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Author Topic: The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.  (Read 1139 times)

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Offline cicerokid

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The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.
« on: August 06, 2019, 06:57:27 am »
Collecting can become an obsession-if it can be collected someone will and this latest ( and last?) area of my obsession has the mark of one whose obsession went too far.

Apellicon of Teos was a rich peripatetic philosopher who loved books and visited libraries. Unfortunately he was caught pilfering from the library at Athens  and went on the run.

But the political situation in Athens was turning in his favour and he was allowed back and became a mint magistrate.
This is why he appears as first magistrate on this last ever three magistrate New Style with the symbol of a leaping griffin- the badge of Teos!

At some point he was given the task of capturing the treasury of Delos but failed.

Athens was besieged by Sulla in Autumn 87 and took the city in March 86. Apellicon is thought to have died in 84.

There are 6 New Style issues whose symbols are thought to represent the factions fighting for political control at Athens.

Gorgonian and Pegasos are thought to represent the mythic roots of Mithradates's royal claim and the pegasos issue's 1st magistrate is Aristion...the same Aristion who appears later?

The next is Roma and Roma and Nike. Self obviously they should be pro-Roman. If the symbol seated Roma is correctly identified as such then there is no problem. A supporting feature is that the Roma being crowned by Nike's 1st magistrate is Kointos which is the Greek version of the Roman name Quintus. Another supporting feature is that a controversial New Style coin 2 Ears of Corn is post-Sullan or contemporary with the Sullan siege and again features Kointos as first magistrate. Why is Roma being crowned?

Now two new Styles without obvious political links can be politically attibuted  because both the magistrates of the seated Roma issue issued the Coiled Serpent issue and also the very large Dolphin & Trident.

The next two political new styles are Griffin and Star between two Crescents.

Griffin, the badge of Teos the birthplace of the first magistrate Apellicon and friend of the tyrant Athenion is self explanatory was also given a military command to loot the Delian treasury but the Romans stopped him. The final one is Star between 2 Crescents-the Pontic Royal badge and the two magistrates are King Mithridates himself and the tyrant Aristion...the same on the previous pegasos issue?

Now add in obverse die links and historical dates for the siege of Athens and a skeleton of coinage issues can be attempted

Gorgonion and pegasos are die linked but isolated, and so is coiled Snake and Winged Agon similarly, as is Headdress of Isis and Dolphin & Trident. Roma is die linked to Roma & Nike which is die linked to Griffin. Star and 2 Crescents is isolated but has to be before March 86 and probably struck  88/87 before or around the Sullan stranglehold.

That is, of course if the issues are yearly. DeCallatay has doubts about Roma and Roma and Nike!

Anyway I have all the political ones in my collection, with the exception of the silver Star between 2 Crescent for which I have a bronze Fulminating Zeus with Star and 2 Crescents.

So I have essentially come to the end with the purchase of Griffin.

I even have an example of a pseudo-Athenian "Lucullan" minted for Sulla's troops and a few examples of later post-Sullan New Styles.

So I can be said to be at the end of the end.It's an achievement.

But similarly I have essentially the end of the beginning.

I have all six coins of the first 5 issues of the New Styles from the 160's BC, but even more so I have 27 of the 29 types of the early catalogue.
I have an example of the first control,  an example of the first 3 magistrate issue and the last, and an example each of the "over-represented types".
I have an example from almost the very end of the New Styles and some important imitations. Well That's it folks I guess......
Timeo Danaos afferentem coronas

Offline djmacdo

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Re: The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2019, 07:28:13 am »
As always, an informative, interesting post from a true collector!


Offline Molinari

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Re: The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2019, 10:22:27 am »
Congrats. Is there an ancient source that lists the griffin as the badge of Teos?

Offline cicerokid

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Re: The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2019, 11:04:31 am »
Other than it's on the coins of Teos and related cities like Abdera all I'm doing is repeating what I have read (somewhere!).


https://cccrh.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/2018-11-griffins-web.pdf

He says they are not sure why.
Timeo Danaos afferentem coronas

Offline Molinari

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Re: The thief of Teos: and the end of it all.
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2019, 11:16:49 am »
I misread.  I thought you’d said the badge of Apellicon which I meant to write above, not Teos.  Thanks for the article anyhow!

 

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