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Author Topic: One of the Herakles of Philippopolis  (Read 1394 times)

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Offline slokind

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One of the Herakles of Philippopolis
« on: August 02, 2012, 03:35:46 am »
The work of others has got me interested in the repertory of Herakles types.  I found a photo of one that had not been fully accessioned: the name of Philippopolis is barely legible and there have been times when my favorite camera was unavailable--something like that.  After several hours trying to identify the coin (though it is an obverse die that Philippopolis used, there is also evidence of Thracian mints sharing obverse dies, especially in the time of Barbaros), I went through my Philippopolis box and found the coin itself.
Varbanov III, no. 1161, provided just the right description: Herakles has the Nemean Lion's skin over his r. forearm and holds three apples (Varbanov says only 'apple') on his right hand and his weight is, nominally, on his right leg, and he looks to the left.  That means that almost every signifier is at our left; at our right, his left arm is akimbo and props his long club (on a rock): Mushmov/Varbanov said on a rock; it is not really clear on the present coin.
It is not merely Mushmov's Big Book (1912, where it is no. 5289) but in the Philippopolis (Plovdiv Archaeolgical Museum) catalog of 1924, no. 275, which is not the same kind of general book as the Big Book.  There is no published photo or drawing of this coin that I can find, and so I am posting it here, better late than never.  (When I am finished with the sorting of Herakles, I'll post that both here, if Joe thinks it worthy of Numiswiki, and among my Opera Nobilia blog posts, where I can easily add to it.  For now, having the extremely swaying pose but with the club at our right and the apples and lion skin at our left, this one is exceptional and interesting.
Also, if anyone has another, a double die match, it would be good to see it as well.  I do wish SOMEONE would publish the Severan Philippopolis!
Philippopolis is important to the formation of the Moesia Inferior mints.
•• AE 28  13.20gr  axis 6h.  AV K L SE    VÊROS  (the legend at left needs lots of help from Varbanov, who must be using Mushmov 1924).
Rev. ÊG ST [BAR]BAR  0V PhILIPPOPOL and in exergue EITÔN (to the best of my ability). Rotated in good light, the coin does clearly exhibit that big, broad Phi.  The epsilons are round-backed.
My present camera got about all I can see with a 10X loupe.  Do CLICK TO ZOOM!

If, as seems to be the case, the obverse die of this coin is the same as that of Varbanov III, no. 1883, and V. correctly calls that one's obv. legend his type E, they both ought to end in P for Pertinax, which would not be exceptional.  I cannot certainly make out the P either on mine or on the illustration for V. no. 1183, but they do seem to be the very same die, while the obv. die of no. 1161 is given as type D--the legend without P, and I cannot check the specimen in the Philippopolis Archaeological Museum.  Does anyone know whether the end of the legend is clearer on the Plovdiv A M specimen?

Offline slokind

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Re: One of the Herakles of Philippopolis
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2012, 04:21:51 am »
I just posted a fairly detailed essay on these Herakles types in which I linked to this coin.  Eventually I found that I had bought it from one of the hypenated Americans (not meaning anything unkind by that term) who now is in Real Estate instead of coins.  But he did not know, and I still seek confirmation of, the ID in the Plovdiv museum catalogue of 1924.
My essay is, I hope, of wider and deeper interest than mere identification.  Anyway, it is:
http://teegeeoperanobilia.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-talk-of-typesand-why.html
I'll proofread it for typing tomorrow, since my eyes are very tired.
Pat L.

Offline Jochen

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Re: One of the Herakles of Philippopolis
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2012, 04:58:44 am »
Dear Pat!

Thank you so much for your invaluable blog. I can only recommend it to all Forum members. I'm reading all your articles with great interest and am grateful for the enhancement of my knowledge.

Best regards

Offline slokind

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Re: One of the Herakles of Philippopolis
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2012, 06:47:01 am »
Thank you!  It is just using another approach to see what one finds, such as the similarity at the end of those two Herakles for Macrinus, issued by Longinus and Pontianus.  Or realizing that in the end this concentration of Herakles may hold a message of its own.  With retirement I have the leisure to undertake things that no university would ever promote me for!
I informed Nina first of all that I'd done this essay.  I hope it doesn't worry her.  She has had so much to live through, the last couple of years.
Pat L.

Yesterday evening, August 7, I proofread the essay linked to above.  

 

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