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Author Topic: Punic legend  (Read 394 times)

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Offline Jochen

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Punic legend
« on: February 26, 2023, 12:51:17 pm »
Dear friends!

I recently got a small bronze coin from Gades, today's Cadiz, Burgos (2018) 1352 var. I am particularly interested in the Neo-Punic legend on the reverse. Below, from r. to l., is 'GDR for Gadir, the Punic name for Gades, present-day Cadiz. I have a problem with the MP'L above.
 I know that it is translated as 'of the citizens of Gadir', but also as 'moneda de Gadir' in Spanish. So the meaning is clear. But what does the word MP'L mean literally? Does it exist in Phoenician or Aramaic? Or is there a Hebrew equivalent?

Now I have found that Hebrew מובלט (MOBLT) means "minted". That is already damn similar to MP'L. That would then speak against "citizens" and for "moneda". Am I right?

With thanks in advance
Jochen

Offline Jan P

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2023, 04:09:09 pm »
I have no intention, Jochen, to distract the attention of your main question here, but by this occasion:
In front (here at the right) of the letters GDR for Gadir/Gades/Cadiz there also is usually an "alef". Why is that always ignored ? Should it not be read:"Agadir"? And why not ?

Offline Jochen

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2023, 04:26:56 pm »
Dear Jan, thank you for your answer. Yes, there is an "alef" before "GDR". But isn't "alef" always silent? Like the "ayin" between MP and L, which is silent too.

Jochen

Offline Jan P

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2023, 04:37:43 pm »
Oh !?
Thank you for that thought and I saw you added an interesting sentence to your original message. Congratulations with that find, by which I can imagine your excitement  +++!

Offline Kevin D

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2023, 05:24:03 pm »
https://www.academia.edu/9068222/The_Punic_Coins_and_their_Legends?auto=download

From page 3 of the above linked PDF:
"The Semitic laryngeals, alif and ayin were not distinguished in pronunciation at this time."

From page 4:
"The legends of the coins have a juridical background. m 2, 5.ª 34 reads 12: m p ‘ l l ’ ‘ ’g d r, “property of the town of Gadir in favour of the factory”.

I don't know if this translation for mp'l would also be applicable to our coin in question.

Offline Jan P

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2023, 05:51:09 pm »
Thanks a lot, Kevin D!
Yes, I looked your text up. Maybe I may also add the preceding sentence:"‘A is another writing for the determinative for alu "town". The laryngeals alif and ayin were not distinguished in pronunciation at that time."
Foreign, let alone ancient languages and their systems ... not so simple, but interesting!

Offline Jochen

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2023, 01:16:41 pm »
Thanks Kevin for the hint to "property of the town of Gadir in the favour of the factory".
When I type "factory" into an English-Hebrew translation programme, I get Hebrew MP'L! That's it! MP'L are not the citizens but the place of manufavture of the coins, Spanish "moneda"!

Thank you both for your enlightening contributions. I hate having unexplained legends on my coins!

Jochen

Offline Jan P

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Re: Punic legend
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2023, 04:44:18 pm »
Indeed, as you say Jochen:
Factory = מפעל = MP'L !
Fastastic, that one can verify a legend on a punic coin from well before our era in todays hebrew  :o!
Hope to see you again on screen with another coin, another ancient legend. I love this !

 

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