My First Animal On A Coin.

Nice one, Jim.

That's a cool Claudius/animal combo coin, I've had "founding plow guy reverse" on my list for quite some time now.

Another plough and oxen coin, this time a true "Sulcus Primigenius" of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and said by many to be the greatest leader in human history. This coin is not in great shape, but it is historically significant and the first one to come within my budget. Much has already been written about Augustus, so I'll keep it brief.

Born, Gaius Octavius (also known as Octavian) on 23rd September 63 BC in Rome, to Gaius Octavius and his wife Atia. He was later adopted by his maternal great-uncle Julius Caesar. Upon his adoption, Octavius assumed his great-uncle's name Gaius Julius Caesar. He is usually referred to as Octavian till his assumption of the name Augustus in 27 BC, to avoid confusing him with his murdered great-uncle.

Octavian along with Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus avenged the murder of Julius Caesar at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, defeating the assassins Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. Octavian was later to defeat Antony at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and assume the tile of Imperator Caesar Augustus. On 16 January 27 BC the Roman Senate granted him the name "Augustus". Augustus is the name historians use to refer to him from 27 BC until his death on 19th August 14 AD at the age of 75 years. He married first wife Claudia in 42 and they divorced in 40 BC, second wife Scribonia in 40 and they were divorced in 38 BC, and in the meantime he married Livia in 37 BC. They were to remain together till his death in 14 AD, a total of fifty-one years. His only issue was his biological daughter, Julia the Elder, though he adopted Gaius Caesar, Lucius Caesar, Agrippa Postumus and Tiberius.

Octavian and Antony had released some of their veteran soldiers to colonize Philippi, which was refounded as Colonia Victrix Philippensium. From 30 BC Octavian established his control of the Roman state, reorganizing the colony and established more settlers there, and renaming the city Colonia Iulia Philippensis. After receiving the title Augustus in 27 BC it was renamed yet again to Colonia Augusta Iulia Philippensis.

Augustus (Octavian). Philippi. Macedonia. 27 BC - 14 AD
Obverse: Bare head right. Obverse Inscription: AVG. Reverse: Two colonists (or priests) ploughing right behind a pair of oxen. Bronze. Diameter: 18 mm. Weight: 3.2 gr.
Reference: RPC I 1656

An Augustus in any condition is collectable and makes for a good pickup. Well done.

I have posted coins from Kyzikos (Cyzicus) previously, but they have been the usual run of the mill including the boar and lion trihemiobol. These coins often have a tunny fish or two on them as well, though this one also alludes to the tunny fish but only the head. An old fish head seems to be an odd symbol for a thriving city. Any help on correct attribution appreciated.

This one on ACSearch is the same size and weight: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8671427
Or this one similar, but lighter: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2404503
Or this one, lighter again: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2594445
Or this one of similar size and weight: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8342707

Mysia, Kyzikos. Circa 600-550 BC. Obol/Hemiobol
Obverse: Head of a tunny fish to right. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square. Silver. Diameter: 9mm. Weight: 0.49gr.
Reference: Cf. Rosen 515 (hemiobol)?; Von Fritze IX 2?

Thanks, Paul. I do enjoy reading about these ancient cities and their locations, and can get lost for hours in Strabo's Geography. It is such a pity that all his other works were lost.

I was quite taken with this rather tiny coin from Phokaia in Ionia with a griffin's head, barely 6mm in diameter.

I did a write-up on Phokaia on page 14 of this thread, so won't duplicate it. I didn't include a map, so I've added one here.


Ionia, Phokaia. Tetartemorion. Late 6th Century BC.
Obverse: Head of griffin right. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square. Silver. Diameter: 6 mm. Weight: 0.22 gr.
Reference: Klein collection 481; Rosen collection 603; SNG von Aulock 7938.

Thanks @chrsmat71.


Yes.

Yes, I think he is, Bob.

This coin from Pelinna in Thessaly is not in particularly great shape, but I found the story of Manto depicted on the obverse intriguing. Below is a brief resume of the legend.

Pelinna (Latin: Pelinnseum) was an ancient Greek city located between Tricca and Larissa, a little above the left bank of the Peneius. It held the celebrated temple of Zeus Pelinnaeus, in Estiaeotis, ancient Thessaly. Pelinna appears to have been a place of some importance even in the time of Pindar. Alexander the Great passed through the town in his rapid march from Illyria to Boeotia. It did not revolt from the Macedonians together with the other Thessalians after the death of Alexander. Pelinna had a small mint with a low output.

Manto, (Greek: "Prophetess") in legend was the daughter and assistant of the blind Theban prophet of Apollo, Tiresias, who had spent seven years as a woman. On Mount Cyllene, Tiresias came upon a pair of copulating snakes which he hit with his stick. This displeased Hera, and she punished him by transforming him into a woman. As a woman, Tiresias became a priestess of Hera, married and had children, who also possessed the gift of prophecy. After seven years as a woman Tiresias again came upon mating snakes and left the snakes alone this time. The result being that Tiresias was released from his sentence and permitted to regain his masculinity.

Manto (the mother of Mopsus, the seer) was sired by Tiresias when he was a man again. Manto had a sister, Daphne (laurel), who had been born to Tiresias when he was a woman. Daphne and Manto were both taken captive when Thebes fell. Manto was sent to Ionia where she married Rhacius, King of Caria, by whom she had Mopsus (said to be the son of Apollo). Daphne remained a virgin and was sent to Delphi, most likely to add the power of Tiresias to the Delphi oracle which had been taken over by the Apollonians. There she became the Sibyl.

Some say that Manto had her name changed to Daphne when she was sent to Delphi, but this was perpetrated by Apollonians who forget that the Sibyl spurned Apollo's advances, while Mopsus was the son of Apollo and Manto.

Pelinna, Thessaly. Dichalkon. 300-200 BC.
Obverse: Veiled head of Manto right. Reverse: Horseman riding right, holding lance. Bronze. Diameter: 18 mm. Weight: 4.6 gr.
Reference: Rogers 432; BCD Thessaly II 534.1