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Author Topic: Zeus Portrait OTD  (Read 2085 times)

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Offline Dino

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Zeus Portrait OTD
« on: October 08, 2008, 10:51:38 am »
We all know that you can find Zeus on any number of ancient coins.  My favorite portrait of him comes from a Thessalian League Double Victoriatus (not mine, unfortunately).

Post your favorite portrait of the ruler of Olympus.

Offline areich

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2008, 11:50:26 am »
Slightly goofy Zeus


serious Zeus


vewry goofy Zeus


Andreas
Andreas Reich

Offline Potator II

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2008, 11:57:11 am »
Nice examples. Is Jupiter OK as for Zeus;D

I have a nice depiction of Jupiter on a Severus Alexander denarius reverse, and don't forget that a Victoriat's obverse is showing Jupiter too :

Regards
Potator

Offline Noah

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2008, 03:01:36 pm »
Although I do not collect Greeks, nor do I have a Zeus reverse on any of my Romans, this is an interesting thread nonetheless.  Those are some very nice depictions of Zeus.


Best, Noah

Offline areich

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2008, 03:38:29 pm »
The first one I posted, while it may not be my ideal depiction of Zeus (I think he should be stern and serious)
is nevertheless the most spectacular portrait I found.
Andreas Reich

Offline Dino

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2008, 05:34:39 pm »
Andreas,

Those are great coins.  Love the detail on the hair in the first one.  Remember that Zeus seduced many women and goddesses.  So, while he should appear regal and awe-inspiring, I'm not sure that I picture him in a portrait as stern and serious. 

This is the God who covered the Earth in clouds to try to cover up an affair and then sheepishly turned his lover into a cow to hide her from his nag of a wife.

Having said that, he certainly had a temper and didn't hesitate to punish his opponents, but I view the overall picture of Zeus differently.

Offline Dino

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2008, 06:11:14 pm »
Nice examples. Is Jupiter OK as for Zeus;D

Of course.  Just another rip-off from the Greek culture.

As Gus Portokalos said in My Big Fat Greek Wedding:  "Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek."

Gus Portokalos: You know, the root of the word Miller is a Greek word. Miller come from the Greek word "milo," which is mean "apple," so there you go. As many of you know, our name, Portokalos, is come from the Greek word "portokali," which mean "orange." So, okay? Here tonight, we have, ah, apple and orange. We all different, but in the end, we all fruit.

Offline Dino

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2008, 06:26:43 pm »
Lampsacus Stater

Sylvianus

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2008, 05:03:04 am »
After looking at this topic, I realised that I have only one coin with a depiction of Zeus/Juppiter, this Aurelian Iovi Conservatori Antoninianus with the king of the gods in all his naked glory presenting the imperial regalia to the emperor (a great ex-FORVM coin BTW  :)).
The late artistic style is also an interesting contrast to some of the earlier coins above.

Offline areich

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2008, 05:09:15 am »
As I understand it they don't have to be yours. I certainly don't own the ones I posted.  :-\
Andreas Reich

Offline Frans Diederik

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2008, 05:44:26 pm »
My Zeus (which I own) is no doubt one of the heaviest (a good 73 grms) and I like the portrait!

Frans

Offline gallienus1

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2008, 09:01:28 am »
I can’t scan any of my lovely Zeus obverse portraits on silver tetradrachms because the relief is too high on the coins. So I will have to settle for an interesting Zeus/Baal reverse from Arados complete with palm tree and a Ptolemaic AE29 which has a nice easy to scan lower relief portrait of that mighty monarch of the Gods. (Images not to scale, the Arados tet has a very large flan- super example of an even bigger coin by the way Frans)

Steve



Offline Frans Diederik

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2008, 11:24:25 am »
I don't want to be one of those boys arguing about size, but mine is really bigger than yours! ;D
 It measures 41 mms in diameter, 6.9 mms thick and 0.073 kilograms heavy.
As far as I understand it has the exact weight for the first drachmai standard, which was later reduced. I also have a hemidrachm of 37.35 grams, also of Ptolemy IV.

Frans

Offline ROMA

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2008, 01:05:44 am »
Probably the best thing about Zeus portaits is the variety! Areich those are stunning, do you own those? If so I am very jealous! I've encountered a lot of Zeus portraits but I think I've only owned one myself. While I do not own this coin, i always liked the image because i thought it gave Zeus a more down to earth "feel."
Adversus solem ne loquitor

Offline areich

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #14 on: October 28, 2008, 02:37:00 am »
I wish. I don't have a very spectacular Zeus but sometimes it is nice to look
at coins like these that I could never afford.
Andreas Reich

Offline moonmoth

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2008, 04:12:05 am »
This is probably my best Zeus, laureate, on a bronze of Apameia in Phrygia, 19x24mm, 7.26g.  The reverse is a cult statue of Artemis Anaitis, so named because of syncretism with a Persian deity, apparently.  The statue looks just like many other cult statues of ArtemisPhrygia was the home of the Mother Goddess, aka Cybele, and she also became syncretised with this Artemis. Anyway .. the legend on the reverse is AΠAME(Ω) to the right, magistrate(s?) KANKAPOY EΓΛOΓIΣ to the left.
"... A form of twisted symbolical bedsock ... the true purpose of which, as they realised at first glance, would never (alas) be revealed to mankind."

Offline wie-wolf

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Re: Zeus Portrait OTD
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2008, 06:09:07 am »
here is (my) zeus with a kind smile,
MAKEDONIEN, PHILIPP II. (359 - 336 BC)
Tetradrachm, Amphipolis (c.342/1 - 329/8)
w.

 

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