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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Anatolia| ▸ |Ionia||View Options:   | | | Ionia lies in central Western Anatolia (Asia Minor) on the shores of the Aegean Sea. The region is rather small and mountainous unsuited for agriculture but excellent for seafaring. Greek settlement took place in the 11th to 10th Centuries B.C. despite hostilities with the native Luwians (Indo-European people related to the Hittites and Lycians). After resisting fairly well to the Cimmerian invasion, the Ionians were gradually conquered by the Lycian Kingdom, and later by the Persian Empire. Ionia was freed by Alexander but became a contested prize for the Hellenistic kings, until the last king of Pergamum bequeathed his land to Rome. Ionia offered the world countless philosophers and men of science, and a fabulous school of art. |
In 30/29 B.C., the Koinon of Asia and Bithynia requested permission to honor the Augustus as a living god. "Republican" Rome despised the worship of a living man, but an outright refusal might offend their loyal allies. A cautious formula was drawn up, non-Romans could establish cults and build temples for divus Augustus jointly with dea Roma. Communitas Asiae (Community of Asia) was pro-consular Roman province comprised of Lydia, Iconia, Caria, Mysia, Phrygia, and Hellespontus.SL113456. Silver cistophorus, RPC Online I 2221, RIC I 120 (R3, Pergamon), RSC II 3, BMCRE I 228, SRCV I 1838, NGC F, strike 5/5, surface 3/5 (2400265-002), weight 10.53 g, maximum diameter 26 mm, die axis 180o, probably Ephesos (near Selcuk, Turkey) mint, 41 - 42 A.D.; obverse TI CLAVD CAES AVG, bare head left; reverse Temple of Roma and Augustus, two columns, podium with four steps, within temple Augustus and Roma stand facing, Augustus in military garb with spear in right hand and shield in left, Fortuna crowns him with wreath in right hand and holds cornucopia in left hand, ROM ET AVG (Roma and Augustus) on entablature, COM - ASI (Communitas Asiae) across field at center; from a Virginia Collector, ex Eastern Numismatics Inc. (Garden City, NY, 17 Jan 2013, $1695); NGC| Lookup; very rare; $1700.00 (€1598.00)
Ephesos, Ionia (or perhaps Bargylia, Caria or Amyntas, King of Galatia), c. 2nd - 1st Century B.C.
The type is most often attributed to Ephesos, but the style and denomination/weight do not strongly support any link to that city. NGC tags for the type note the origin may be Bargylia, Caria. The style certainly fits Bargylia better than Ephesos. The consignor of this coin, a professional numismatist, believes it was struck under Amyntas, King of Galatia, 37 - 25 B.C. Amyntas also issued Artemis and stag types.GS98643. Silver trihemiobol, cf. SNG Davis 270, SNG Cop -, SNG Kayhan -, SNGvA -, BMC Galatia -, aVF, toned, light marks and scratches, weight 1.337 g, maximum diameter 12.3 mm, die axis 0o, Ephesos (near Selçuk, Turkey) mint, c. 2nd - 1st Century B.C.; obverse draped bust of Artemis right, quiver at shoulder; reverse forepart of stag right, head turned back left; extremely rare; $310.00 (€291.40)
Macedonian Kingdom, Philip III Arrhidaeus and Alexander IV, 323 - 317 B.C.
Struck in the name of King Philip III Arrhidaeus, Alexander the Great's half-brother, under the regent Perdikkas. Philip III and Alexander's infant son, Alexander IV, were made joint kings after Alexander's death. Philip was the bastard son of Philip II and a dancer, Philinna of Larissa. Alexander the Great's mother, Olympias, allegedly poisoned her stepson Philip III as a child, leaving him mentally disabled, eliminating him as a rival to Alexander. Neither Philip III nor Alexander IV was capable of actual rule and both were selected only to serve as pawns. The regents held power, while Philip III was actually imprisoned. In 317, Philip was murdered by Olympias to ensure the succession of her grandson.GB111207. Bronze 1/2 unit, Price 2072, VF, green patina, earthen deposits, some corrosion, light scrape on rev., weight 3.655 g, maximum diameter 14.0 mm, perhaps Miletos (near Balat, Turkey) mint, struck under Asandros, c. 323 - 319 B.C.; obverse Macedonian shield, pellet at boss center with three rings around, with five crescents around,; reverse crested Macedonian officer's helmet facing, with ear flaps, stalk of grain lower left, K lower right; from the Michael Arslan Collection; $90.00 (€84.60)
Salonina, Augusta, 254 - c. September 268 A.D., Metropolis, Ionia
Metropolis was on the road between Smyrna and Ephesus. Neolithic, Hittite, Mycenaean, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods are represented at the site. Metropolis was a part of the Kingdom of Pergamum during the Hellenistic period, the time when the city reached a zenith of cultural and economic life. Metropolis had a temple dedicated to Ares, one of only two known dedicated to the war god. Strabo wrote that the district produced excellent wine. The ruins are of a Hellenistic city heavily Romanized, with Byzantine remains laid across it—a church to the east of the city, and fortification walls laid across city that connect to the Hellenistic defenses on the Acropolis. Excavations began in 1989. A Hellenistic marble seat of honor with griffins was found in the Ancient Theater. The original seat is in the Izmir Archeological Museum and a replica has been placed at the site.RP111836. Bronze AE 27, BMC Ionia p. 181, 35, SNG Cop 939, SNGvA 2076, SNG Mün 698, SNG Hunt I 1678, Weber 6029 var. (obv. leg.), SNG Tüb -, gF, dark green patina, porosity, weight 8.128 g, maximum diameter 26.7 mm, die axis 0o, Metropolis (near Yeniköy, Izmir, Turkey) mint, 254 - c. September 268 A.D.; obverse •CAΛΩN•XPVCOΓΩNH•CEBA•, draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders; reverse MHTPOΠOΛEITΩN TΩN EΝ I/ΩNIA (MH ligate, last four letters in exergue), the Emperor standing right holding upright scepter, clasping hands with Tyche standing left, the latter dressed in a chiton and peplos and holding transverse scepter; submitted to the RPC database; $90.00 (€84.60)
Geta, 209 - c. 26 December 211 A.D., Ephesos, Ionia
At the beginning of the third century, Ephesus asked to build temples to Caracalla and Geta, brother-emperors and sworn enemies. Both agreed, but on separate temples. Caracalla allowed the honor of his to go to Ephesus' patron goddess Artemis. A new temple was to be built for Geta. After Caracalla killed Geta any sign of worship for the dead brother was eradicated.RP112065. Bronze AE 18, Karwiese 5 553 (V1/R25), SNG Cop 429; SNG Leypold I 589; SNG Tubingen 2839; BMC Ionia p. 88, 288; Lindgren 468; SNGvA -, VF, dark patina with earthen encrustation, weight 2.806 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 135o, Ephesos (near Selçuk, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 198 - 209 A.D.; obverse Λ CEΠ ΓE-TAC KAI, bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse EΦE-CIΩN, stag right; scarce; $90.00 (€84.60)
Caligula, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D., Smyrna, Ionia
Caius Caesar was nicknamed Caligula (little boots) by the legions because as a child his mother dressed him in military uniforms (including little boots). For a few brief months he ruled well. However, an unknown disease drove him mad and he sunk into debauchery and murder. The Praetorian Guard murdered him, ending the madness.ME113275. Bronze AE 17, RPC I 2473; Klose Smyrna XXVII A; BMC Ionia p. 269, 277; SNG Cop 1345; SNGvA 7994, F, bare metal, rough from corrosion, rev. off center, weight 2.521 g, maximum diameter 16.7 mm, die axis 0o, Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey) mint, 38 - 39 A.D.; obverse ΓAION KAICAPA EΠI AOYIOΛA, laureate head right; reverse ZMYPNAIΩN MHNOΦANHC, Nike advancing right, raising wreath in right hand, palm frond over shoulder in left; proconsul C. Calpurnicus Aviola and magistrate Menophanes; scarce; $70.00 (€65.80)
Ephesos, Ionia, 48 - 27 B.C.
As the goddess of the hung, Artemis' most distinctive attributes were her bow, arrows and quiver, hounds and stags, but she was also called the torch-bearing goddess. Artemis was honored at Amphipolis with torch-races called Lampadephoria.GB110655. Bronze AE 24, SNGvA 1870; SNG Cop 339 var. (M above); BMC Ionia p. 69, 179 var. (A above); SNG Tübingen 2800 var. (same), aF, green patina, scratches, earthen deposits, weight 7.088 g, maximum diameter 24.2 mm, die axis 0o, Ephesos (near Selçuk, Turkey) mint, 48 - 27 B.C.; obverse diademed and draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver on shoulder behind; reverse forepart of stag right, looking back left, flaming long torch behind, Θ above, E-Φ flanking stag's neck, ΔHMTPIOC (magistrate) below; $40.00 (€37.60)
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