My First Animal On A Coin.

I agree, great looking coin.

Another coin I found of interest, with a bull on the reverse for a change. I didn't find much about Miletopolis during online searches and most of the information I did find was similar to the paragraph below from Wikipedia:
"Miletopolis or Miletoupolis was a town in the north of ancient Mysia, at the confluence of the rivers Macestus and Rhyndacus, and on the west of the lake which derives its name from the town. It was a Milesian colony. Strabo mentions that a part of the inhabitants of the town were transferred to Gargara at some indeterminate time."

There were a few differing opinions regarding the location of Miletopolis, but the description below from Strabo's Geography ties in pretty well with the location in the Barrington Atlas:
"The description of Olympus is as follows. Around it, to the north, live Bithynians, Mygdonians, and Doliones; the rest is occupied by Mysians and Epicteti. The tribes around Cyzicus from Æsepus as far as Rhyndacus and the lake Dascylitis, are called for the most part Doliones; those next to the Doliones, and extending as far as the territory of the Myrleani, are called Mygdones. Above the Dascylitis are two large lakes, the Apolloniatis, and the Miletopolitis. Near the Dascylitis is the city Dascylium, and on the Miletopolitis, Miletopolis. Near a third lake is Apollonia on the Rhyndacus, as it is called. Most of these places belong at present to the Cyziceni."

Miletopolis was apparently cleared of it's inhabitants when they were sent to populate Gargara. Also from Strabo's Geography:
"Myrsilus says that Assus was founded by Methymæans; but according to Hellanicus it was an Æolian city, like Gargara and Lamponia of the Æolians. Gargara was founded from Assus; it was not well peopled, for the kings introduced settlers from Miletopolis, which they cleared of its inhabitants, so that Demetrius the Scepsian says that, instead of being Æolians, these people became semi-barbarians. In the time of Homer all these places belonged to Leleges, whom some writers represent as Carians, but Homer distinguishes them, "Near the sea are Carians and Pæonians with curved bows, Leleges and Caucones.""

Miletopolis - Mysia. 400-300 BC.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Bull walking left. Reverse Inscription: MI above, H before and Λ below bull. Bronze. Diameter: 11 mm. Weight: 1.5 gr.
Reference: SNG France 1301

Thanks, Paul.


From what I've read so far I couldn't say it was a regular occurrence, but it wasn't a rare occurrence either. I've seen a few accounts of new cities being created for whatever reason, and being populated from other cities. Perhaps this explains why some cities disappeared and their locations are now unknown? I've come across quite a few of them. If entire populations were removed there would be nobody to carry the history or location of the city forward.

There have been instances where cities have been taken, the men put to death and the women and children sold into slavery. The city was then repopulated with people from one of the victor's other cities, or an allies city, if it had a military or commercial importance.

I have often wondered where Alexander populated Bucephala from after he built the city around the tomb of his horse Bucephalus. All I can find is that, "Alexander settled the new city, which was to house a permanent garrison, with Greek and Iranian veterans, and with local natives. He had large dockyards built, which implies that he intended for the city to become a major centre of commerce."

Excellent additions! I'm just getting caught up. Sure, Jim, that may be a "Λ below bull" on the Miletopolis coin, as you listed it. But how cool it would have been if you had described it as a hitherto-unknown six-legged bull-god. Imagine the increase in value...

...
That's great news Jim a lovely specimen..Congrats.

Jim, nothing screaming fake here imo.
I've searched a lot!,but as you say the weight is light.
The edge looks good but I just can't find an example as low as 4 grams....Hopefully Bob will come up with something?
Imo...The coin is legit..

Thanks for taking the time to check it out, Paul.

The weight appears to be the deciding factor, and I am now leaning towards it being the "Turreted and veiled bust of Tyche r. R/ Horse's head left; monograms flanking. SNG BnF 2297 var. (monogram); SNG Levante 1657; SNG von Aulock 5445 var. (monogram).", even though this one is 17mm.

As you say, there isn't another as light as 4gr so I can't see it being anything else.

Thanks for this, Paul. With this latest coin having dimensions of 20.26mm and 3.44gr, and the 17mm coin from the ACsearch weighing 3.5gr, they compare more favourably with the original coin at 20mm and 3.9 gm.

The attributions of the first two coins above are SNG France 2297 and SNG France 2282, so are both close in the same series. It does appear that the original coin has been attributed incorrectly.

Thanks, Jim