Ancient Name or Coins for Abruzzo Region of Italy needed.

[4to2CentBCphilia]

Can anyone help me identify the ancient name and/or coins for the Abruzzo region of Italy? I am looking for 5th-1st century BCE coins.



I am not having much success in this region.



TIA



Mark

[esnible]

Barclay Head said "No coins can be attributed to this region during the period of the dominion of the Umbrians, Etruscans, or Gauls. The Romans conquered the country about B.C. 290, between which date and B.C. 268 the issue of coins at Ancona, Asculum (?), Firmum, and Hatria took place."

http://www.snible.org/coins/hn/picenum.html

[Dapsul]

Except the Picenum coinage mentioned by Ed, there are some other towns in Umbria (Ameria, Iguvium, Tuder), the central Apennine region (Alba Fucens, Carsioli) and Samnium (Aquinum, Aesernia, Larinum, Pallanum) with a considerable output of coins in the period you're interested in. I recommend to have a look at N. K. Rutter, Historia Numorum Italy, London 2001.

Frank

[Molinari]

That's the region my ancestors come from! 

Molinari

[Dapsul]

So you have a very interesting history to dig into. I like this region very much, especially when I'm there.
Are you then from a branch of the Sambuca-producing family? Would be great ;-)

Frank

[Molinari]

No, not related to the Sambuca clan (although I always buy that brand!)....it's actually my mother's family that comes from that area.

Molinari

[Molinari]

I'd like to see them if you have a chance to post pics- even if they're not all that appealing!

Molinari

[Jeff Clark]

Here is a big ole cast coin from Hatria that I thought enough of to have bid over the estimate on this week.....but unfortunately, lots of people felt the same way.

[esnible]

Those Hatria coins are amazing!

Thurlow & Vecchi describe the woman as being Medusa, but do not explain why.  I have often wondered what caused them to reach that conclusion.

[Molinari]

Here's another of the same type.  I too wonder why Medusa....but what might be some other possibilities?  It looks like a strange slug-like creature to me....now I want one!

Overall, some nice coins.  I love AE.

Molinari

[Jeff Clark]

It isn't mine..I was only 1000 Euros short.  It was estimated at 500 and went for 1800.  It was listed as 59mm and 187.03 grams. 
Hmm...I guess I never looked much at the different explanations for the obverse.  I had never seen the Medusa explantion, but the Coinarchives coin does look like a face.  I have usually seen these listed as a murex shell...a sea shell and I believe that is what it is, probably.

[CANTANATRIX]

  those things are huge!

Unlucky on the auction Jeff but I can see why such a coin would be highly desired by many collectors.
As to the identity of the 'monster'-hmmm.....

Looks like a bunch of coils or a shell.

Could be Echidna:

"And in a hollow cave [Callirhoe] bare another monster, irresistible, in no wise like either to mortal men or to the undying gods, even the goddess fierce Echidna who is half a nymph with glancing eyes and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled skin, eating raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the holy earth" (From Hesiod)

 

[Dapsul]

So if we stick here with the amazing coins of Hatria: For those who read Italian the recent discussion on lamoneta might be of interest: http://www.lamoneta.it/index.php?showtopic=17402

[AlexB]

Here's another of the same type.  I too wonder why Medusa....but what might be some other possibilities?  It looks like a strange slug-like creature to me....now I want one!

Overall, some nice coins.  I love AE.

Molinari

BTW I think thats the same coin.

Brgds

Alex