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Author Topic: Sidon Phoenicia Translation Request  (Read 849 times)

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Offline v-drome

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Sidon Phoenicia Translation Request
« on: September 16, 2019, 08:16:40 pm »
Hi, all.  Here is a coin of Sidon, unfortunately very poorly preserved.  Can someone tell me the meaning of ΣIΔΩNOΣ ΘEAΣ?  I saw the phrase translated as "Sidon the Holy", but I think the Greek word for "holy" is IEΡAΣ.  Any clarification would be appreciated.  Thanks, V-drome

BCC RGP53
Sidon, Phoenicia
Semi-autonomous
Time of Claudius 49/50CE
Obv: Head of young Dionysus
left, wreathed with ivy.
Rev: LΞΡ (year 160)
ΣIΔΩNOΣ ΘEAΣ
Dionysiac cista mystica.
17.5x16.5mm. 5.31gm. Axis:0
BMC 153

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Sidon Phoenicia Translation Request
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2019, 08:21:20 pm »
I've seen it translated as "of the Sidonians" but I'm just going by what others have written down.

Offline curtislclay

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Re: Sidon Phoenicia Translation Request
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2019, 09:50:01 pm »
According to Eckhel, this inscription must mean "Of the goddess Sidon".

Sidon was considered to be one of the oldest cities in the Greco-Roman world, so the city itself was apparently deified, just as Rome was, ΘEA PΩMH.

Hill agreed, BMC Phoenicia p. cvii: "Eckhel has shown that ΘEAΣ in some of these inscriptions is in apposition to ΣIΔΩNOΣ, and that it does not refer to the goddess of Sidon."
Curtis Clay

Offline v-drome

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Re: Sidon Phoenicia Translation Request
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2019, 10:22:11 pm »
Very interesting.  Thank you, Jay and Curtis.

 

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