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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Anatolia| ▸ |Lydia||View Options:   | | | Lydia lies in east-central Anatolia (Asia Minor) between Ionia and Phrygia. The kingdom of Lydia gradually rose in power in the 7th Century B.C. and by the time of Alyattes and Croesus, it was controlling most of Anatolia after rebuking Medes (the pre-Achaemenid empire). The most important city was Sardis, today Sart, housing impressive ruins. The Lydians were viewed as a merchant people and the kings as extremely wealthy. Croesus gained mythical status and today we still use the expression, "rich as Croesus." |
This coin published in Greek Coins from the Collection of Jonathan P. Rosen, ANS ACNAC 5, New York, 1983, by Nancy Waggoner, plate 25, no. 675.GA111447. Silver siglos, Rosen Collection pl. 25, 675 (this coin)Carradice Type IV (late) C, 46 ff.; BMC Arabia 172 ff.; SNG Kayhan 1031; Klein 763; SGCV II 4683, VF, off center, mild porosity, encrustation on edge and part of reverse, weight 5.520 g, maximum diameter 16.0 mm, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 375 - 340 B.C.; obverse Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, bearded, crowned, dagger in right hand, bow in left hand; reverse irregular oblong punch; from the CEB Collection; ex Numismatic Fine Arts winter sale (New York, 12/87), lot 372; ex Rosen Collection;
Lydian Kingdom, Kroisos, c. 561 - 546 B.C.
King Kroisos minted the first silver and gold coins. He was famous for his extraordinary wealth, but with his defeat by Kyros in 546 B.C. Lydia became a Persian satrapy.GA111578. Silver 1/24 stater, SNG Kayhan 1022; Klein 562, SNGvA -, SNG Cop -, BMC Caria -, Traité -, Boston MFA -, F, toned, porous, rough, weight 0.317 g, maximum diameter 6.3 mm, die axis 0o, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 550 - 546 B.C.; obverse on the left, forepart of a lion right, confronting, on the right, the forepart of a bull left; reverse incuse square punch; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 124 (8 Jan 2023), lot 956 (part of); rare;
Faustina Junior, Augusta 146 - Winter 175/176 A.D., Wife of Marcus Aurelius, Saitta, Lydia
Saitta (or Saittai) was in eastern Lydia, in the triangle between the upper Hyllus river (modern Demirci Çayi) and the Hermus river (modern Sidaskale). Representations of the river gods are found on coins of the Imperial Period. The moon god Mên Akziottenos was honored, but Zeus, Dionysos, Aphrodite, Hygieia, Asklepios, Apollo, Kybele, and Herakles were also revered at Saitta. The town was a regional center for textile production. Hadrian probably visited in 124 A.D. In the city, In the Christian era Saittai was attached to the Archbishopric of Sardeis.RP110656. Bronze AE 18, GRPC Lydia III pl. 255, 71; RPC Online IV.2 T1392; BMC Lydia p. 218, 36; SNGvA 8247; Lindgren I A790B; Winterthur 3887; SNG Cop -, Choice aVF, well centered, dark patina, earthen deposits, scratches, weight 4.402 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 180o, Saitta (Sidaskale, Turkey) mint, Titianos (archon), c. 161 - 163/165 A.D.; obverse ΦAVCTEINA CEBAC (from upper right), draped bust right; reverse EΠI TITIANOV CAITTHNΩN (under authority of Titianus, Saitta), Apollo standing facing, nude, head left, legs crossed, laurel branch downward in right hand, drapery over left left forearm which is resting on a waist high column;
Domitian, 13 September 81 - 18 September 96 A.D., Philadelphia, Lydia
Several ancient cities were named Philadelphia, but this one is the sixth among the seven churches listed by John in the Book of Revelation. A letter to the Philadelphian church is recorded in Revelation 3:7-13. According to which, the Philadelphian Christians were suffering persecution by the local Jews. The city's history of earthquakes may lie behind the reference to making her church a temple pillar. Philadelphia shares with Smyrna the distinction of receiving nothing but praise from Christ, except Smyrna was warned of temptation lasting "ten days," while Philadelphia was promised a total exemption from temptation. This explains why modern Protestant churches sometimes use "Philadelphia" as a component in the local church's name as a way of emphasizing its faithfulness.SL111606. Bronze AE 16, GRPC Lydia III 219; RPC Online II 1331; SNG Leypold 1126; BMC Lydia p. 197, 62; Winterthur 3863, NGC VF (4933657-005), weight c. 2.5 g, maximum diameter c. 16 mm, die axis 180o, Philadelphia (Alasehir, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 79 - 81 A.D; obverse ΔOMITIAN KAICAP (counterclockwise from lower right), bare headed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse ΦΛABI ΦIΛAΔEΛΦEΩΝ (counterclockwise from lower right), Apollo standing half right, head right, wearing long belted chiton, plectrum in right hand low at side, kithara (lyre) in left hand and arm;
Bagis, Lydia, c. 193 - 268 A.D.
Inscriptions uncovered by Keppel place ancient Bagis near Sirghe on the left (south) side of the Hermos River. Modern scholars pinpoint a site at Güre, Usak Province, Turkey. The "Treasures of Croesus" findings from Lydian tumuli around the town were plundered in the 1960s but recovered by the 2000s and now in the Usak Museum.RP99127. Bronze AE 26, GRPC Lydia II pl. 29, 36; SNG Cop 45; SNG Mün 45; SNG Tüb 3667; BMC Lydia p. 33, 16; Winterthur 3702; Weber 6786; SNGvA -, VF, attractive style, well centered on a tight flan, green patina, weight 9.455 g, maximum diameter 25.7 mm, die axis 180o, Bagis (Güre, Turkey) mint, c. 193 - 268 A.D.; obverse CVNK-ΛHTOC, youthful draped bust of the Roman Senate right; reverse KAICAPEΩN BAΓHNΩN, Tyche standing sightly left, head left, kalathos on head, holding grounded rudder by tiller in right hand, cornucopia in left hand;
Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Artaxerxes I - Darius II, c. 455 - 420 B.C.
| This type was minted in Lydia, Anatolia, while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. The Persian or Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 - 330 B.C.) was the largest empire in ancient history extending across Asia, Africa and Europe, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and much of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. |  |
Tripolis, Lydia, c. 138 - 192 A.D.
Tripolis on the Meander (Tripolis ad Maeandrum, also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis) was on the borders of Phrygia, Caria and Lydia, on the northern bank of the upper course of the Maeander, and on the road leading from Sardes by Philadelphia to Laodicea ad Lycum. It was 20 km to the northwest of Hierapolis. The earliest mention of Tripolis is by Pliny, who treats it as Lydian. Ptolemy and Stephanus of Byzantium describe it as Carian. Hierocles likewise calls it Lydian. Some modern academics have placed it in Phrygia. The ruins of Tripolis ad Maeandrum mostly date from the Roman and Byzantine periods and include a theater, baths, city walls, and a necropolis. An ancient church, dating back 1,500 years, was unearthed in 2013.RP111208. Bronze AE 17, RPC Online IV.2 T1634 (3 spec.), GRPC Lydia 4 Tripolis 55, Winterthur 3984, Mionnet Suppl. VI (Caria) 562, gF, well centered, broad flan, nice style, green patina, marks, edge splits/cracks, weight 2.918 g, maximum diameter 17.4 mm, die axis 0o, Lydia, Tripolis (near Yenicekent, Turkey) mint, c. 138 - 192 A.D.; obverse radiate-headed and draped bust of Helios right; reverse TPIΠOΛEITΩN, Nike walking right, raising wreath in right hand, palm frond in left hand over left shoulder; from the Michael Arslan Collection, Coin Archives records only one specimen of the type at auction in the last two decades; very rare;
Daldis, Lydia, 69 - 79 A.D.
The Zeus who was worshiped at Laodicea was a Hellenized form of the old native god, Mên. Mên had been the king and father of his people. When Greeks settled in the area they continued to worship the god whose power was supreme in the district, but they identified him with their own god Zeus. Thus at Sardis and elsewhere in the region the native god became Zeus Lydios.GB96503. Bronze hemiassarion, GRPC Lydia 4; RPC Online II 1325 (12 spec.); BMC Lydia p. 70, 2; SNG Cop 110, F, green patina, tight flan cutting off much of legends, legends weak, earthen deposits, weight 3.818 g, maximum diameter 16.5 mm, die axis 0o, Daldis (near Narlïkale, Turkey) mint, time of Vespasian, 69 - 79 A.D.; obverse ΘEON CYNKΛHTON, draped bust of the Senate right; reverse EΠI TI ΦΛA YΛA ΦΛA KAICAP ΔΑΛΔI (struck under Titus Flavius Hylas [at] Flaviocaesaria Daldis), Zeus Lydios standing left, wearing long chiton and himation, eagle in right hand, scepter in left hand; rare;
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 December 192 A.D., Akrasos, Lydia
Akrasos was probably located on the upper course of the Caicus River. The site remains unknown. Even which river was once called the Caicus is uncertain. It is believed to be the modern Bakircay River in Turkey. Nothing is known of the city beyond its coinage.RP111751. Bronze AE 26, GRPC Lydia Acrasus 27, RPC Online IV.2 T2794, SNG Mun 19, BMC Lydia -, SNGvA -, Choice F, dark green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, porosity, weight 9.202 g, maximum diameter 25.9 mm, Acrasus (site unknown) mint, under Marcus Aurelius, c. 177 - 179 A.D.; obverse AV KAI Λ AVP KOMOΔ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse EΠI CTPA BACCOV AKPACIΩTΩ (authority of strategos Bassos, Akrasos), Hygieia on left, standing half right, feeding serpent from patera held in her arms; Asclepius on right, standing facing, head left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff; ex CNG e-auction 510 (23 Feb 2022), lot 405; ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection ;
Septimius Severus, 9 April 193 - 4 February 211 A.D., Bagis, Lydia
Inscriptions uncovered by Keppel place ancient Bagis near Sirghe on the left (south) side of the Hermos River. Modern scholars pinpoint a site at Güre, Usak Province, Turkey. The "Treasures of Croesus" findings from Lydian tumuli around the town were plundered in the 1960s but recovered by the 2000s and now in the Usak Museum.RP110155. Bronze AE 25, GRPC Lydia II 65 var. (legends); BMC Lydia p. 36, 26 (same); SNG Cop 48 var. (same); SNGvA -, SNG München -, VF, centered, cleaning a bit rough with marks and bare metal high points, weight 7.994 g, maximum diameter 25.2 mm, die axis 180o, Bagis (Güre, Turkey) mint, Archon Antigonus; obverse AY KA Λ CE CEOVHPO, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse EΠI ANTIΓ B AP - A TO B BAΓHNΩ (HN ligate), Zeus Lydios standing slightly left, head left, eagle in right hand, scepter in left hand; unpublished legend variety;
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