I think Akarnania and Ambrakia are the only two examples where this occurs.
The Assoros coin is fascinating. I hope I can find a clear example during my study to confirm it is two man-faced bulls!
I think they are man-faced bulls.
Evidences:
-
Calciati reports 4 specimens, three from
Virzi, one from a private
collection.
All the known specimens are almost illegible, but the specimen listed as III.259.3/2 (Virzì pl.25 n.758) seems to show a human nose, I think they are man-faced bulls. See the attached pic.
- A cult to river deity is attested in the city of Assorus.
Cicero (Verr. 4.44) speaks of the Temple of Crysas at Assoros. Crysas was a river deity,
still today Crisa is the name of a torrent near the modern Assoro. There is a coin minted in Assoros under
roman rule showing the deity...
Assoros. After 210 BC. Æ 20mm (8.06 gm). Head of Apollo right / River-god Chrysas standing right, holding amphora and cornucopiae. Calciati III pg. 259, 1/4 (this coin)- Two
man faced bulls should represent two rivers, as intelligently spotted by the
good Lloyd. Well, the ancient city "spread across the plateau between the rivers Salso and Dittaino in a remarkably strong position, naturally defended by the steepness of the hillsides which contain numerous chamber tombs". (
cfr. The
Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites).
I attach a screen from
google maps, in which I marker the city in the
circle, the river Salso (1), the river Dittaino (2), and the torrent Crisa (3), tributary of Dittaimo.
Regards
Nico