I have this interesting coin of Aexandria
Troas,
RPC IX 491, that in addition to the
RPC descrition
had some added speculation that the
type showed the harbor there.
This is the
auction house description:
Rev: COL AV / TROA.
Alexander advancing left, raising hand and holding
pedum; to left, statue of
Apollo Smintheus right, with
patera and bow; all set upon cavern (or semicircular archway), containing uncertain object (galley or reclining
river god); to right,
bull rearing right,
head left.
RPC IX 491;
Bellinger A480.
On most examples, the object with the so called archway or cavern is not well defined, but on this specimen, it appears to have the shape of a galley. So the depiction might show the harbor of
Alexandria!
A member of the
Provincial Coins group on FB
had another idea, that this is not Alexander at all but the emperor as
Paris or
Paris, based on the garb, the
pedum and the local connection to ancient
Troy. That interpretation would require a rewrite of the
RPC info, though I can't imagine this
type was really given an in depth look and the examples they show are all pretty worn. Here is a partial piece of what the other individual wrote:
"Was
Alexandria Troas a significant harbor? Also, what about the main figure indicates
Alexander the Great? (I assume that is what was meant.)
Alexander the Great did visit there but the iconography seems to suggest
Paris from the Illiad, the curved
Pedum and simple clothing suggest a shepherd. If that, the curved
arc could be the walls of
Troy instead of a harbor."
Any thoughts?
