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Author Topic: A Slither of Snakes  (Read 20694 times)

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Offline Enodia

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Re: A Slther of Snakes
« Reply #25 on: January 26, 2015, 02:29:28 pm »
One time my wife's cat, Mitsy, was toying with a baby snake outside while we watched her, and when the snake finally gave up, to my shock, Misty grabbed it in her mouth and started to carry it to us.  I literally threw my wife between me and the snake and ran inside.  I'm not proud of that, but I would do it again.  That's how afraid of snakes I am!


wow, my hero!   ::)
lol

well it turns out i only have the one Greek coin with snakes. i had forgotten that the snake was off the flan on my other example.
however, scraping around amonst the 'others' i found this one, a denarius of Caracalla; Salus seated left, feeding snake from patera and holding cornucopia ...
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-50951

Offline Molinari

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #26 on: January 26, 2015, 02:36:38 pm »
It was more of a shove than a throw, but you get the point...

Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #27 on: January 26, 2015, 03:34:08 pm »
OK, than a 2nd Greek coin, sadly not well preserved.

Pisidia, Etenna, von Aulock, Münzen und Städte Pisidiens, Nr. 516-523

Rev. Nymph in chiton with crossed legs stg. frontal, head turned right, entwined by snake in large coils, raising r. hand and
        holding snake with l. hand; left behind her an overturned Oinochoe.

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Taras

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #28 on: January 26, 2015, 04:12:20 pm »
Ehi, another amazing collective thread for collectors, thank you Peter!

John, your coins from Kroton are beautiful, congratulations! I hope some day you will share pics of your whole collection, I imagine it amazing!

When I was about 20 I started collecting real living snakes, I had an entire conditioned room for them, full of terrariums, with couples of royal pythons, red tailed boa, elaphe obsoleta, lampropeltis mexicana etc.; I always bought specimens born in captivity, never caught in the wild. I loved to hold them crawling on my skin, in particular boa and pythons, that conveyed a very strong feeling of ancestral calm and power. My favorite was a red tailed boa I named Asklepios. Now I have stopped with that strange hobby and I gave or sold all them, because in recent years my continuous movements in different cities would not allow me to treat with due care all those beautiful beasts. Recently I gave to a friend of mine the last one I had left, a royal python I named Sigmund. Nick, I hope you still want me as associate researcher after I disclosed all this!!  ;D

All the best :)
Nico

Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #29 on: January 26, 2015, 04:27:32 pm »
Infant Herakles strangling snakes is known too from Serdika:

Serdika, Caracalla, Ruzicka 391; Hristova/Jekov 12.18.14.14

This type is struck in memory of the Greek tetradrachms of 404 BC which celebrate Lysander after his victory over the Athenians as Herakliskos Drakonopnygon.

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Offline Enodia

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #30 on: January 26, 2015, 04:34:57 pm »
Taras i have wanted one of those for some time now, but haven't found a decent one at an affordable price...yet!
and while i know this scene is portrayed on a number of different coins i have never scene Jochen's example before. a very nice depiction!

my friend Harry used to have a rainbow boa named Tosh. he lived in a small studio at the time, and Tosh had the run of the place. every time my wife and i would visit the snake would crawl across the room, climb up on the sofa and curl up in Debbie's arms... every time!
Nick you should've been there to see that!   :evil:  

~ Peter


Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #31 on: January 26, 2015, 04:38:32 pm »
Eagle fighting with snake.

Apollonia Pontika, Faustina II, Varbanov 810; RPC IV online temp. 10943

The symbolism of this depiction I don't know. If someone can shed light on that I would be very happy!

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Taras

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #32 on: January 26, 2015, 04:59:12 pm »
Infant Herakles strangling snakes is known too from Serdika:

Serdika, Caracalla, Ruzicka 391; Hristova/Jekov 12.18.14.14

This type is struck in memory of the Greek tetradrachms of 404 BC which celebrate Lysander after his victory over the Athenians as Herakliskos Drakonopnygon.

Best regards



Thanks for sharing Jochen. It is striking to see virtually identical iconography in so distant places. They seem engraved on the basis of the same model, maybe a statue?


Taras i have wanted one of those for some time now, but haven't found a decent one at an affordable price...yet!
and while i know this scene is portrayed on a number of different coins i have never scene Jochen's example before. a very nice depiction!

my friend Harry used to have a rainbow boa named Tosh. he lived in a small studio at the time, and Tosh had the run of the place. every time my wife and i would visit the snake would crawl across the room, climb up on the sofa and curl up in Debbie's arms... every time!
Nick you should've been there to see that!   :evil:  

~ Peter



Peter, I believe what you told... some of my snakes preferred to be manipulated by the same friend of mine, I mean different snakes had a constant preference for different friends. Sigmund was particularly attached to my girlfriend Pam, that's the reason for he was the last I left. I learned the relationship between men and snakes is pure chemistry. In fact, they know the world around them by the Jacobson's organ, which is a sort of small living laboratory for chemical analysis.

Bye :)
Nico

Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #33 on: January 27, 2015, 11:59:15 am »
Another mythological important snake: Ladon, guarding the apples of the Hesperids. Only Herakles was able to get them.

Tarsos, Gordian III, cf. SNG Copenhagen 383

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #34 on: January 27, 2015, 12:04:49 pm »
Eshmun, the Phoenician Asklepios, with 2 horned snakes.

Berytos, Elagabal, SNG Copenhagen 120; Lindgren II, 120, 2270; BMC 216

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #35 on: January 27, 2015, 12:33:26 pm »
Demeter with 2 snakes: One coiled around the long torch, the other emerging from the cista mystica. Caracalla's shield decorated with a Nike!

Hadrianopolis, Caracalla, Jurukova 278; Varbanov 3487 var. (obv. legend with CEV)

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #36 on: January 27, 2015, 12:42:04 pm »
A similar depiction from Serdika: Serdika, Caracalla, Hristova/Jekov 12.18.5.4 var., Ruzicka 148 var.

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #37 on: January 27, 2015, 12:49:43 pm »
Snake staff, but not hold by Asklepios but by Apollo Iatros! Asklepios is the small figure on the right side of Apollo.

Serdika, Caracalla, Ruzicka online, 169-177 var. (plate coin); Hristova/Jekov 12.18.7.17 (plate coin)

A very rare depiction. And Caracalla has thrown his aegis nonchalantly over his left shoulder!

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #38 on: January 27, 2015, 01:05:12 pm »
Winged Pax-Nemesis advancing r., pointing with winged caduceus at snake which is coiling before her. The snake here stands for health and welfare, and together with the caduceus for economic prosperity.

Claudius, RIC I, 38; Cohen 57; BMCR 39; v. Kaenel 628

Pedigree:
ex Glendining & Co. Auction, London 3. Dec. 1929, Lot 666
ex Adolph E. Cahn Auktion Nr.  68, Frankfurt 26. Nov. 1930, Lot 232 (coll. Moritz Simon, Berlin)  
ex Münzen und Medaillen, AG, Basel
ex. Klassische Münzen, Dr. Brandt, Stuttgart

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #39 on: January 27, 2015, 01:24:07 pm »
In ancient times the snake stands most often for health and welfare. But in Christian times the meaning of the snake turns into evil.

Valentinian III rests his right foot on head of snake with human head. RIC X, Ravenna 2010; Cohen 19; Depeyrot 17/1; Ranieri 95; DOCLR 841(?)

RIC X, p. 56: The cross relates the emperor to Christ, and the serpent is probably the defeated usurper Johannes. The serpent as a symbol of usurpation had already been used by Constantius II after the fall of Magnentius (RIC VIII, 233, no. 1). This depiction was not entirely symbolic; Constantine Porphyrogenitus (de Caerimoniis 2.19) describes the ceremony of imperial triumph, in which the emperor rested his right foot on the head of the prostrate enemy leader,while his equerry placed the butt of the imperial spear on the captive's neck.

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #40 on: January 28, 2015, 05:51:29 am »
And again: Athena feeding the Erichthonios snake.

Nikopolis, Elagabal, Hristova-Hoeft-Jekov (2013) 8.26.4.9 (plate coin); AMNG I/1, 1921 (1 ex., Sofia); Varbanov 3905

Pick writes: The typus is matching nearly exactly the coins of Markianopolis, above n. 669,pl. XV, 23; wether the goddess hands the serpent poppies like there or a patera is not sure.
I think it is a olive twig because the small round fruits look by size and shape like the fruits on the olive tree.

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Offline Enodia

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #41 on: February 01, 2015, 02:41:16 pm »
Jochen, how do you feed all those snakes?

here's one i already posted in the 'Convocation of Eagles' thread, but it is appropriate here as well...
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-81063

~ Peter

Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #42 on: February 01, 2015, 02:47:15 pm »
Hi Peter!

Some years before in the context of my Mythology Thread I was chasing snakes, especially snakes with trees and coins with 2 snakes.

And we should add Apollo Lykeios from Markianopolis to this thread. Of the many different depictions I have choosen an Apollo with an open quiver with arrows at his right side, a rather rare depiction. The snake probably is Python from Delphi. Markianopolis, Severus Alexander & Iulia Mammaea, Hristova/Jekov (2013) 6.34.7.2 (plate coin).

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Offline Jochen

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #43 on: February 01, 2015, 03:20:54 pm »
And here a coin of Philipp II & Serapis from Tomis with Dionysos in the position of Apollo Lykeios, AMNG 3596. I don't know of any relations of Dionysos and a snake. The Orphics have a tale where Zeus as snake has created with his daughter Persephone the infant Zagreus/Dionysos, but this is certainly not the subject of this reverse. It is bullshit, imitating simply Apollo Lykeios from Markianopolis.

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Offline Arminius

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #44 on: February 01, 2015, 03:24:00 pm »
One of my "snake mysteries":

undetermined Roman provincial coin (Selge in Pisidia?), Philipp I (?), 244-249 AD.,
Æ23 (ø 19-20 mm / 5,60 g), bronze, axes about coin alignment ↑↓ (ca. 170°),
Obv.: […] Φ-IΛIΠΠOC CЄ , his laureate, draped and cuirassed bust facing right, seen from behind.
Rev.: …Γ(?)Є.. , Demeter holding a torch in each hand, standing as charioteer in biga of winged snakes r.,
Isegrim database - ; http://www.acsearch.info - .

Maybe someone can provide the mint.

 ???

Offline JBF

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #45 on: February 01, 2015, 11:16:06 pm »
Molinari, you may fear snakes, but snakes fear me! :evil:

In high school, a group of us from the dock (smoking section) went to the nearby creek during lunch and caught snakes for the lunch hour (or two), and then let them all go at the end of the hour.  We did that every school day in the Spring, poor snakes must have gone crazy from all the attention!

Offline okidoki

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #46 on: February 02, 2015, 03:17:52 am »
Because this thread has no organization, I have here 2 Egyptian snakes: On the left side Agathodaimon with pshent and holding kerykeion, on the right side Uraeus with Isis crown and holding sistrum. Alexandria, Hadrian, Dattari 790

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oh Jochen what a very nice example of Hadrian.

Hadrian lover XL

Eric
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Offline okidoki

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #47 on: February 02, 2015, 03:25:23 am »
hi all,

very nice thread i hope you all like my snakes.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian Tetradrachm 125-26 AD Agathodaemon
Reference.
Emmett 804.10; Köln 894 Dattari: 1552

Obv. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙAN ΑΔΡ CΕΒ
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.

Rev. L ΔEKATOY (year 10=125/26 AD)
Agathodaemon erect right at left, wearing skhent and enfolding caduceus, facing Uraeus erect left at right, wearing disk and horns, enfolding sistrum, their tails knotted together and holding a club erect

Tetradrachme, year 10 = 125/126

13.35 gr
23 mm
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Eric
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Offline okidoki

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #48 on: February 02, 2015, 03:26:55 am »
EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian Tetradrachm 120-21 AD Agathodaemon
Reference.
Emmett 803.5; Köln 804/805 var.; Dattari 1547; Milne 982

Obv. AVT KAI TPAI ΑΔΡΙΑ CEB
Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder; crescent before.

Rev. LE (date) in exergue.
Agathodaemon serpent erect right, wearing skhent and entwining caduceus and grain ears in coils.

14.30 gr
23 mm
1h

notes.
Agathodaimon:
In ancient Greek religion, Agathos Daimon or Agathodaemon (Greek: ἀγαθὸς δαίμων, "noble spirit") was a daemon or presiding spirit of the vineyards and grainfields and a personal companion spirit,[2][3] similar to the Roman genius, ensuring good luck, health, and wisdom.

source:
Doug Smith's Ancient Coins at FORVM
Skhent:
The crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
All the Best,
Eric
There are no strangers, only friends you do not know yet.

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Re: A Slither of Snakes
« Reply #49 on: February 02, 2015, 03:49:56 pm »
064 B.C., L. Roscius Fabatus, Rebublic AR-Denarius Serratus, Crawford 412/1, Rome, Maiden and Snake, FABATI,

 Q.
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