Gallienus Ant, Rev. type Amazon Smyrna?

[Rupert]

So this is my most expensive Gallienus antoninian now; and still I was quite pleasantly surprised to get it, since the antoniniani of this series, all scarce to rare, are in such strong demand, especially those with unusual reverse types.

Antoninian, Gallienus, Cyzicus mint (acc. to Göbl)
Obv. GALLIENUS AUG
Draped, cuirassed and radiate bust right, seen from behind
Rev. VIRTUTI AUG, S(PQR) in exergue
Amazon in a short chiton walking right, wearing a mural crown, carrying a double axe (bipennis) and an amazon shield (pelta)
23 mm, 3,33 g, die axis 12 o'clock; small areas of weak strike, otherwise, VF+
Göbl - (cf. 1556), Göbl rev. type 699

As no. 1556, Göbl lists an antoninian with a woman standing left, carrying in her right a globe, bipennis and pelta both in her left, without the mural crown. Bipennis and pelta clearly label her an amazon. Göbl lists this rev. type as no. 698 in his register. He also shows a line drawing of my coin's reverse as rev. type 699; however, he lists no coins of this type but only writes "see comment". Yet I found no mention of it in his chapter about the "Cyzicus" mint.

Very interesting is the fact that this amazon wears a mural crown, which is typical for city goddesses. The most imporrtant city whose mythical founder was an amazon was Smyrna, where she also appears on Greek and Provincial coinage, wearing a mural crown. Since scientists disagree whether Gallienus' "SPQR" mint operated at Cyzicus or Smyrna, I'd say this coin makes a rather strong point for attributing the mint to Smyrna. Hope you like it!

Rupert

[Joe Sermarini]

Great coin. Interesting post. Thanks.

[mauseus]

Hi,

The type is listed in RIC, as 676. The Amazon is described as the emperor holding bipennis. I do like the SPQR mint coins and Smyrna is, I believe, the mint locus before it is transferred to Cyzicus under Claudius II.

Here's my example that is posted on here in 2005.

Regards,

Mauseus

[Rupert]

Ah, interesting! Since the coin was not in Göbl, I didn't even bother to look up RIC (of which people say vol. V/1 is not the best). RIC, in turn, quotes C. 1329, where the rev. is described precisely but as "Gallienus? in the outfit of an amazon?", quoting only a private collection and valuing at 30 fr. Also, the type must have been struck from at least two rev. dies since our two specimens are clearly from different dies.

Rupert

[Ken W2]

As no. 1556, Göbl lists an antoninian with a woman standing left, carrying in her right a globe, bipennis and pelta both in her left, without the mural crown. Bipennis and pelta clearly label her an amazon. Göbl lists this rev. type as no. 698 in his register. He also shows a line drawing of my coin's reverse as rev. type 699; however, he lists no coins of this type but only writes "see comment". Yet I found no mention of it in his chapter about the "Cyzicus" mint.

Hi Rupert: I like that coin. I am working on adding Gallienus and Claudius II ants to my wolf and twins collection, some of which have the SPQR exergue.

You probably already know this, but like you Alfoldi also saw that left facing figure as “Amazone.”  He described what Gobl called a globe as a “Opferschale (?)”— sacrificial bowl, but apparently wasn’t sure.  He lists that coin as among issues minted in the unknown mint in Asia Minor, and apparently mentions Smyrna as a possibility (my German is not too good). Berytus V pp. 60-63; table XXVI plate 5. I looked but don’t see your coin listed or among the plates in that 1938 article.

What seems kind of odd to me is that RSC does not list the left facing figure with the VIRTVTI AVG reverse at all. It does list your coin as no. 1329, but describes the figure as that of Gallienus.

[Rupert]

Well, I'd say my coin is struck well enough to see that there is no reason to assume that this should be Gallienus in an amazon's outfit. No beard, no imperial-male physique - I'd just call this an amazon, most likely the amazon Smyrna.

Rupert

[Ken W2]

I was suggesting that Alfoldi's treatment of the similarly-dressed left facing character, also with the double axe and pelta, may support your conclusions about the right facing one and mint of your coin.  Do you recognize the headress on this example ?