Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

Thrace, Ainos Æ19. Circa 280-200 BC. Head of Hermes left, wearing petasus / Bearded warrior seated left, wearing wreath, short chiton and high boots, holding spear and uncertain object; AINION downwards to right. AMNG I Thrakien, p. 188, 370; Hunter I p. 378, 6. 5.12g, 19mm, 12h.
Good Very Fine. Very Rare.

[King John]

Priestess of Delphi (1891) di John Collier.

[King John]

MYSIA, Kyzikos. 5th-4th centuries BC. EL Stater (16.5mm, 16.03 g). Two eagles standing facing each other on ornamented omphalos; below, tunny right / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 220; Greenwell 22; SNG France 348; Boston MFA 1535 = Warren 1440. Near EF. Rare.
From the LVL Collection.
This rare type depicts the legend of the omphalos (navel) stone, which marked the sacred precinct of the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi as the physical center of the earth. According to tradition, two eagles, which had been released by Zeus, one flying from the east, and the other from the west, met exactly at the site of Apollo’s sanctuary. This spot was marked for all to see by the stone omphalos, and designated as the center of the earth. The omphalos was a white stone ornamented with stripes of various kinds, and upon it were the representations of the two eagles (as seen on this coin type – the tunny fish below is the city-badge of Kyzikos). This scene was frequently represented in vase-paintings, but is extremely rare on coinage. The omphalos probably stood on the sacred hearth that was in the center of the temple.

 

 

Col termine greco di omphalos (ombelico) nell'antichità si indicava una pietra o un oggetto dal valore religioso. Nell'antica Grecia la pietra scolpita era situata a Delfi, nel Tempio di Apollo, da cui la Pizia diffondeva i suoi vaticini. Nel museo di Delfi si conserva una copia marmorea della pietra, raffigurata coperta da cordoni intrecciati.

Il tempio di Apollo delfico era il più importante di tutto il mondo greco, e l'omphalos indicava che Delfi, col suo santuario, era il centro del mondo, il suo ombelico. Secondo il mito Zeus, per determinare il centro del mondo, aveva liberato due corvi che erano volati in direzioni opposte e si erano ritrovati a Delfi. Inoltre con lo stesso termine ci si riferiva anche al masso che Rea fece ingoiare a Crono al posto del figlio Zeus (Wikipedia).

 

 

[King John]

GRIECHISCHE MüNZEN
SARMATIEN
ATAIAS, skythischer Stammesführer
No.: 54
Rufpreis-Opening bid: CHF 10000
d=20 mm
AR. 6,93 g. Vor 339.
Av: Kopf des Herakles mit Löwenskalp n. l.
Rv: ATAIAS Skythischer Reiter mit gespanntem
Bogen n. l. galoppierend; Gorythos an der Seite.
Unpubliziert!
Prachtexemplar
Ataias war König eines der Skythischen Stämme zur Zeit
Philipps II. von Makedonien. Unter seiner Herrschaft
gelang es ihm, die Macht seines Stammes bis zur Donau
hin auszudehnen, doch im Jahr 339 erlitt er gegen den
makedonischen König eine verheerende Niederlage. In den
wenigen Jahren bis zur Thronbesteigung des Alexanders
III. scheinen die Skythen völlig aus dem Raum südlich der
Donau verschwunden zu sein, denn als Alexander gleich
nach seiner Herrschaftsergreifung zur Sicherung der
Grenze in den Norden ziehen mußte, traf er auf das Volk
der Geten. Diese Mitteilung bringt E. H. Minns in seinem
Buch Scythians and Greeks (1913), S. 123 zu der
überlegung, ob Ataias nicht ein getischer König war, den
die griechischen Quellen nur wegen des Wohnortes seines
Stammes für einen Skythen hielten.

 

Modificato 28 Maggio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

Coins of Thessaly, the BCD Collection
Homolion
Circa 350 BC. Tetrachalkon (Bronze, 21mm, 9.24 g 3). Bearded head of Philoktetes to right, wearing conical pilos. Rev. OMOL-IEWN Serpent coiled to right; behind head, small bunch of grapes. Rogers 257. SNG Copenhagen 72. With a splendid, olive-green patina. Beautifully centered in high relief. Extremely fine. Philoktetes was the son of the king of Meliboea in Thessaly, and was famous for his friendship with Herakles, whose pyre he lit. Herakles left him his bow and arrows. Philoktetes joined the Greek forces against Troy but, on the trip over, he was bitten by a snake on Lesbos and this caused a terrible wound that refused to heal and gave off an awful smell. He was then marooned on Lesbos, on the counsel of Odysseus, and remained there for ten years until the Greeks received a prophecy saying they would not win against Troy without the weapons of Herakles. So a team led by Odysseus rushed back to Lesbos, were astonished to find Philoktetes still alive and still in possession of the bow and arrows, and managed to bring him back with them to Troy where he was healed by one of the sons of Asklepios. After the war was won, Philoktetes returned to Thessaly but found Meliboea in revolt: he then departed for Magna Graecia where he founded cities and ultimately died and was buried near Sybaris. His connection with Homolion is unclear.
A note from BCD : Perhaps the Homolians thought that Philoktetes had also founded their city?

[King John]

PERSIA. Achaemenid Empire. Time of Darios I-Xerxes I. Circa 485 BC. AR Siglos (5.38 gm).
Estimate $200
PERSIA. Achaemenid Empire. Time of Darios I-Xerxes I. Circa 485 BC. AR Siglos (5.38 gm). Persian king or hero in kneeling/running stance right, holding spear and bow; two pellets behind beard / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIa (pl. XI, 14-15); Carradice, "Two Achaemenid Hoards," NumChron 1998, 110-118 (same reverse punch). Good VF. ($200)
From the Bellaria Collection. Ex Monetarium List 55 (Spring 1991), lot 122.

illustrazione: i protagonisti della  battaglia di Platea (agosto 479 a.C.) che segnò la sconfitta definitiva di Serse I nella seconda guerra persiana. Decisiva per le sorti della battaglia fu l'alleanza tra Sparta, Atene, Corinto e Megara.

Modificato 28 Maggio, 2017 da King John

[King John]

EPHESOS. Ionia. Ca.387-295 B.C.
Tetradrachm. Bee with straight wings, E-Φ flanking. Rv. Forepart of stag kneeling r., head turned, palm tree behind, IΠ ΠOKPITOΣ to r. 14.97 grams. BMC 47. Dark tone. Nearly Extremely Fine. (3,500-4,500)
The series of Tetradrachms, begun in 394 B.C., continued after the resumption of Persian overlordship with the minor change in the shape of the bee's wings from curved to straight. Ephesos continued to prosper, as indicated by the abundance of this series of coinage. This is not surprising since the kings of Lydia and later Persia tended to favor Ephesos, despite its occasional predilection for independence. In approximately 338 B.C. the city rose in revolt against the Persians and declared its freedom. This was short-lived however. The Persian Autophradates soon regained control of the city, stationed a garrison there and handed the government over to a pro-Persian Oligarchy. When the Persian garrison withdrew after the defeat at Granicus, the populace overthrew the Oligarchy and welcomed Alexander. For the next few years Ephesos alternated between democracy and tyranny until 319 B.C. when the democratic party delivered the city into the hands of Antigonos. The city enjoyed a limited amount of freedom under Antigonos and his son Demetrios Poliorketes until Lysimachos captured it in 302 B.C. and seemingly abolished the democratic constitution. In the next few years the city alternated between control by Lysimachos and Demetrios until 295 B.C. when Lysimachos finally succeeded in making himself master.
From the Lawrence R. Stack Collection of Ancient Greek Coins.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: LA BOTTEGA DI UN PITTORE DI SCUDI AD EFESO NEL 396 A.C. (IL PRIMO A SINISTRA E' UN UFFICIALE SPARTANO, IL SECONDO DA SINISTRA UN CAVALIERE MERCENARIO IONICO)

[King John]

KINGS OF THRACE. Seuthes III (Circa 323-316 BC). Ae.
Obv: Laureate and bearded head (Zeus?) right.
Rev: ΣΕΥΘΟΥ. 
Warrior riding horse rearing right; wreath below.
SNG Stancomb 294; SNG BM Black Sea 317-8.
Condition: Very fine.
Weight: 4.57 g.
Diameter: 20 mm.

[King John]

CRETE, Aptera. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 2.74 g, 12h). Head of female right, wearing stephanos / Helmeted warrior advancing left, holding shield and spear; to left, NI above spear, KA below. Svoronos, Numismatique 19 (same dies as illustration); Joy –; Traeger –; SNG Copenhagen –; BMC 8; Hunterian 3. VF, toned, struck with worn obverse die, some porosity. Extremely rare, none in CoinArchives.
From the collection of Alexandre Carathéodory Pasha (1833-1906). 

[King John]

KINGS of MACEDON. Demetrios I Poliorketes. 306-283 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.51 g, 6h). Pella mint. Struck circa 289-288 BC. Diademed and horned head right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY, warrior, wearing mantle, kausia, and anaxyrides, and holding a long couched spear with his right hand, on horse rearing right; monogram below horse's forelegs. Newell 87 (unlisted dies); BM Museum Number BNK,G.1035. Good VF, rough and porous surfaces. Extremely rare, none in CoinArchives.
From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex Robert Weimer Collection (Triton IV, 5 December 2000), lot 176; George & Robert Stevenson Collection (Classical Numismatic Group XXVI, 11 June 1993), lot 71; Numismatic Fine Arts X, (17 September 1981) lot 119.
Demetrios' gold coinage consists entirely of Attic-weight staters, issued at first in the name of Alexander, but after circa 299 in his own name. Demetrios' proclamation as king of Macedon gave him control of the mints in Amphipolis and Pella, and he inherited the vast bullion supplies of Macedon. In order to finance further conquests, he began to turn these supplies into currency. This coin was struck in the last year of Demetrios' reign, probably to finance his planned Aitolian campaign. The obverse shows the portrait of Demetrios adorned with the horns of a bull, the sacred animal of Poseidon. The reverse pays tribute to a traditional Macedonian type that had been used on the silver coinages from Alexander I to Philip II.

 

[King John]

John V Palaeologus. 1341-1391. Æ Assarion (18mm, 1.93 g, 7h). Thessalonica mint. Struck circa 1365-1376. Emperor standing facing, holding cruciform scepter in right hand, cross with which he points to an elaborate structure (church or shrine?) in left; five stars in left field / The martyrdom of St. Demetrius: three soldiers to right, spearing St. Demetrius seated left. DOC 1251-4; PCPC 320; LPC p. 262, 5 (uncertain emperor); SB 2593 (uncertain emperor). Fine, green patina. Very rare and interesting type.
From the Prue Morgan Fitts Collection.
This rare coin shows the the martyrdom of St. Demetius in the dungeons of Thessalonica, where he was imprisoned during the reign of Galerius. Particularly sharp examples clearly show the spears which are being thrust into the saint (see especially DOC 1251 and 1253). The obscurity of this detail on most specimens has led many to interpret the scene as depicting the Magi before the Virgin. Indeed, this interpretation was canonical up until the mid 20th century, “...to the point of being cited by scholars as the sole occasion on which a New Testament scene was represented on a Byzantine coin” (DOC p. 205).

 

ILLUSTRAZIONE: MARTIRIO DI SAN DEMETRIO

[King John]

John V Palaeologus (1341-1391). Æ Assarion (18mm, 1.78g, 7h). Thessalonica, c. 1365-1376. Emperor standing facing, holding cruciform sceptre in r. hand, cross with which he points to an elaborate structure (church or shrine?) in l.; five stars in l. field. R/ The martyrdom of St. Demetrius: three soldiers to r., spearing St. Demetrius seated l. DOC 1251-4; PCPC 320; LPC p. 262, 5 (uncertain emperor); Sear 2593 (uncertain emperor). Very Rare and interesting. Green patina, Good Fine

ILLUSTRAZIONE: SAN DEMETRIO DI TESSALONICA.

[King John]

Domitian Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 85. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT P P, laureate head right, wearing aegis / Emperor standing left, holding spear, with German captive kneeling right before, presenting shield set amongst various arms; S-C across fields, broken spear in exergue. RIC 357; BMC 337; BN 358. 24.70g, 34mm, 6h.
Good Very Fine. Pleasant patina, some corrosion to rev. Rare. An interesting historical type, and relatively well preserved for the issue.
Having lived his whole life in the shadow of his father and brother's military victories, and having had none himself, upon being proclaimed emperor Domitian soon found an opportunity to win glory. Leaving Rome for Gaul in late AD 82-early 83, ostensibly to conduct a census, he unexpectedly launched a campaign against the Chatti in Germania, who had been part of Arminius' coalition of tribes that had annihilated Varus' column in the Teutoberg forest. For this purpose, Domitian raised a new legion, Legio I Minervia. Little information survives of the campaign, though apparently enough early victories were achieved for Domitian to return to Rome in late 83, where he awarded himself a triumph, conferred upon himself the title of Germanicus and struck a series of commemorative coinage depicting his subjugation of the Chatti. Domitian’s campaign was viewed most unfavourably by ancient writers, who noted that it was an unprovoked attack and mocked his supposed accomplishments.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: PRIMUS PILUS, VALE A DIRE IL PRIMO CENTURIONE DELLA LEGIONE, OVVERO IL CAPO DI TUTTI I CENTURIONI

[King John]

Agathocles. 317-289 BC. AE 23, 9.24g. (h). SyracuseObv: ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ Unbearded head of Herakles left, wearing diadem with a meniskos at the forehead. Behind, cornucopia (?). Dotted border. Rx: The Nemean lion striding right. Above, club. Calciati I, p. 288, 150, Ds41. SNG ANS 735. SNG Morcom 768. Winterthur I 971. Mahogany-brown patina of extraordinary quality. EF.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: AGATOCLE PARLA ALLE SUE TRUPPE

[King John]

Koinon of Macedon AE25, time of Severus Alexander
Koinon of Macedon . Pseudo-autonomous AE25 (12.93 g), time of Severus Alexander.
Obv. AΛEΞANΔPOY, helmeted head of Alexander the Great right.
Rev. KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NEΩ/POC (!), Alexander on Bukephalos right, raising right hand.
Very fine.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: ALESSANDRO IL GRANDE

[King John]

Khosrow II (590-627), AR drahm, an 31, WAL = Veh-Ardaxshir. Droit : Contremarque sur le bord à 1h au droit: senmurv à gauche (Göbl cmq 11K). Ref.: Göbl, II/3212; Mitch., ACW, 1204 var; Sell., 62 var. 3,09g.
Très Beau à Superbe
VF - EF
Estimate: EUR 80

[King John]

PERSIA / PERSIEN; Persia - Sasanids - Varahran II 274-293. drachma, Aw: Popiersia króla i królowej w prawo, przed nimi popiersie księcia w lewo, Rw: Płonący ołtarz, po bokach dwaj strażnicy ognia na wprost ale z głowami od ołtarza, Mitchiner 851, Göbl 64, srebro 4.33 g, dość rzadko spotykana w handlu odmiana z trzema popiersiami i dodatkowo strażnikami ognia odwróconymi od ołtarza, w pełni czytelna i bardzo ładnie zachowana jak na ten typ monety - GRADE: II- ( EF- ) - starting price: 320 PLN

 

ILLUSTRAZIONE: CAVALIERI CATAFRATTI SALUTANO IL RE VARAHAN II

[apollonia]

9 ore fa, King John dice:

Koinon of Macedon AE25, time of Severus Alexander
Koinon of Macedon . Pseudo-autonomous AE25 (12.93 g), time of Severus Alexander.
Obv. AΛEΞANΔPOY, helmeted head of Alexander the Great right.
Rev. KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NEΩ/POC (!), Alexander on Bukephalos right, raising right hand.
Very fine.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: ALESSANDRO IL GRANDE

Guarda che questo bronzo è stato coniato al tempo di Filippo I l’Arabo (244-249), non di Alessandro Severo.

[King John]

9 ore fa, apollonia dice:

Guarda che questo bronzo è stato coniato al tempo di Filippo I l’Arabo (244-249), non di Alessandro Severo.

La classificazione non è mia ma del venditore. Ho postato la moneta senza approfondirne la datazione perchè ero interesssato soprattutto ai suoi aspetti iconografici.

Auctiones GmbH

 

eAuction #16	Lot 44	Date 19 May 2013

Koinon of Macedon AE25, time of Severus Alexander

Koinon of Macedon. Pseudo-autonomous AE25 (12.93 g), time of Severus Alexander.
Obv. AΛEΞANΔPOY, helmeted head of Alexander the Great right.
Rev. KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NEΩ/POC (!), Alexander on Bukephalos right, raising right hand.
Very fine.

[apollonia]

Quale venditore? Questo no di certo.

 

[King John]

40 minuti fa, apollonia dice:

Quale venditore? Questo no di certo.

 

Auctions GmbH come si evince dal penultimo post. 

[apollonia]

Per la verità qui il cavallo è più arzillo che nel bronzo in cui Alessandro indossa l'elmo attico.

 

[King John]

Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger > Auction 328	Auction date: 10 May 2017
Lot number: 117 Price realized: Unsold
Lot description: GRIECHISCHE MÜNZEN, GRIECHISCHES MUTTERLAND, MAKEDONIEN UNTER RÖM. HERRSCHAFT  KOINON DER MAKEDONEN., AE-27 mm. 3. Jh. n. Chr. Alexanderkopf mit attischem Helm r. Rs: Reiter r. mit eingelegter Lanze. AMNG 447. Dunkle Patina. L. korr. L. dezentriert. ss/ss-vz Anfang der 1990er Jahre aus deutschem Privatbesitz erworben. Estimate: 150 EUR

[King John]

Numismatik Lanz München

Auction 160	Lot 457	Date 15 June 2015

RÖMISCHE MÜNZEN 
KAISERREICH 
CARACALLA (197 - 217) 
Philippopolis in Thrakien 
 Bronzemedaillon auf die Pythischen Spiele für Alexander den Großen. AVT K M AVP CEVH - ANTΩNEINOC. Belorbeerte Büste mit Aegis von hinten gesehen n.l. Rs: KOINON ΘPAKΩN AΛEZAN ΠYΘI /A EN ΦIΛIΠ / Π-O (im Abschnitt), Kaiser mit Speer zu Pferde n.r. reitend, darunter fallender Orientaler mit phrygischer Mütze. Varbanov 1421; BMC -; Mouchmov 5334. 35,35g. Selten. Auf der beiden Seiten zentrale Körnung, Kl. Randausbruch, leicht geglättet, sonst fast vorzüglich. In Philippopolis war die Alexander-Begeisterung besonders ausgeprägt. Dies zeigt sich auch in Spielen, die das Koinon der Thraker unter Caracalla veranstaltete und deren Name laut der Münzlegenden ALEXANDRIA PUQIA war. Diese pythischen Spiele erinnerten an Alexander dem Großen, den von Caracalla besonders verehrt wurde, waren aber gleichzeitig dem Kaiser im Rahmen des Herrscherkultes gewidmet.

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.

 

Auction 88	Lot 788	Date 14 Sept.2011

MACEDON, Koinon of Macedon. Pseudo-autonomous issue. temp. Severus Alexander(?), AD 222-235. Æ (26mm, 11.03 g, 5h). Beroea mint. Struck circa AD 231. Head of Hercules right, wearing lion skin / Alexander the Great on Bucephalus rearing right; star below. AMNG III 735; SNG Copenhagen 1372-3 (both refs date coins to time of Gordian III). Near EF, dark brown surfaces.
From Group CEM.