We have another interesting
plant depicted on coins, typical for Selge in
Pisidia: the Styrax tree. But in contrast to Silphion Styrax is not extincted and in use until today.
Pisidia, Selge, 2nd-1st century BC
AR -
triobol, 2.40g, 15.23mm
obv. Head of
Herakles frontal, slightly r., wearing Styrax
wreath, lion-skin over shoulders
rev. Club on l.
side, holy Styrax tree on
altar on r.
side, between SELGEWN
in r.
field bukranion
ref.
SNG France 1959;
SNG Copenhagen 256;
SNG von Aulock 5284
Rare, about VF,
obv. a
bit excentric
Often
Herakles is described as 'wearing oak wreath'. But actually it is a Styrax
wreath!
Styrax tree (Storax, Styrax) is a genus of the Styrax plants with about 100 species in the tropics and subtropics (except
Africa); indeciduous or deciduous shrubs or trees, whose twigs and leaves are full of star-shaped hairs. The blossoms are white, separate, growing from the leaf axil or in terminal grapes. Popular species are the Benjamin tree (benzoe) and the true Styrax (Styrax officinalis), the last one a small tree native in South-Europe and
Asia Minor. By carving into the bark the resin formerly Storax was obtained. Storax was the collective name for several aromatic smelling resins, consisting particularly of cinnamic acid, cinnamic acid esters, alcoholes and vanillin. The most famous was the oriental Storax, obtained from the Oriental Sweetgum (Liquidamber orientalis). It was formerly used as remedy for asthma, catarrhs and skin deseases. Today it serves for the production of ethereal oils and a resinoid which were used in perfume industry.
Best regards
