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01 Attica, Athenian TetradrachmAthenian Old Style Tetradrachm
Obv: head of Athena facing r., crested Attic helmet with three olive leaves and floral scroll, hair across forehead in parallel curves, almond shaped eye, round earing, wire necklace.
Rev: owl standing r. with erect posture, tail feathers as a single prong, head facing forward, a crescent and then an olive sprig to the l., A☉E at 90º and downward to the r., all within incuse square.
Denomination: silver tetradrachm; Mint: Athens; Date: 454 - 404 BC;1 Weight: 17.2g; Diameter: 24mm; Die axis: 270º; References, for example: BMC vol. 11, 62; SNG Cop vol. 14, 31; Cf. Starr pl. XXIII; SGCV I 2526; Kroll 8; SNG München issue 14, 49; HGC 4, 1597.
Notes:
1This is the date range given in HGC 4. SGCV I gives 449 - 413 BC.
NGC rates this coin as About Uncirculated with a 5/5 strike and a 4/5 surface. I intend to someday free it from its encapsulation.
This coin is part of an enormous issue apparently begun in order to pay for work necessary to rebuild the city's temples. Subsequent decades saw huge quantities of tetradrachms minted in order to finance the building of the Parthenon and other such massive projects, and later decades saw such minting in order to pay for the Peloponnesian War. (SGCV I, p. 236).
Provenance: Ex Forum Ancient Coins January 12, 2018; Ex Heritage Auction 231723 June 8, 2017, lot 62016.
Photo Credits: Forum Ancient Coins
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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Athena and her owl In Greek mythology, a Little Owl baby (Athene noctua) traditionally represents or accompanies Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom, or Minerva, her syncretic incarnation in Roman mythology. Because of such association, the bird often referred to as the "owl of Athena" or the "owl of Minerva" has been used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, perspicacity and erudition throughout the Western world.
The reasons behind the association of Athena and the owl are lost in time. Some mythographers, such as David Kinsley and Martin P. Nilsson suggest that she may descend from a Minoan palace goddess associated with birds and Marija Gimbutas claim to trace Athena's origins as an Old European bird and snake goddess.
On the other hand, Cynthia Berger theorizes about the appeal of some characteristics of owls such as their ability to see in the dark to be used as symbol of wisdom while others, such as William Geoffrey Arnott, propose a simple association between founding myths of Athens and the significant number of Little Owls in the region (a fact noted since antiquity by Aristophanes in The Birds and Lysistrata).
In any case, the city of Athens seems to have adopted the owl as proof of allegiance to its patron virgin goddess, which according to a popular etiological myth reproduced on the West pediment of the Parthenon, secured the favor of its citizens by providing them with a more enticing gift than Poséidon.
Owls were commonly reproduced by Athenians in vases, weights and prize amphoras for the Panathenaic Games. The owl of Athena even became the common obverse of the Athenian tetradrachms after 510 BC and according to Philochorus, the Athenian tetradrachm was known as glaux throughout the ancient world and "owl" in present day numismatics. They were not, however, used exclusively by them to represent Athena and were even used for motivation during battles by other Greek cities, such as in the victory of Agathocles of Syracuse over the Carthaginians in 310 B.C. in which owls flying through the ranks were interpreted as Athena’s blessing or in the Battle of Salamis, chronicled in Plutarch's biography of Themistocles.
(Source: Wikipédia)
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Athena ParthenosAttica, Athens, ca. 264-267 AD, Æ 21
Helmeted head of Athena right. / AΘHN-AIΩN Athena Parthenos standing left holding Nike, shield and spear.
Kroll, Agora, 284; Sv-pl 82, 5ff; SNG Copenhagen 384.
(21 mm, 4.98 g, 6h)
The statue of Athena depicted on the reverse of this coin is a representation of Phidias cult statue of Athena in the Parthenon on the acropolis of Athens. The statue is stood in the Parthenon until the Fifth century AD, when it was destroyed by fire.
This is amongst the last of the “Roman series” of coins issued from the mint in Athens. In 267 AD Germanic raiders sacked the city bringing to an end the operations of the Athenian mint.
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Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, 449 - 413 B.C.Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31ff; Starr pl. xxii, 6; SGCV I 2526, VF, test cut, Athens mint, weight 16.870g, maximum diameter 24.5mm, die axis 225o, obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse AQE right, owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, all within incuse square;
The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War.
Ex ForumPhiloromaos
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Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, 449 - 413 B.C.Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31 ff., SGCV I 2526, EF, light scuff on cheek, 17.184g, 25.6mm, 180o, Athens mint, obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse AQE right, owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, all within incuse square;
A superb beauty ex FORVM .
The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War.
*With my sincere thank , Photo and Description courtesy of FORVM Ancient Coins Staff.
From The Sam Mansourati Collection.Sam
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Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, c. 454 - 404 B.C.*In honor of Christmas and Chanukah , from FORVM , new to my collection ;
A masterpiece example of group Copenhagen 31 .
My best wishes to all of you.
Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31, SNG München 49, Kroll 8, Dewing 1611, Gulbenkian 519, HGC 4 1597, SGCV I 2526, EF, fabulous owl, well centered on a tight flan, no test cuts, a little obverse die wear, contact marks, 17.168g, 25.0mm, 90o, Athens mint, c. 454 - 404 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse AQE right, owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, all within incuse square.
The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War.
EX FORVM .
The Sam Mansourati Collection.Sam
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Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, c. 454 - 404 B.C.In honor of Christmas :
Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31, SNG Munchen 49, Kroll 8, Dewing 1611, Gulbenkian 519, HGC 4 1597, SGCV I 2526, Choice EF, bold well centered strike, high relief as usual for the type, attractive surfaces, graffito on reverse, small edge cracks, 17.176g, 24.7mm, 30o, Athens mint, c. 454 - 404 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, AQE downward on right, all within incuse square.
The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile, and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse, a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War.
FORVM Ancient Coins. / From The Sam Mansourati Collection. Sam
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Attica, Athens. (Circa 454-449 BC)AR Tetradrachm
25 mm, 17.20 g
This is a transitional Owl tetradrachm that bridges the early classical owls (minted from 478-454) with the subsequent mass classical (standardized) coinage, which really got going in the early 440s BC to finance Pericles' building projects like the Parthenon and then later the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) vs. Sparta. The 454 date is critical in that it was the year that Athens moved the treasury of the Delian league (confederation of Greek states led by Athens to defend against the Persian threat) from Delos to Athens.
This coin shares many attributes of Starr V early classical coinage (465-454 BC). On the obverse, the olive leaves on Athena's helmet connect to her diadem with small stems (which disappear in the mass coinage). In addition, the palmette leaves on Athena's helmet are smaller, less decorative, and more realistic. Finally, Athena is smiling (she starts to frown as the war with Sparta goes badly) and is more beautifully depicted than in the more hastily produced mass coinage.
On the reverse, like with the Starr V coins, the incuse is quite noticeable and the AOE (short for AOENAION, or "Of the Athenians") is written in smaller letters (they are much bigger in the mass coinage). Also, the owl is stouter, has smaller eyes, and his head is at an angle rather than parallel to the ground like all later issues.
The only difference between the Starr V owls and this example is in the owl's tail - in Starr V it ends with three small feathers. On this coin and all subsequent coinage the owl's tail ends in a single prong. Given all the other similarities to Starr V it is likely this coin was minted soon after the Treasury's move from Delos to Athens - perhaps 454/453.Nathan P
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Greece, Athens - Acropolis, Parthenon, Slab of the North Parthenon Frieze
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Greece, Athens - ParthenonTemple of Athena built by Perikles.J. B.
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Greece, Athens, Acropolis, Parthenon, East Front of the Parthenon Restored and DissectedJoe Sermarini
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Greece, Athens, Acropolis, Parthenon, North West Corner of the Parthenon
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Greece, Bassae - Temple of Apollo Epikurosbuilt 450 - 400 BC
designed by Iktinos - architect of the Temple of Hephaestus and the Parthenon
!!! There is the earliest example of Corinthian capital. Corinthian capital is in interior, exterior is built in Doric style.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BassaeJ. B.
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head of horse from Selene's chariot from east tympanum of ParthenonThe British museum Elgin MarblesJ. B.
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Roman EphesusIonia, Ephesus, Claudius, 41-54, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm
TI. CLAVD CAES AVG. Claudius bare head, facing left.
DIAN-EPHE Cult statue of Diana (Artemis) of Ephesus inside a tetra style temple, set on three tiered base; pediment decorated by figures flanking three windows.
RIC I 118; RPC I 2222; BMCRE 229; RSC 30; Sear Millennium 1839. Ephesus ca. 41-42 AD.
(25 mm, 11.14 g, 6h).
The Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Depicted on this coin, which was minted shortly after Claudius’ accession to the throne, there remains no trace of the temple other than some recently stacked column remnants to mark the location. Pliny The Elder described the temple as 115 meters in length, 55 meters in width, made almost entirely of marble; consisting of 127 Ionic style columns 18 meters in height. The original temple, which stood on the site from about 550 BC, was destroyed by arson in 356 BC. It was rebuilt at the direction of Alexander III the Great around 330 BC, in the form depicted on the coin, only to be destroyed by the Goths in 262 AD. Again rebuilt, it was destroyed for the final time by Christians in 401 AD. The marble of the temple was used to construct other buildings. Some of the columns found their way into the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul).
The site of the temple was rediscovered in 1869 by an expedition sponsored by the British Museum, but little remains to be seen today. A Christian inscription found at Ephesus reads Destroying the delusive image of the demon Artemis, Demeas has erected this symbol of Truth, the God that drives away idols, and the Cross of priests, deathless and victorious sign of Christ. This Christian zeal explains why so little remains of the site despite its repute in the ancient pre-Christian world.
This coin is rare with a few dozen examples known. In contrast to most examples, which show a four-tiered temple base, the reverse of this coin shows a three-tiered temple base, the same as that found on the Parthenon. The rectangles visible on the pediment of the temple are frequently identified as depictions of tables, or altars attended by flanking figures. However, architectural reconstructions of the temple show these rectangles as windows permitting light into the temple interior, a fact supported by the presence of pediment window frame moldings amongst the remains of other temples from the period in Asia Minor. The Ionic style of the temple’s columns, as described by Pliny, is clearly visible in the reverse image.n.igma
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Turkey, Priene, The Temple of Athena at PrieneThe Temple of Athena at Priene was started by Mausolus but completed by Alexander the Great, who hired the great Greek architect Pytheos to complete the design and construction. It is the largest temple in Priene. Pytheos situated the temple so that it had (and still has) a beautiful view over the valley and river below Alexander the Great invested heavily into rebuilding all of the Greek cities of the Ionic league following the defeat of the Persians. This classic Greek temple was done in the Ionic style and had no frieze around the top. Instead, a dentil design sat above the columns and architrave. The statue of Athena that was originally inside the temple was based on the famous statue by Phidias in the Parthenon of Athens.Joe Sermarini
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