Novicius's Last 20 Posts
| Dabuyid Rulers Of Ṭabarestan (Tabaristan)
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
 Posted 09/06/2023 7:08 pm
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After seeing some of the Tabarestan coins on the forum pages I thought they were pretty cool, and one (or more) would make a nice addition to my increasingly diverse collection. As there were coins of only three rulers in the Dabuyid dynasty it might be possible to make a set of all three. The new quest began, but it took a while. Thankfully they all came attributed as I wouldn't know where to start, and I hope I haven't gone and mixed anything up.
I found a coin of Farrukhan the Great (712-728), the independent ruler (ispahbadh) of Tabaristan in the early 8th century, until his death in 728. It was interesting to read that he was the first actually attested (through his coinage) member of the Dabuyid dynasty, who ruled Tabaristan since the time of the Muslim conquest of Persia. He maintained his independence against the attacks of the Umayyad Caliphate, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Dadhburzmihr. During his early rule, he reconstructed the city of Zadracarta and made it his capital, and because his son's name was "Saruyih" he called it by this name, which later became known as Sari.
Dadhburzmihr (also spelled Dadmihr or Dazmihr) had a fairly short reign, succeeding his father Farrukhan the Great in 731 and reigning until his death in 740. According to the 13th century historian Ibn Isfandiyar, Dad-burzmihr enjoyed a peaceful reign, facing no invasions from the Arab Caliphate, due to their attention being directed towards local revolts. His 6 year old son, Khurshid succeeded him and was supervised by his uncle as regent until he reached the age of fourteen. Khurshid (also known as Khushid) would reign till the Abbasid conquest in 760.
A bit of interest from Wikipedia:
Regarding the founding of Saruyeh (modern-day Sari), Ibn Isfandiyar wrote that Farrukhan ordered a person named "Bav" to build a city in a rural place called "Ohar". That position was on a high position and had many springs. People bribed Bav to build the city elsewhere. Bav accepted and built a city that is now called Sari. After the construction of the city was completed, Farrukhan the Great went there to visit, and after the "betrayal" of Bav was determined, he was hanged.
Tabarestan (Tabaristan): Dabuyid Dynasty: Farrukhan The Great. 712-728 AD. Hemidrachm.
Obverse: Crowned Sassanian-style bust right; name and titles of the governor, Farrukhan, in Pahlavi; lower right in outer margin, 'pd ("excellent"). Reverse: Zoroastrian fire-altar flanked by attendants; pellets flanking flames; date to left, TPWRSTAN (Tabaristan) to right; alternating triple pellets and star-in-crescents in outer margin. Dated PYE 68 (= A.D. 719/20). Silver. Diameter: 24 mm. Weight: 2.09gr.
Reference: Malek, p. 133 and pl. 12, 9.5.
Does anyone know what the script on the lower left of the margin means?
Tabarestan (Tabaristan): Dabuyid Dynasty: Dadhburzmihr (also spelled Dadmihr or Dazmihr). 731-740 AD. Hemidrachm.
Obverse: Bust right, breast ornament: Ruler's name in Pahlavi (D'thwremtr') on the right. On the margin, 'pd (abd meaning excellent), without nyk on margin. Reverse: Fire altar with 2 attendants; star left and crescent right of flames. 3 pellets. Pahlavi date (Year PYE 87 (AH 121) 738 AD) to left, mint name to right 'TPWRSTAN' (Tabaristan). Silver. Diameter 23 mm. Weight: 2.08 gr.
Reference: Malek 24.2; Zeno #247333.
Tabarestan (Tabaristan): Dabuyid Dynasty: Khushid (also known as Khurshid), 734-760 AD. Hemidrachm.)
Obverse: Crowned Sassanian-style bust right; "May xvarrah increase" in Pahlavi behind, "Khushid" in Pahlavi before; open double circle border with star-in-crescent motif at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock and "excellent" in 2nd quarter of margin. Reverse: Zoroastrian fire-altar flanked by attendants; pellets flanking flames; date to left; TPWRSTAN (Tabaristan) to right; alternating triple pellets and star-in-crescents in outer margin; star left and crescent right at top of flames. Dated PYE 101 (= A.D. 752). Silver. Diameter: 24 mm. Weight: 2.05 gr.
Reference: cf. Malek 38.3 (= crescent left, star or crescent right, above flames). |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Bisanthe - Apollo & Tripod + Dionysos & Grape Bunch
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 09/01/2023 7:24 pm
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While researching the above Bisanthe coins I didn't find mention of any other coins being minted there, so was intrigued to see "most probably minted at Bisanthe" in the description of this coin of Mostis. I didn't find any reference to Mostis in the CCF search engine, so hopefully it fills a gap.
During a search of Mostis coins, including Wildwinds, ACSearch etc, I found no connection to Bisanthe till I stumbled over this paper:
The Coinage of the Thracian King Mostis: Recent Finds, Chronology, Distribution and Localisation.
Evgeni I Paunov 2015,
Proceedings of the First International Congress of Anatolian Monetary History and Numismatics, 25-28 February 2013, Antalya.
The relevant passage is shown below:
"However, the most numerous find of Mostis bronzes come from the Turkish excavation near Karaevlialt#305; village, a coastal ancient site located halfway between the towns of Tekirdag and Marmaraereglisi, where the ancient town/sanctuary of Heraion Teichos was located. So far eight coins of Mostis (6 of Type 1; 1 of Type 4; 1 of Type 5) have been officially reported from this site. At least eight more coins of Mostis were found in a single context during the 2011 campaign. A further 17 stray bronzes of Mostis are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Tekirdag. The above facts strongly suggest that the mint of King Mostis operated somewhere very close to Heraion Teichos, most probably at Bisanthe/Panion."
Kings of Thrace. Mostis. 139/138 - 101/100 BC. c. 125 BC, most probably minted at Bisanthe.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Horse advancing left; above, ΠAΡ monogram. Reverse Inscription: BAΣIΛEΩΣ MOΣTIΔOΣ. Bronze. Diameter: 19-21 mm. Weight: 4.12gm.
Reference: SNG BM 310; SNG Cop. 1174; Moushmov 5769
EX Gitbud & Naumann, Munich. |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Bisanthe - Apollo & Tripod + Dionysos & Grape Bunch
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 08/26/2023 9:23 pm
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Back in 2022, I sold one coin from Bisanthe with a very interesting countermark of a star
That is a neat countermark Micha, do you know what it represents? I've found information on countermarks on silver coins, but nothing on bronze.
Quote:Novicius, visit also the following link https://www.academia.edu/15719472/
Thanks for the link, Micha. Google Translate is pretty good on these pages. Not 100% accurate but it is accurate enough to be able to follow the flow.
Quote:
Interesting coins and write up Novicius!
Thank you, chrsmat71. |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Bisanthe - Apollo & Tripod + Dionysos & Grape Bunch
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 08/25/2023 7:01 pm
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Thanks, @Spence.  I was lucky this time as my searches did turn up some interesting information about Bisanthe and the coinage. Often the searches are frustratingly fruitless.
I've also found a mention of Bisanthe in "Hansen and Nielsen - Lexique Poleis":
"Bisanthe was a colony founded by the Samians (no. 864) (Steph. Byz. 171.3: > Pompon. 2.24: Bisanthe Samiorum). It may initially have belonged to the extended territory of Perinthos (no. 678) as a dependent polis, like Tyrodiza (no. 681), whose fate it must have shared during C6l and C5e. However, it is usually believed to have fallen under Odrysian rule in 430, when a Peloponnesian embassy on its way to meet the Persian king was treacherously arrested by Sitalkes and Nymphodoros in Bisanthe and extradited to the Athenians (Hdt. 7.137.2-3; cf. Thuc. 2.67).
Bisanthe is indisputably listed as a member of the Delian League in the assessment decree of 422/1(IG ił 77.iv.10) and as belonging to the Hellespontine district, and the toponym is restored in the assessment decrees of 425/4 (IGił 71.iii.20) and 410/9 (IG ił 100.iii.9). It is recorded alongside Paktye, Ornoi and Neon Teichos as one of the strongholds (teiche) held soon after 410 by Alkibiades, who appears to have closely collaborated with the Thracian kings Medokos and Seuthes (Plut. Alc. 30.10 (r408), 36.3-5; Lys. 10.4; Diod. 13.105.3-4; Nep. Alc. 7.4; cf. Lys. 14.26). A few years later (400-399), Bisanthe—the fairest of Seuthes' possessions on the coast—was repeatedly offered to Xenophon by the Thracian dynast Seuthes II (Xen.An. 7.2.38; cf.5.8)."
Thanks, Bob, and thank you for the link. I don't know how you manage to find all the information that appears to be beyond the rest of us.  |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Bisanthe - Apollo & Tripod + Dionysos & Grape Bunch
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 08/25/2023 12:48 pm
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After reading of how little is known about the coinage of Bisanthe in Thrace I was surprised to find two coins in the same auction recently, but I can find no mention of the Dionysos/grape bunch coin on ACSearch. After finding no reference to the coins in the CCF search I thought I'd share them here.
From pleiades stoa; Initial Provenance: Barrington Atlas: BAtlas 52 B3 Bisanthe/Rhaidestos.
Bisanthe was a great city in ancient Thrace, on the coast of the Propontis, which had been founded by the Samians. About 400 BC, Bisanthe belonged to the kingdom of the Thracian prince Seuthes II. At a later period its name was changed into Raedestum, Rhaedestum or Rhaideston, or Raedestus, Rhaedestus or Rhaidestos; but when this change took place is unknown.
From snible org; Bisanthe was originally a Samian colony on the northern coast of the Propontis, a few miles west of Perinthus. The few autonomous coins struck at this town seem to have been issued shortly after the death of Lysimachus.
The only information I found on Wildwinds: The Ancient Coinage of Bizanthe. Listed by Moushmov Number.
Bisanthe (near 280 B.C.) (now Rodosto) Autonomous bronze coins.
3194 Demeter's veiled head with wreath of ears, right. Rev. : BIΣANΘHNΩN within wreath of ears. 21 mm.
3195 Apollo's laureate head right. Rev. : The same legend. Tripod. 17 mm.
3196 The same - smaller. 12 mm.
3197 Dionysos's head with ivy wreath right. Rev. : BI. Bunch of grapes. 18 mm.
3198 Athena's helmeted head right; owlet in countermark. Rev. : BIΣAN. Owlet right, holding branch in its claws. 15 mm.
3199 Apollo's laureate head right. Rev. : BIΣAN. Vase with 2 handles (Diota). 10 mm. Plate XVIII 9.
3200 Athena's helmeted head right. Rev. : BIΣAN. Owlet opposite. The rev. is hollow. 10˝ mm.
The authority on these coins was the late Edith Schonert-Geiss. Below is an extract regarding her Coin Typology of Bisanthe - Minting System and Typology, found on corpus-nummorum.
Bisanthe (modern-day Rodosto or Tekir-dag), like nearby Perinth, lay on the Propontis River and was founded by the Samians.
1) The city was mentioned in written sources for the first time in 430 BC.
2) It belonged to the Delian-Attic alliance, then to Alexander and the Diadochi. Judging by the city emissions, Bisanthe was relatively autonomous after the time of Lysimachus. However, coins were only emitted in bronze, and only during an apparently homogenous period in the 3rd century BC. A chronological internal structure of the emissions cannot be made, which is why Schonert-Geiss first made an order for weights and divided them into the three groups of Nominal A, B, and C.
3) In her opinion, these should represent the relation 1:2:4 (where 1 coin of Nominal A = 2 coins of Nominal B = 4 coins of Nominal C).
4) To date, these nominal levels have been assigned a total of 14 types, which are named after the iconography present on their obverses and reverses. In several cases, a type comprises only one specimen, which means that their assignment to a nominal can only be done tentatively; only the discovery of more pieces could confirm or refute their assignment. Schonert-Geiss grouped these coins into nominal levels predominantly based on the diameters of the specimens as opposed to their weight;
5) Her assignments for individual cases are therefore still quite debatable. Whether the coins of Bisanthe were issued at the same time or in succession cannot be deduced from the material. It is more likely, however, that the series were produced at the same time.
6) The reasoning behind this is iconographic in nature: The gods Dionysus, Demeter, Zeus, Apollo and Athena were honoured on these coins. Presumably, therefore, not only three types - one per nominal level - were issued, but at least so many that each of the standing deities in Bisanthe was represented on the city coinage.
Bisanthe, Thrace. 280-200 BC.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo to right. Reverse: Tripod. Reverse Inscription: ΒΙΣΑΝ-ΘΗΝΩΝ. Bronze. Diameter: 12 mm. Weight: 1.4 gr.
Reference: Schonert-Geiss 29; BMC 2.
Bisanthe, Thrace. 2nd century BC.
Obverse: Wreathed head of Dionysos right. Reverse: Grape bunch on vine with two leaves. Reverse Inscription: B - I. Bronze. Diameter: 11 mm. Weight: 1.8 gr.
Reference: Schonert-Geiss 37; HGC 3.2, 1365. |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| My First Animal On A Coin.
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 08/20/2023 7:53 pm
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It has been a while, but here is another dolphin from the second democracy of Syracuse in Sicily, and thankfully an affordable one. Sea creatures on these coins always seen to go for high prices. I found this depiction of Arethusa to be particularly pleasant.
The engraving on the coins of Syracuse is generally second to none, and some artists have actually signed their work. The production of the silver coins was usually meticulously undertaken, however, although the engraving on the bronze coins is up to par, the flans can be ragged to say the least.
The legend of Arethusa can be seen on page 18 of this thread near the bottom of the page. (Arethusa and Pegasos)
Syracuse, Sicily. Second Democracy. Hemilitron. 406-405 BC.
Obverse: Head of Arethusa left, wearing sphendone, two leaves behind head. Reverse: Dolphin leaping right, scallop shell below. Bronze. Diameter: 17 mm. Weight: 2.87 gr.
Reference: Calciati 24, Hoover HGC 1480.
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| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Augustus - To Clean Or Not To Clean?
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 07/20/2023 8:32 pm
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Maybe drop it back in and check it another 20 years?
Yes, but I doubt if I'll still be here in 20 years.  .gif" class="inlineimg" alt="" title="" />
Quote:
Use this specimen to try your hand at cleaning with metal tools and abrasive pencils. What can you lose?
Indeed. The olive oil experiment has gone on long enough.  |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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| Augustus - To Clean Or Not To Clean?
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Novicius
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
959 Posts |
Posted 07/20/2023 09:50 am
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Thanks, Bob and Mike. I would definitely not want to ruin this coin, so best to leave it as it is.
I have often been in awe of the "before and after" images of coins that members have cleaned, and thought that this might be a candidate for trying myself. I've had extremely limited success in the past with distilled water, olive oil, toothpicks and bamboo skewers, but have not attempted using any metal pointed instruments. It would not be a good idea in my unskilled hands I think.
I have a small "crusty" coin that spend a long time in distilled water with no effect. It has now been in olive oil for over five years and I have only managed to pick a little bit off the edges. There is a coppery coloured metal underneath the solid encrustation, but I have no idea what it could be.
Time to consign this crusty to the trash? Maybe cleaning coins is not for me! |
| | Forum: Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins |
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