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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Types| ▸ |Nude or Erotic||View Options:   | | | The ancients had a grand appreciation for the beauty of the human body and a rather bawdy view of sexuality. |
Kelenderis was a port town, one of the oldest in Cilicia, described in Hellenistic and Roman sources as a small, but strong castle. The rider on the obverse may be Castor, who was not only a horse trainer but also the protector of sailors, an appropriate type for a port town.GS87797. Silver stater, Celenderis Hoard, series II, 9 (O5/R5); SNG BnF 52 (same dies); SNGvA 5621 (same dies); BMC Cilicia -; SNG Levante ; SNG Delepierre -; Hunterian -, gVF, well centered, fine style, attractive dark toning, flow lines, highest points flat, weight 10.807 g, maximum diameter 22.7 mm, die axis 135o, Kelenderis (Aydincik, Turkey) mint, c. 430 - 420 B.C.; obverse nude young male dismounting from horse rearing left, whip in left hand, bridle in right hand, Π below horse's belly; reverse goat crouching left on dotted exergue line, head turned looking back right, KEΛE above, all within a shallow round incuse ; SOLD
Taras, Calabria, Italy, c. 281 - 228 B.C.
SH41264. Silver stater, SNG Cop 883; HN Italy 1000 var., gVF, nicely toned, weight 6.440 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 315o, Taras (Taranto, Italy) mint, obverse horseman left, horse crowned by naked youth, API/ΣTI/Π below, ΓY above; reverse TAPAΣ, Taras riding dolphin right, holding arrow [and bow]; from the Dr. J. Hewitt Judd Collection (author of United States Pattern Coins Experimental & Trial Pieces); old envelope dated 5-29-83; SOLD
Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, c. 440 - 400 B.C.
During religious games, the young men of Thessaly participated in bull jumping and bull wrestling. In bull wrestling, participants would jump from a horse, naked save a chlamys and cap, to bring a bull down to the ground. The obverse shows a wrestler bringing down a bull and the reverse shows the horse running free after the leap was made. The game may have originated in Asia Minor and then traveled to Crete, where it is known the people of Thessaly learned the sport.SH19450. Silver drachm, SNG Cop 107 var. (legend break), SNG Ashmolean 3863, gVF, weight 6.016 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 270o, Larissa mint, c. 440 - 400 B.C.; obverse youth wrestling or restraining bull, both to right; reverse ΛAP/IΣAIA, bridled horse galloping right, all in incuse square; toned; scarce; SOLD
Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D.
Apart from the common, large issues of 240 A.D., Gordian III also struck exceedingly small quantities in 238 and 239 A.D. We only know one other coin of this Jupiter type, an ex Forum coin in the Michael Mihalka collection. Other types known by just two or three specimens are Fides, Liberalitas and Victory.SH53566. Silver denarius, RIC IV -, RSC IV -; cf. RIC IV 16 (antoninianus), RSC IV 189 (same), Choice VF, weight 2.653 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 239 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse P M TR P II COS P P (high priest, holder of Tribunitian power for two years, consul, father of the country), Jupiter standing slightly left, nude but for cloak over arms, thunderbolt in right, long scepter in left hand, small figure of Gordian III at his feet left; extremely rare; SOLD
Aspendos, Pamphylia, 370 - 333 B.C.
The countermark appears to be a Hoplite advancing right with sword in right and round shield in left, in oval incuse. The hoplite represents the soldiery for which Aspendus was famous. The astonishing abundance of the silver money of Aspendus is a proof of the commercial importance of the town; and the number of countermarks and barbarous imitations shows that it circulated widely in the region.22.6SH95389. Silver stater, Arslan-Lightfoot 39; SNGvA 4561; Tekin Series 4, 11; SNG BnF 84; SNG Cop 231; SNG Berry 1224 (all same obv die), VF, attractive rainbow toning, typical slightly flat strike, weight 10.855 g, maximum diameter 22.6 mm, die axis 0o, Aspendos (Serik, Turkey) mint, 370 - 333 B.C.; obverse two wrestlers, the left one holds the wrist of his opponent with his right and right forearm with his left hand, AK between their legs; reverse slinger, wearing short chiton, discharging sling to right, triskeles on right with feet clockwise, EΣTΦEΔIIYΣ upward on left, countermark lower right: lion head right in a round 3.6mm punch; ex Forum (2011); SOLD
Macedonian Kingdom, Demetrius I Poliorketes, 306 - 283 B.C.
The bull's horns suggest Demetrius' relationship to Poseidon is the same as Alexander's to Zeus Ammon. The portrait is individualized, but evokes the image of Alexander. Demetrios was the first to assimilate elements of Alexander's deified portrait and the first living ruler to portray himself as a god on coins. SH88881. Silver drachm, Newell 154, SNG Munchen 1051, SNG Alpha Bank -, SNG Cop -, VF, attractive style, toned, edge splits, weight 4.202 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 0o, Euboea, Chalkis(?) mint, c. 290 - 287 B.C.; obverse Demetrios diademed head right with horns of a bull, the animal sacred to Demetrios' patron deity, Poseidon; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY, Poseidon standing left, right foot on rock, trident in left (apparently inspired by the Lateran Poseidon, a statue by Lysippos, court sculptor of Alexander), monogram inner left; ex Gorny & Mosch Giessener, auction 257, lot 334; very rare; SOLD
Aspendos, Pamphylia, 333 - 250 B.C.
After Alexander took Perga peacefully, Aspendos sent envoys to offer surrender if he would not take the taxes and horses formerly paid as tribute to the Persian king. Agreeing, Alexander went on to Side, leaving a garrison behind. When he learned they had failed to ratify the agreement their own envoys had proposed, Alexander marched to the city. The Aspendians retreated to their acropolis and again sent envoys to sue for peace. This time, however, they had to agree to harsh terms - they would host a Macedonian garrison and pay 100 gold talents and 4,000 horses annually.
This type is a late example and likely among the last of the wrestler and slinger staters. Struck during economic crisis, perhaps resulting from the harsh terms set by Alexander after their treachery, the flans are underweight, crudely cast and appear to be of debased silver. The wrestlers and slinger are carelessly depicted. It is not as attractive as earlier examples but it is certainly much scarcer.GS95992. Silver stater, Tekin Series 5, SNGvA 4576, SNG BnF 122, SNG Cop 240, Arslan-Lightfoot -, Choice gVF, attractive style, toned, obverse edge beveled, edge cracks, weight 10.440 g, maximum diameter 24.7 mm, die axis 0o, Aspendos (Serik, Turkey) mint, 333 - 250 B.C.; obverse two wrestlers grappling, nude, wrestler on left holds the right wrist of his opponent with his right hand and right forearm with his left hand, E between their legs, tiny die break on right, beveled edge; reverse slinger, wearing short chiton, discharging sling to right, EΣTFEΔIY upward behind, O between legs, clockwise triskeles of human legs above club on right, round border of dots; from the Errett Bishop Collection; scarce; SOLD
Taras, Calabria, Italy, c. 272 - 235 B.C.
Taras, the only Spartan colony, was founded in 706 B.C. The founders were Partheniae ("sons of virgins"), sons of unmarried Spartan women and Perioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta). These out-of-wedlock unions were permitted to increase the prospective number of soldiers (only the citizens could be soldiers) during the bloody Messenian wars. Later, however, when they were no longer needed, their citizenship was retroactively nul|lified and the sons were obliged to leave Greece forever. Their leader, Phalanthus, consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told to make the harbor of Taranto their home. They named the city Taras after the son of Poseidon, and of a local nymph, Satyrion. The reverse depicts Taras being saved from a shipwreck by a dolphin sent to him by Poseidon. This symbol of the ancient Greek city is still the symbol of modern Taranto today.SH30548. Silver nomos, Vlasto 877 ff.; SNG ANS 1202; HN Italy 1033; HGC I 890, gVF, toned, attractive style, weight 6.497 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 45o, Taras (Taranto, Italy) mint, at war with Rome, under Phyrrus, c. 272 - 235 B.C.; obverse nude youth on horseback right, shield and two lances in left hand, spear pointed downward in raised right hand, ΔI above left, API-ΣTI/K Λ-HΣ (magistrate) in two divided lines below; reverse Taras astride dolphin left, nude, kantharos in extended right hand, trident pointed upward in left hand; head of his mother, the nymph Satyrion, behind looking left; TAPAΣ below; SOLD
Seleukid Kingdom, Antiochus III the Great, c. 223 - 187 B.C.
At the age of eighteen, Antiochus III inherited a disorganized state. Much of Anatolia had been lost and the easternmost provinces had revolted and broken away. After some initial defeats, Antiochus took Judaea from Ptolemaic Egypt and then conquered Anatolia, earning him the epithet "the Great." In 192 B.C. Antiochus invaded Greece with a 10,000-man army, and was elected the commander in chief of the Aetolian League. In 191 B.C., however, the Romans routed him at Thermopylae, forcing him to withdraw to Anatolia. The Romans followed up by invading Anatolia and defeating him again. By the Treaty of Apamea 188 B.C., Antiochus abandoned all territory north and west of the Taurus, most of which the Roman Republic gave either to Rhodes or to the Attalid ruler Eumenes II, its allies. Many Greek cities were left free. As a consequence of this blow to the Seleucid power, the provinces which had recovered by Antiochus, reasserted their independence. Antiochus mounted a fresh eastern expedition. He died while pillaging a temple of Bel at Elymaïs, Persia, in 187 B.C.GS42574. Silver tetradrachm, Houghton-Lorber I 1045(3), SNG Spaer 547 - 548, bold VF, weight 16.506 g, maximum diameter 29.1 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 197 - 187 B.C.; obverse Antiochos diademed head right, fillet border; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Apollo naked seated left on omphalos, examining arrow in right hand, resting left hand on grounded bow, cornucopia outer left; fantastic sculptural high relief!; ex CNG auction 219, lot 304; ex Gordon S. Parry Collection; SOLD
Aspendos, Pamphylia, 400 - 370 B.C.
Aspendos is about 40 km east of Antalya, Turkey about 16 km inland on the Eurymedon River. In 546 B.C. it fell to Persia. After a Persian defeat in 467, the city joined the Attic-Delos Maritime League. Persia took it again in 411 B.C., Alexander in 333 B.C., and Rome in 190 B.C. Although often subject to powerful empires, the city usually retained substantial autonomy.SH48341. Silver stater, Arslan-Lightfoot 39; SNGvA 4561; Tekin Series 4, 11; SNG BnF 84; SNG Cop 231; SNG Berry 1224 (all same obv die), gVF, flat high points, weight 10.826 g, maximum diameter 23.1 mm, die axis 0o, Aspendos (Serik, Turkey) mint, 400 - 370 B.C.; obverse two wrestlers, the left one holds the wrist of his opponent with his right and right forearm with his left hand, AK between their legs; reverse EΣTΦEΔIIYΣ on left, slinger, wearing short chiton, discharging sling to right, triskeles on right with feet clockwise, no trace of incuse square; SOLD
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