The Pentagram On A Coin Of Pitane In Mysia

This small bronze caught my eye, as I had not seen a pentagram or one of these ancient coins from Pitane in Mysia before. The city was said to have been founded by, and named after the Amazon Pitane. However it is not certain when the city was actually founded, its history going back to pre-Hellenic times. It was possibly founded by the Luwis, as the word Pitane means plenty of water in the Luwi-Pelasg language.

Turkish archaeologist Ekrem Akurgal excavated the site, but he could not find any architectural remains that could provide sufficient information, as stones from buildings in the city had been removed for new construction. He did however find graves, various pottery items, vases, goblets, kylixes and dead ash containers dating to the 6th century BC. An archaic male statue dating to the 6th century BC can be seen in the Pergamon Museum today.

Pitane was renamed Candarli by the Grand Vizier Candarli Halil Pasha the Younger in the 15th century AD, who named it after his own family. The ruins of Pitane are situated slightly outside of the modern town of Candarli, in the district of Dikili in western Turkey's Izmir Province.

In western Europe the pentagram appears alongside warriors in rock art, possibly as a good-luck charm for protection in war. It has also been seen on iron age and bronze age artefacts, and appears to go as far back as pre-history with a possible religious significance. In the 19th century AD the pentagram was still used by peasants against the evil eye in several European countries, constituting a long tradition of protection. So far I have not found the significance of the pentagram, or why it appears on the coins of Pitane. Perhaps also religious?

Pitane, Mysia. 4th-3rd century BC.
Obverse: Head of horned Zeus-Ammon right. Reverse: Pentagram. Reverse Inscription: ΠΙΤΑ. Bronze. Diameter: 11 mm. Weight: 1.3 gr.
Reference: BMC 5-10.