Hecate Triformis at Aspendus (?)

[curtislclay]

The rev. of this coin could be ACPEN - DIWN, and triple-formed Hecate is indeed a type of that mint.  I'd like to find a clearer coin from the same rev. die, however!

The obv. has me stumped. Maybe Maximus Caesar, possibly Geta Caesar? Sev. Alex. as Caesar or Philip II as Caesar seem less likely. Or maybe some young Augustus of the first half of the third century, despite the omitted laurel wreath?

This coin has been consigned for Gemini VI without any attribution. I'd like to know how it was attributed when the collector purchased it!

33 mm, 21.13 gr.

Two animals springing left and right from Hecate's feet, a detail I overlooked on the coin itself.

[archivum]

Nothing quite like this in Isegrim, altho' Isegrim may list va:wreath laurel where none's to be found; the two animals are likely two hounds, since Hekate delighted in dog-sacrifice.  Interesting specimen.

[Gert]

Curtis,
I also think this is most probably Aspendos. I could not find coins of this module for the earlier Caesars, and comparing reverse dies of Hekate Triformis from Aspendos, your coin best matches (perhaps even die-matches) Von Aulock 4591, a coin of Julia Soaemias, which would make Severus Alexander Caesar the best candidate.
Regards
Gert

[Cayo Julio César]

Una interesante moneda...tal vez unica.

[Edessa]

http://tinyurl.com/yh86qdh

ANS search on Hecate Triformis also gives a large module Gallienus coin of Perga, which may be another Mint to search

Eugene

[archivum]

The Gallienus Hekate from Perga is one of the unpublished types in Isegrim Extended, and it's definitely not Curtis's coin; neither are the four other Hekate Triformis issues that I've listed there, alas, though the Mastaura AE23 (the third specimen here) bears a casual resemblance to Curtis's.  There are several rare Triformis issues from Aezanis, Phrygia, 253-68 AD, with reverses that share much with Curtis's coin but apparently not the two hounds; I can post one Aezanis reverse if that too might be useful for comparison.

Isegrim Extended https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=49390.0 and
Isegrim http://isegrim.dasr.de/isegrim/anmelden.html

[curtislclay]

Thanks to Gert for solving the problem!

I also think Aulock 4591 of Julia Soaemias at Aspendus is probably from the same rev. die. Therefore the coin is indeed of Aspendus, and almost certainly of Sev. Alex. as Caesar.

Thanks also to Archivum, Edessa and César for their suggestions and comments.

[archivum]

Isegrim mentions only one other Hekate Triformis with hounds, another large coin, Maximinus I from Themisonium, Phrygia, SNG von Aulock 4021; that reverse too may be worth a quick peek for completeness' sake.

[curtislclay]

Thanks. Aulock 4021 is quite different in style and legend, with the final N in left field, but interesting for the dogs!

[Edessa]

SNG France 3 no. 181 Gordian III of Aspendos also has a very similar treatment of Hecate Triformis.  I cannot be certain that the hound is there and its not mentioned in the description.

Eugene

[Edessa]

A bit tardy, but here is a scan of the SNG Paris coin, a Gordian on a smaller module.  The central figure in several of these depictions seems to have a right leg advanced.  I wonder if that is supposed to simulate movement?

Eugene

[helvetica]

Even tardier - I am just doing the excel list of Malcolm's Diadumenian book and there is an entry in Mionnet, as follows:

Tavium, Galatia   18mm
AVT M O DIA[...]ANOS AU   Laureate head right
TRWK TAOUIANWN   Hecate–Triformis   standing with her attributes
Mionnet Vol. 3, No.167, p.401

just in case anyone is keeping track of Hekate !

[curtislclay]

Thanks, Dane!

The Gemini catalogue just went to the printer, with an acknowledgement to Gert B. for the attribution of the Hecate piece!

[Pscipio]

By coincidence, I today noticed a coin from the same dies in Frank Sternberg's Auktion XXV, 25th and 26th November 1991, Zürich, lot no. 388, there attributed to Perge with the note: das Stück hat den gleichen Revers wie SNG v. Aulock 4591 - irrtümlich nach Aspendos gelegt. Avers dort Julia Soaemias.

Sternberg reads the legend as [ΠЄPΓ]-AIΩN. While the A is not clearly readable on the picture, I suspect it must have been clearer in hand since the reattribution to Perge is based upon the reading of AIΩN instead of ΔIΩN alone. I wouldn't want to decide from the pictures whether Sternberg was right or not.

Lars

[Gert]

Hi Lars,
I think that's just a slip up by Sternberg cataloguer, giving the Aulock coin to Perge to support his reading of the coin that must also have been from Aspendos  - I would say that that the Von Aulock coin, even in my Forni reprint, cannot possibly have a Pergan ethnic, as the letter Pi is preceded by other letters.
Regarsd
Gert