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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,079 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
After another USPS fiasco this specimen was shipped in mid March and took over 30 days to arrive DOMESTIC!! After filing claims, aggravating a seller, getting annoyed with the USPS after declaring the item lost. I am relieved that the specimen finally showed up. (I plan on making an offering to Hermes and Tyche respectively.) This is an upgrade to a similar coin I sold. The type is like most other Alexander the Great types except it differs in several interesting ways. From my previous write up on the coin type. (Price 1191 and 1193) Scholars agree that the bust is that of Mithridates VI of Pontos. These were minted in Odessos, Thrace sometime between 120-70 BC this particular coin was minted around 83/2 BC to finance the 2nd Mithratic war with Rome. These coins are believed to have been meant as payment to Macedonian and Thracian mercenaries. The 2MW ended in the retention of the Pontic Kingdom and the expulsion of the Romans from the Province of Asia. Mithridates VI would ultimately be defeated by Pompey the Great, and would ask for his friend to kill him by sword in order to evade capture and the resulting humiliation of a Roman triumph, concluding the third Mithratic War. He could not kill himself by poison, since he had given himself small doses of poison his whole life to guard against possible assassination. For me I could not live without a Greek tetradrachm of one of the last Hellenistic Kings and the most successful to stand up to Roman Imperialism. A very cool and unique uber later Alexander type style coin. Kingdom of Thrace and Pontus Thrace, Odessos Mithradates VI Eupator (Megas) AR Tetradrachm (s.BC 83/2) 30 mm x 15.70 grams Obv. Head of Mithradates VI as Alexander III as Hercules wearing Lionskin headdress right. Rev. Zeus enthroned holding a Scepter and holding an Eagle out stretched. Greek script- BASILEWS / ALEXANDPOY. LAKW in left field. WDH in ex. Ref. Price 1193  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I glad the coin finally arrive, it would have be a shame had it gotten lost forever. I saw an interesting show the other day how Mithradates (not sure if it was this one though) used Honey to defeat the Romans. The Romans thinking he had retreated from them, Mithradates left behind jug of Honey at which the Roman drank. The Honey cause them to become disorientated at which time Mithradates attacked and wiped them out. Excellent coin Nate.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Wow, great coin. Thanks for the description too.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5155 Posts |
That is the very same Mithradates as far as I know. Thanks guys.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4911 Posts |
I don't know much in this area(I know nothing lol) but that coin is a stunner and an ultra cool piece in both numismatics and history. I sense a coin worthy of becoming your new avatar...
Feel free to call me Will.
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
Ancientnoob said: (I plan on making an offering to Hermes and Tyche respectively.)
Really itīs a good idea, buy you can sacrifice better a postman to dark evil gods, throwing his bleeding heart to a blowing fire in front of their post office mates...
...Probably you are not going to have any delay with your letters again.
(but itīs possible that you had some small, negliptible legal troubles too)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
807 Posts |
"I tell the tale as I heard told
Mithridates, he died old."
Mithridates as Alexander as Hercules as recursion.
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Valued Member
United States
356 Posts |
Great coin! However, let me intervene before Mithridates myths perpetuate. This man was no real challenge to the Romans as Hannibal was, indeed he could not even take Rhodes. He did do well massacring civilians and Cappadocian militia. He did lure one Roman, Murena and his auxiliary into an ambush. However when facing crack Roman legions he folded like a cheap suit and went down in defeat. Let's get real, mediocre Roman generals like Lucullus and Pompey cleaned this losers clock. Enjoy the coin, but I will stick with my Roman coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
701 Posts |
Another piece of quality eye candy Noob  I only have the poor mans version ( bronze, unattributed ) maybe in the future I will get a shiny one. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Thanks all for the wonderful compliments. A special thanks to Caesar for his defense of the Romans.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
i pitty the fool who doesn't like this coin.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
What's not to like ?
If my pockets were deep I would buy one !
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Valued Member
United States
129 Posts |
Very nice coin of an interesting historical figure. Always enjoyable to read the background to your coins. Publius beat me to the Housman, so I guess I'm off to look into the pewter pot.
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
oh wow what a great coin! really nice anoob
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
He was a little angel...
He killed his sister (and wife) after she plotted against him, he killed his mother by famine, he killed his more able general to avoid a possible rival for throne, he killed several tens of thousands of roman and italics citoyens with their families and slaves (not so bad for a genocide in those times, I wonder what could had he done in Germany during WWII)...
And he loses all the campaigns against Roma except that ambush of Murena...
I think that if you look for "ancient loser" at wikipedia you can see his portrait...
but he struck very beautiful coins...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Again, I am thrilled the Roman enthusiasts are having a field day with this. Mithradates defeat is probably one of the most epic failures in all of antiquity. It would be hard to trump Xerxes of Persia.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,079 |
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Posted 04/23/2015 5:46 pm
