Il tetradramma della gilda di Dioniso

[King John]

Sapevate dell'esistenza  di un tetradramma coniato a Teos a  nome di un'antica gilda professionale greca (l'artista di Dioniso)????

Una moneta particolarissima con uno splendido ritratto di Dioniso! 

Photo I.
IONIA. The Artists of Dionysus. 2nd Century BC. Silver tetradrachm (16.87 gm). Teos(?), ca. 155-145 BC. Head of young Dionysus right, wearing mitre (headband) and crowned with ivy wreath / ΤΩΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΝ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟΝ ΤΕΧΝΙΤΩΝ flanking filleted thyrsus, ivy wreath border. Lorber-Hoover, NC 163 (2003), pp. 59-68 (this coin). Unique and unprecedented— a coin struck in the name of an ancient Greek professional guild! Of exemplary style and a true masterpiece of Hellenistic art. Extremely fine.
Ex Peter Guber Collection.
Provenance: Freeman & Sear Manhattan Sale II of 04.01.2011, lot: 62.
P.S.: Coinage was normally produced on the authority of cities, kings, and dynasts. This is the only known example of a coin struck by a professional guild. The Artists of Dionysus were actors, musicians, and other artists who participated in the festivals and contests that were a prominent feature of the ancient Greek world. In the third century, the Artists of Dionysus organized themselves into three corporate bodies, one at Athens, one in the Peloponnesus, and one in Asia Minor. Members of the Artists wore a purple-and-gold uniform and enjoyed special privileges throughout the Greek world. When Teos passed under Pergamene control after 188, the Artists of Dionysus merged with another troupe of performers at the Attalid royal court to create the group that issued this remarkable and unique tetradrachm. The presence of a wreath on the reverse links this coin to the so-called wreathed tetradrachms issued by various cities of western Asia Minor, including Cyme, Myrina, Heraclea and Smyrna. These wreathed tetradrachms were produced within a short period, ca. 155–145, establishing the probable date for this piece. At this period, the Artists of Dionysus were quite wealthy and very closely linked to the Pergamene court. Yet the essentially religious role of the Dionysiac Artists is a clue that its function may have been different from that of other wreathed tetradrachms. The lack of control marks points to a one-time, special issue intended to finance or commemorate some event of great importance in the life of the association. Tetradrachms such as this one may have been awarded as prizes in the first festival involving the Attalistai (guild devoted to the Attalid rulers), or presented to foreign guests. The truly exceptional artistry of the obverse portrait of Dionysus is certainly befitting of this unique coin’s origins and importance. 
Estimated Value: $ 150,000.

Photo II.
The Artists of Dionysus. Ca. 155 BC. Silver tetradrachm (16.87 gm). Struck at Teos. Head of young Dionysus right, wearing mitre and wreathed with ivy / ΤΩΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΩΝ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΝ ΤΕΧΝΙΤΩΝ, filleted thyrsus, ivy wreath border. C.C. Lorber and O.D. Hoover, "An unpublished tetradrachm issued by the Artists of
Dionysus," NC 2003, pp. 59-68, pl. 15, 1-2 (this coin).
Unique and of extraordinary numismatic and historical interest. Struck on a broad flan. Some striking flatness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine. 
Provenance: Gemini, LLC Auction IV of 08.01.2008, lot: 177.
P.S.: The Artists of Dionysus were actors, musicians, and other artists who participated in the festivals and contests that were such a prominent feature of the Greek world in the
classical and Hellenistic periods. In the third century, the Artists of Dionysus organized themselves into three corporate bodies, one at Athens, one in the Peloponnesus, and one in Asia Minor. The last, called the Association
of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont, was based in the city of Teos from at least 207/6 and enjoyed a tax-free land grant from the city. In addition to these regional koina, two Hellenistic monarchies, the Ptolemies and the Attalids, sponsored royal associations of performers. When Teos passed under Attalid control after 188, the group at the Pergamene court, called the Artists of Dionysus Kathegemon, merged with the Tean group to form the Association of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont and of Dionysus Kathegemon. This is the group that issued the unique tetradrachm offered here. Coinage was normally produced on the authority of cities,
kings, and dynasts. A very few coinages name deities as their issuing authority, but this is the first example of a coin struck by a professional guild. Its types, naturally, honor the god to whom the artists dedicated their service. The presence of a wreath on the reverse links our
coin to the so-called wreathed tetradrachms issued by various cities of western Asia Minor, including Cyme, Myrina, Heraclea, Lebedus, Magnesia on the Meander, and Smyrna. These wreathed tetradrachms were produced
within a short period, ca. 155-145, establishing the probable date of the tetradrachm of the Artists of Dionysus. Curiously, the vast majority of wreathed tetradrachms seem to have circulated in Syria. P. Kinns, O. Hoover,
and D. MacDonald have hypothesized that these coins were minted to finance the Attalid policy of supporting pretenders to the Seleucid throne. Because Eumenes II had already adopted the light cistophoric standard for his own currency, he obtained the Attic-weight coinage he needed from allied cities in Aeolis and Ionia. At this period, the Association of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont and of Dionysus Kathegemon was quite wealthy and very closely linked to the Pergamene court. The leader of the association, the flautist Kraton of Chalcedon, played an important role in the development
of Attalid royal cult and was eventually appointed priest of King Eumenes. There is thus good reason to suspect Pergamene influence over the production of our tetradrachm. Yet the essentially religious role of the Dionysiac Artists is a clue that its function may have been different from that of other wreathed tetradrachms. The lack of controls points to a one-time, special issue intended to finance or commemorate some event of great importance in the life of the association. The most likely occasion is
Kraton's foundation of the order of Attalistai, performers dedicated to the cult of Attalus II. Kraton provided the Attalistai with a sanctuary at his own expense and left them a bequest when he died. The establishment of the
Attalistai must have taken place sometime between 159 and 153/2—a period that overlaps the early years of the wreathed tetradrachms of Aeolis and Ionia. Tetradrachms
of the Artists of Dionysus may have been awarded as prizes in the first festival involving the Attalistai, or presented to foreign guests.

Modificato 8 Aprile, 2019 da King John

[VALTERI]

Grazie @King John  non lo conoscevo : peso ed aspetto di un tetradramma della tipologia delle emissioni di libere città di Ionia ed Eolia nel periodo della crisi finale delle monarchie ellenistiche .

Esemplare, però, curiosamente al nome di una associazione e senza alcun riferimento ad una zecca emittente . 

[King John]

5 minuti fa, VALTERI dice:

Grazie @King John  non lo conoscevo : peso ed aspetto di un tetradramma della tipologia delle emissioni di libere città di Ionia ed Eolia nel periodo della crisi finale delle monarchie ellenistiche .

Esemplare, però, curiosamente al nome di una associazione e senza alcun riferimento ad una zecca emittente . 

infatti: è un vero e proprio unicum. 

Modificato 8 Aprile, 2019 da King John

[eracle62]

Il 7/4/2019 alle 23:06, King John dice:

Sapevate dell'esistenza  di un tetradramma coniato a Teos a  nome di un'antica gilda professionale greca (l'artista di Dioniso)????

Una moneta particolarissima con uno splendido ritratto di Dioniso! 

Photo I.
IONIA. The Artists of Dionysus. 2nd Century BC. Silver tetradrachm (16.87 gm). Teos(?), ca. 155-145 BC. Head of young Dionysus right, wearing mitre (headband) and crowned with ivy wreath / ΤΩΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΝ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟΝ ΤΕΧΝΙΤΩΝ flanking filleted thyrsus, ivy wreath border. Lorber-Hoover, NC 163 (2003), pp. 59-68 (this coin). Unique and unprecedented— a coin struck in the name of an ancient Greek professional guild! Of exemplary style and a true masterpiece of Hellenistic art. Extremely fine.
Ex Peter Guber Collection.
Provenance: Freeman & Sear Manhattan Sale II of 04.01.2011, lot: 62.
P.S.: Coinage was normally produced on the authority of cities, kings, and dynasts. This is the only known example of a coin struck by a professional guild. The Artists of Dionysus were actors, musicians, and other artists who participated in the festivals and contests that were a prominent feature of the ancient Greek world. In the third century, the Artists of Dionysus organized themselves into three corporate bodies, one at Athens, one in the Peloponnesus, and one in Asia Minor. Members of the Artists wore a purple-and-gold uniform and enjoyed special privileges throughout the Greek world. When Teos passed under Pergamene control after 188, the Artists of Dionysus merged with another troupe of performers at the Attalid royal court to create the group that issued this remarkable and unique tetradrachm. The presence of a wreath on the reverse links this coin to the so-called wreathed tetradrachms issued by various cities of western Asia Minor, including Cyme, Myrina, Heraclea and Smyrna. These wreathed tetradrachms were produced within a short period, ca. 155–145, establishing the probable date for this piece. At this period, the Artists of Dionysus were quite wealthy and very closely linked to the Pergamene court. Yet the essentially religious role of the Dionysiac Artists is a clue that its function may have been different from that of other wreathed tetradrachms. The lack of control marks points to a one-time, special issue intended to finance or commemorate some event of great importance in the life of the association. Tetradrachms such as this one may have been awarded as prizes in the first festival involving the Attalistai (guild devoted to the Attalid rulers), or presented to foreign guests. The truly exceptional artistry of the obverse portrait of Dionysus is certainly befitting of this unique coin’s origins and importance. 
Estimated Value: $ 150,000.

Photo II.
The Artists of Dionysus. Ca. 155 BC. Silver tetradrachm (16.87 gm). Struck at Teos. Head of young Dionysus right, wearing mitre and wreathed with ivy / ΤΩΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΩΝ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΝ ΤΕΧΝΙΤΩΝ, filleted thyrsus, ivy wreath border. C.C. Lorber and O.D. Hoover, "An unpublished tetradrachm issued by the Artists of
Dionysus," NC 2003, pp. 59-68, pl. 15, 1-2 (this coin).
Unique and of extraordinary numismatic and historical interest. Struck on a broad flan. Some striking flatness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine. 
Provenance: Gemini, LLC Auction IV of 08.01.2008, lot: 177.
P.S.: The Artists of Dionysus were actors, musicians, and other artists who participated in the festivals and contests that were such a prominent feature of the Greek world in the
classical and Hellenistic periods. In the third century, the Artists of Dionysus organized themselves into three corporate bodies, one at Athens, one in the Peloponnesus, and one in Asia Minor. The last, called the Association
of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont, was based in the city of Teos from at least 207/6 and enjoyed a tax-free land grant from the city. In addition to these regional koina, two Hellenistic monarchies, the Ptolemies and the Attalids, sponsored royal associations of performers. When Teos passed under Attalid control after 188, the group at the Pergamene court, called the Artists of Dionysus Kathegemon, merged with the Tean group to form the Association of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont and of Dionysus Kathegemon. This is the group that issued the unique tetradrachm offered here. Coinage was normally produced on the authority of cities,
kings, and dynasts. A very few coinages name deities as their issuing authority, but this is the first example of a coin struck by a professional guild. Its types, naturally, honor the god to whom the artists dedicated their service. The presence of a wreath on the reverse links our
coin to the so-called wreathed tetradrachms issued by various cities of western Asia Minor, including Cyme, Myrina, Heraclea, Lebedus, Magnesia on the Meander, and Smyrna. These wreathed tetradrachms were produced
within a short period, ca. 155-145, establishing the probable date of the tetradrachm of the Artists of Dionysus. Curiously, the vast majority of wreathed tetradrachms seem to have circulated in Syria. P. Kinns, O. Hoover,
and D. MacDonald have hypothesized that these coins were minted to finance the Attalid policy of supporting pretenders to the Seleucid throne. Because Eumenes II had already adopted the light cistophoric standard for his own currency, he obtained the Attic-weight coinage he needed from allied cities in Aeolis and Ionia. At this period, the Association of Dionysiac Artists in Ionia and the Hellespont and of Dionysus Kathegemon was quite wealthy and very closely linked to the Pergamene court. The leader of the association, the flautist Kraton of Chalcedon, played an important role in the development
of Attalid royal cult and was eventually appointed priest of King Eumenes. There is thus good reason to suspect Pergamene influence over the production of our tetradrachm. Yet the essentially religious role of the Dionysiac Artists is a clue that its function may have been different from that of other wreathed tetradrachms. The lack of controls points to a one-time, special issue intended to finance or commemorate some event of great importance in the life of the association. The most likely occasion is
Kraton's foundation of the order of Attalistai, performers dedicated to the cult of Attalus II. Kraton provided the Attalistai with a sanctuary at his own expense and left them a bequest when he died. The establishment of the
Attalistai must have taken place sometime between 159 and 153/2—a period that overlaps the early years of the wreathed tetradrachms of Aeolis and Ionia. Tetradrachms
of the Artists of Dionysus may have been awarded as prizes in the first festival involving the Attalistai, or presented to foreign guests.

Per dindirindina....

Nella sua semplicità un ritratto di grande impatto, grazie per averlo condiviso, è sempre un piacere vedere e conoscere certi nummi..