Messenger Of The Gods

I hope you all don't mind a bit longer, and perhaps boring post.

I've been collecting a few Hermes/Mercury coins.

The standing image of Hermes on the reverse of these coins was used for about six centuries. Here are a few examples.

This first coin is the oldest one I could find so far. Minted at Sestos, Thrace, just down the road from Lysimachia.

Perhaps the moneyer was inspired by the statue of Hermes by Polyklitos, that Lysimachos is said to have moved to his capital city when he founded it in 309 BC.

Hermes holds the caduceus in his right hand on this coin.

4th C. 300 BC
Thrace, Sestos
Obv...Head of Demeter r. wreathed with corn.
Rev...ΣH Hermes standing left holding caduceus, amphora before.



.............none so far from the 3rd c. BC.





2nd-1st c. BC Cilicia, Korykos
Obv... Head of city-goddess Tyche right [Î'Κ behind]
Rev... Hermes holding phiale & caduceus ΚΩΡΥΚΙΩΤΩ� ΕΡ ΠΟ ΕΡ




1st c. BC 96/95 B.C Demitrios III, Damacus
Obv... Diademed head of Demetrios III right
Rev... Naked Hermes standing left, palm in right, kerykeion in left



The Scythians seemed to have liked this image of Hermes as well.


1st c. BC 35BC 5AD Scythian Azez II
Obv...City Goddess Tyche enthroned left, holding cornucopia in left arm, right hand raised, Greek legend: ‘BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN ME- "AΛOY AZOY'
Rev...Hermes standing facing, turned slightly to left, caduceus in left hand, right arm outstretched, control marks at left and right, Kharoshthi legend: ‘maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa'



...........Haven't got any Greek or Romans from the 1st c. AD (unless you count the one above), it's tough. I haven't even seen any from the Roman Republicans, although the portrait of Hermes/Mercury was used.




2nd c. AD Caria,Aphrodisas
Obv...Valed head of Boule right, IEIRA BOULE
Rev...Hermes standing left, AFRODE ISIEON




A number of provincials used a Hermes reverse. Here are three examples.


2nd c. AD 193-211 Septimus Severus, Nicopolis




3rd c. AD 211-217 AD
Caracalla, Pautalia




3rd c. AD 217-218 AD Macrinus Diadumenian, Marcinanopolis



Now it's Mercury on the reverse.

I'm not sure who was the the first emperor to issue a official Roman (not provincial) with this reverse, but there were many emperors in the 3rd c. that used the image. I'll get one when I find out who was first.


3rd c. A.D. 253-268 Gallienus, Antioch




3rd c. AD 268-270 AD Claudius II, Antioch



Last but not least, two silvered brothers. One year apart, maybe this was the same engraver?


3rd c. 284 AD Numerian, Rome


3rd c. 285 AD Carinus, Rome

Carinus may have been the last to use Mercury standing on a coin. Perhaps because Diocletian was a Zeus fan and after that Christianity began to take hold.

Please post any coins you have to fill in my blanks or post any 'Messenger of the Gods' coins of any type that you may have.

Thanks