUBBLICANE ROMANE

[King John]

Seleukid Empire, Seleukos I Nikator AR Tetradrachm. In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Babylon, circa 311-300 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; anchor and A in left field, M below throne, BAΣIΛEΩΣ below, AΛEΞANΔPOY to right. SC C94.11b; Price 3359; HGC 9, 10g. 16.92g, 26mm, 1h. Very Fine.

Immagine: soldati di Seleuco I