What this coin lacks in quality it makes up for in history. Struck in Phoenicia under emperor Elagabalus, the reverse depicts Queen Dido overseeing the construction of Carthage. It's a fascinating story of a legendary woman.
The abbreviated version: Born to Tyrian King, the beautiful Dido (also known as Elissa) was to be co-heir with her younger brother Pygmalion. Upon the king's death, however, Pygmalion was made sole ruler. Dido married her rich uncle Acerbas (also known as Sychaeus); Pygmalion murdered Acerbas in hopes of finding his reported hoard of buried treasure. Sensing trouble if she stayed, Dido devised a clever ruse to escape Tyre with the treasure.
She did escape, treasure in tow, and fled to coastal North Africa. There she persuaded King Iarbas to grant her some land. Her request was modest: only as much land as could be encompassed by an ox hide.
Dido cleverly cut the ox hide into fine strips and used that as a perimeter rope. It was long enough to surround and entire hill*. Local Berbers and nearby Phoenicians joined her. She enlisted their aid in construction; thus was born the magnificent and powerful city of Carthage.
J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851); Dido Building Carthage, 1815This otherwise clever woman did something quite foolish at the end though. She killed herself in order to avoid marrying King Iarbas. History and legends say it was because she wanted to remain faithful to her first husband and because of this, she was deified and worshipped for honor her self-sacrifice.
A somewhat different and more poetic story of Queen Dido is told by Virgil in Aeneid. After his murder, Acerbas appeared to Dido in a dream and warned her to flee. He revealed where his gold was buried. Dido heeded the dream, took the treasure, and fled.
After establishing Carthage, notable visitors arrived... the last prince of Troy, Aeneas, along with various companions. The gods Juno and Venus conspired to make Dido and Aeneas fall in love.
Pierre-Narcisse Guérin (1774-1833, France); Aeneas Relating to Dido the Disasters of Troy, 1815.King Iarbas wanted to marry Dido but she declined; she was in love with Aeneas. Angry that she preferred another, Iarbas banished Aeneas from the land.
Aeneas fled, leaving Dido heartbroken and scorned. Upon seeing his ship leaving she cursed him and promised endless hate between Carthage and Aeneas's homeland, Troy. This legend lays the foundation for the impending Punic Wars.
As for this coin's obverseâ€" the very colorful emperor Elagabalusâ€" I will save that story for the next coin, which I hope to post within the next few days.
*Commemorated in modern mathematics, "Dido's Problem" deals with how to enclose the maximum area within a fixed boundary. Elagabalus Æ29 of Tyre, Phoenicia. AD 218-222. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Dido building Carthage; she stands to front before the arched gate of the city, looking left, holding a rule and transverse sceptre; above the gate, a mason at work, [below, a man digging with pick]; murex shell in upper field, palm tree to right. Rouvier 2375; BMC 409; AUB 245; Price & Trell 748. 13.4g, 29mm, 6h. Very Fine. Rare.
....
Post your coins of Carthage, Tyre, Elagabalus, or whatever else you feel fits the thread
Posted 10/26/2014 12:39 pm
