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Seleukid Kingdom, Alexander I Balas, 152 - 145 B.C., Apameia Civic Coinage

|Other| |Syria|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |I| |Balas,| |152| |-| |145| |B.C.,| |Apameia| |Civic| |Coinage|NEW
This rare civic coinage type, without the portrait of the Seleukid King, was only issued for one year, 150 - 149 B.C.

Apameia was on the right bank of the Orontes River, about 55 km (34 mi) to the northwest of Hama, Syria, overlooking the Ghab valley. Originally named Pharmake, it was fortified and enlarged by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 B.C., who renamed it after his Bactrian wife, Apama. The fortress was placed upon a hill; the windings of the Orontes, with the lake and marshes, gave it a peninsular form. Seleucus had his commissariat there with 500 elephants, 30,000 mares, and 300 stallions. The pretender, Diodotus Tryphon, made Apameia the basis of his operations. Located at a strategic crossroads for Eastern commerce, the city flourished to the extent that its population eventually numbered half a million. It was one of the four cities of the Syrian tetrapolis, boasted one of the largest theaters in the Roman world, and a monumental colonnade.
Great Colonnade at Apamea
GY114051. Bronze AE 17, BMC Galatia p. 233, 1, Lindgren-Kovacs 2029, Cohen DCA 134; HGC 1426 (R1), gF, patches of patina over darkly retoned metal with minor pitting and roughness on rev., weight 3.346 g, maximum diameter 16.5 mm, die axis 0o, Syria, Apameia (Qalaat al-Madiq, Syria) mint, 150 - 149 B.C.; obverse turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right, wearing long pendant erring; reverse Alexander the Great wearing an elephant's skin headdress and military attire advancing left, looking backwards, extending right hand forward, spear and shield in left hand, ΓΞP (year 163 of Seleukid era) in left field, AΠAMEΩN downward on right; rare; $125.00 (€117.50)


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D.

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.|NEW
Pietas in traditional Latin usage expressed a complex, highly valued Roman virtue; a man or woman with pietas respected his or her responsibilities to the gods, family, other people and entities (such as the state), and understood his or her place in society with respect to others.
RS114994. Silver denarius, Woytek 348b, BMCRE IV 403, Hunter II 135, BnF IV 468, RSC II 199, RIC II 104 (C), Strack I 161, SRCV II -, VF, near centered, attractive dark tone, highlighting deposits, light scratches, weight 3.190 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 111 A.D.; obverse IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate bust right, drapery on far shoulder; reverse COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Pietas standing half left, right hand dropping incense over lit altar at feet on left, long scepter in left hand, PIET in exergue; this coin has an attractive dark tone that should never be cleaned!; scarce; $120.00 (€112.80)


Laodicea ad Lycum, Phrygia, c. 189 - 133 B.C.

|Laodicea| |ad| |Lycus|, |Laodicea| |ad| |Lycum,| |Phrygia,| |c.| |189| |-| |133| |B.C.|NEW
The affectionate dove, the bird of love, was sacred to the goddess Venus (Aphrodite). Doves were said to draw her heavenly chariot, and the Syrian Aphrodite Ashtarte was said to have been hatched from an egg nursed by doves. The phrase attributed to Jesus, "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10.16), was no random metaphor but a traditional Syrian invocation.
GB114988. Bronze AE 13, BMC Phrygia, p. 284, 30; SNG Cop 497; SNGvA -, aVF, green patina, weight 2.967 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, die axis 0o, Laodicea ad Lycum (near Denizli, Turkey) mint, c. 189 - 133 B.C.; obverse draped bust of Aphrodite right, wearing stephane, hair tied in bunch behind; reverse Aphrodite standing left, wearing long chiton, dove in extended right hand, rose on stem in left field, ΛAOΔIKEΩN downward on right; scarce; $60.00 (€56.40)


Pompey the Great, Soli-Pompeiopolis, Cilicia, 66 B.C. - 1st Century A.D.

|Cilicia|, |Pompey| |the| |Great,| |Soli-Pompeiopolis,| |Cilicia,| |66| |B.C.| |-| |1st| |Century| |A.D.|NEW
Soli, a Rhodian colony, was founded, c. 700 B.C. The word solecism (a grammatical blunder) is derived from Soli; Athenians considered the Soli dialect to be corrupted Attic Greek. Pompey the Great destroyed Soli and refounded the site as Pompeiopolis, c. 66 B.C. Realizing they were driven to crime by desperation, Pompey spared and resettled numerous captured Cilician pirates at Pompeiopolis.
RR114981. Bronze AE 19, SNG Levante 880; BMC Lycaonia p. 153, 54; cf. RPC Online I 4002A var. (diff. monograms); SNG BnF 1213 ff. (same); SNGvA 5887 f. (same), F, dark patina, scratches, weight 4.562 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 0o, Cilicia, Soli-Pompeiopolis (near Mersin, Turkey) mint, probably struck 66 - 48 B.C.; obverse head of Pompey right, A(?) behind; reverse ΠOMΠHIOΠOΛEITΩN, Nike advancing right, wreath in right hand, palm over shoulder in left, ΠA over ΩZ magistrate monograms in right field; rare; $100.00 (€94.00)


Syracuse, Sicily, Roman Rule, 212 - c. 189 B.C.

|Syracuse|, |Syracuse,| |Sicily,| |Roman| |Rule,| |212| |-| |c.| |189| |B.C.|NEW
Overcoming formidable resistance and the ingenious devices of Archimedes, the Roman General Marcus Claudius Marcellus took Syracuse in the summer of 212 B.C. Archimedes was killed during the attack. The plundered artworks taken back to Rome from Syracuse lit the initial spark of Greek influence on Roman culture.
GI114972. Bronze AE 12, Calciatti II 223, SNG Cop 908, SNG Mόnchen 1494, HGC 2 1529 (R1), SNG ANS -, F, green patina, earthen deposits, weight 1.772 g, maximum diameter 12.2 mm, die axis 0o, Syracuse mint, 212 - c. 189 B.C.; obverse bearded and laureate head of Asklepios right; reverse ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, serpent coiled around a staff; ex Classical Numismatic Group mail bid 78 (14 May 2008), lot 124, (part of); first example of this type handled by FORVM; scarce; $80.00 (€75.20)


Syracuse, Sicily, Roman Rule, c. 212 B.C. - 133 B.C.

|Syracuse|, |Syracuse,| |Sicily,| |Roman| |Rule,| |c.| |212| |B.C.| |-| |133| |B.C.|NEW
Overcoming formidable resistance and the ingenious devices of Archimedes, the Roman General Marcus Claudius Marcellus took Syracuse in the summer of 212 B.C. Archimedes was killed during the attack. The plundered artworks taken back to Rome from Syracuse lit the initial spark of Greek influence on Roman culture.
GI114973. Bronze AE 22, Calciati II p. 433, 239; SNG Cop 907; SNG ANS 1061 - 1065; BMC Sicily p. 226, 688; HGC 2 1437 (R2), VF, green patina, broad round flan, scratches, weight 7.822 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, die axis 315o, Syracuse mint, c. 212 B.C. - 133 B.C.; obverse laureate and bearded head of Zeus right; reverse ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, Tyche standing left, wearing mural crown with two towers, rudder held by tiller in right hand, scepter vertical behind in left hand, prow right behind; ex Classical Numismatic Group mail bid 78 (14 May 2008), lot 124 (part of); very rare; $110.00 (€103.40)


Poppaea Sabina, Wife of Nero, Augusta 63 - 65 A.D., Akmoneia, Phrygia

|Other| |Phrygia|, |Poppaea| |Sabina,| |Wife| |of| |Nero,| |Augusta| |63| |-| |65| |A.D.,| |Akmoneia,| |Phrygia|NEW
Poppaea was renowned for her beauty and voluptuous extravagance. In 62 A.D., Nero divorced his wife Octavia to marry Poppaea. According to Tacitus, Poppaea married Otho only to get close to Nero and then, in turn, became Nero's favorite mistress, and then wife. She bore Nero one daughter, Claudia Augusta, born 21 January 63, who died at only four months of age. At the birth of Claudia, Nero honored mother and child with the title of Augusta. According to Suetonius, one day in the summer of 65, Poppaea quarreled fiercely with Nero over his spending too much time at the races. She was pregnant with her second child. In a fit of rage, Nero kicked her in the abdomen, killing her.

Unusually long legend for such a small coin. The reverse fields are completely filled with letters.

RP114986. Bronze AE 17, RPC I 3175; SNG Cop 24; SNG Fitz 4914; BMC Phrygia p. 11, 48; Waddington 5495, aF, dark blue-green enhanced (paint?) patina, areas of bare brass, porous, off center, weight 2.672 g, maximum diameter 16.5 mm, die axis 0o, Akmoneia (Ahat Koyu, Turkey) mint, 2nd issue, c. 62 A.D.; obverse ΠOΠΠAIA ΣEBAΣTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, wearing wreath of grain, lion on shoulder; reverse ΣEPOYHNIOY KAΠITΩNOΣ KAI IOYΛIAΣ ΣEOYHPAΣ AKMONEΩN ([magistrates] Servenius Capito and Iulia Severa), Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow and holding bow; a small figure of Nike holding palm and wreath before her; $100.00 (€94.00)


Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Akmoneia, Phrygia

|Other| |Phrygia|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.,| |Akmoneia,| |Phrygia|NEW
Akmoneia (Acmonea) was an important city of central Phrygia, located on a tributary of the river Senaros.
RP114987. Brass AE 20, RPC I 3168; BMC Phrygia p. 9, 33; SNG Cop 23; AMC I 1372; Waddington 5482, aVF, blue-green enhanced (paint?) patina, areas of bare brass, porous, part of edge ragged, weight 4.913 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Akmoneia (Ahat Koyu, Turkey) mint, 16 Jan 27 B.C. - 19 Aug 14 A.D.; obverse ΣEBAΣTOΣ (clockwise behind), laureate head of Augustus right, lituus before lower right; reverse Nike advancing right, raising wreath in right hand, palm frond in left hand; AKMONE/ΩN KPATHΣ / MHNOKPITOY (Akmoneia, [magistrate] Krates, son of Menokritos) starting in two upward lines on the left, ending counterclockwise on the left; $90.00 (€84.60)


Roman Empire, Gnostic Magic Lead Amulet, c. 3rd - 4th Century A.D.

|Roman| |Tesserae|, |Roman| |Empire,| |Gnostic| |Magic| |Lead| |Amulet,| |c.| |3rd| |-| |4th| |Century| |A.D.|NEW
Gnosticism is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century A.D. among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized personal spiritual knowledge above the teachings, traditions, and authority of religious institutions. This specimen is inscribed with the name IAW (Iao in English) on the obverse (a Greek vocalization of the Tetragrammaton - i.e. YHWH or Yahweh) and possibly CABAW (Sabao in English) on the reverse. In explaining the latter name and comparing it to the first, Gert Boersema has this to say in his 2022 KOINON V paper: "Appearing on a smaller, but still relatively large number of amulets (19 examples) is the name Sabaoth (Σαβαωθ), often spelled without theta, Sabao. It derives from an epithet of the God of Israel 'of Hosts,' earthly or heavenly. By Roman imperial times, Sabaoth was also conceived as a separate divine being."
AS114964. Lead amulet, apparently an unpublished variant; cf. Boersema IAA 37 (letters in obv. field reversed; dif. rev. inscription?), gF, oxide patina, earthen deposits, bumps and scratches, rev. weakly inscribed on mold, tiny remnant of casting sprue, weight 3.125 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, eastern workshop, 3rd - 4th century A.D.; obverse hand, 'A' on palm, flanked by W-I, (Greek inscription: IAW), all within dotted border; reverse Greek inscription: [C]ABA/W (or similar), within dotted border; ex Sol Numismatik auction XXIII (13 Jan 2024), lot 1191; very rare; $140.00 (€131.60)


Syracuse, Sicily, Hieron II, 275 - 215 B.C.

|Syracuse|, |Syracuse,| |Sicily,| |Hieron| |II,| |275| |-| |215| |B.C.|NEW
Hieron II was tyrant and then king of Syracuse, c. 270 to 215 B.C. His rule brought 50 years of peace and prosperity, and Syracuse became one of the most renowned capitals of antiquity. He enlarged the theater and built an immense altar. The literary figure Theocritus and the philosopher Archimedes lived under his rule. After struggling against the Mamertini, he eventually allied with Rome.
GI114969. Bronze tetras, SNG Cop 846; Calciati p. 369, R1 2; BMC Sicily p. 218, 598; HGC 2 1550 (S), VF, fine style, dark patina, light earthen deposits, mild porosity, weight 9.414 g, maximum diameter 20.7 mm, die axis 270o, Syracuse mint, c. 268 - 218 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Poseidon left; reverse ornamented trident head, dolphins with head downward on each side, IEPΩ-NOΣ, AΓ monogram (control) lower left field; ex Classical Numismatic Group mail bid 78 (14 May 2008), lot 124 (part of); $150.00 (€141.00)




  







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