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Author Topic: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?  (Read 3492 times)

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Offline Jochen

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Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« on: September 28, 2005, 06:08:27 pm »
Hi!

Here is my newest purchase, an AE37 of Maximinus I from Tarsos/Cilicia.
obv. AVT.K.G.IOV.OVH.MAXIMEINOC
        PP in the field
        bust, draped and cuirassed, radiate, r.
rev. TARCOV THC MHTROPOLEW
        l.field AMK, r.field G.B.
        Apollo Lyceios standing frontal, holding a dead wolf in each hand
very rare, about VF

I think this type is very rare because I couldn't find it on Wildwinds nor on CoinsArchives. There are similar types from Trajan Decius but not from Maximinus. It would be very helpful if anyone could give me the attribution or any literature advice.

Another question is the meaning of AMK and G.B on the reverse. I have found on the net that AMK should be the abbreviation of PRWTOC, MEGICTHOC, KALLISTHOC = the first, the biggest, the most beautiful. This title was given to many cities when Caracalla went east to battle the Parthians AD 225. But I wonder that there is no A in this solution!

B.G should be GRAMMATEVS. BOULH. The Grammateus is a high local magistrat. But what are his duties?

Any information highly appreciated!

Best regards

Offline Steve Minnoch

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2005, 07:31:13 pm »
My feeling is that the A in AMK is used as a numeral, kind of like we might abbreviate the translation as "1st, greatest and most beautiful".

Steve

Offline bpmurphy

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2005, 07:39:19 pm »
SNG Levante 1099 (this coin)
SNG France 1590 (same dies)

Barry Murphy

Offline curtislclay

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2005, 08:07:03 pm »
I think the old interpretation of GB was "By Decree of the Council".
In fact, these were again numerals, 3 and 2, and the meaning was "Capital of THREE provinces, holder of TWO neocorates".  When Tarsus acquired a third neocorate under Valerian, the abbreviation changed to GG.
We owe this discovery to P. Weiss, Die Abkürzungen GB und GG auf den spätkaiserzeitlichen Münzen von Tarsos und Anazarbos, Chiron 9, 1979.  I know Weiss' conclusion from R. Ziegler, Städtisches Prestige und kaiserzeitliche Politik, Düsseldorf 1985, p. 27.
Curtis Clay

Offline slokind

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2005, 12:29:12 am »
And now you're off into the LYK- etymologies and the arguments about which cult images support each argument, and the effort to recover the cults of Asia Minor.  This is the price we pay for the early Anatolians' having neglected to record, or if recorded to cherish and preserve, their own languages and literatures and cults.  For, of course, this cult statue is a true cult statue, not part of the art in a landscaped sanctuary.  They probably held that it was as wonderful and ancient as the one with a stag on his hand by Kanachos at Miletos.  We have no way of knowing which of these images was really c. 600 BC and which were 'replacements' or 'miraculously discovered'.
This baby will keep you busy for a good, long time!  Have fun!  I mean that sincerely; it is fun.
Pat L.

Offline Steve Minnoch

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2006, 06:33:10 pm »
I have noticed that later coins of Anazarbus have AMKT, for example Sear GICV 4484.

Is there any explanation for the T?

Steve

Offline curtislclay

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2006, 07:48:22 pm »
Inscriptions show that the T must mean either TIMIWTATHS (most honored) or TETEIMHMENHS (not sure what this means).  So Ziegler, Städisches Prestige, p. 39, note 110.
Curtis Clay

Offline Steve Minnoch

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Re: Very rare Maximinus I from Tarsos, Lykeios. Attribution?
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2006, 08:11:14 pm »
Thank you Curtis.

Steve

 

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