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IN Greek Mythology the Three Graces Were Goddesses Concerned With Ruins of Aphrodisias (Wikimedia Commons) Overlay: a coin of Aphrodisias (Gorny & Mosch 126: 1832) N Greek mythology the Three Graces minted at Aphrodisias, a city in western poppies, wreaths and musical instru - Iwere goddesses concerned with beauty, Anatolia, where she was the principal ments. In the early stages (Classical charm, gracefulness and cheerfulness. deity. (Figures 1 and 2) The Greeks began Period) they were occasionally shown They were in the retinue of Aphrodite to worship the Three Graces in about clothed, but later (Hellenistic and Roman (Venus) who made use of their services the eighth century BC, and the earliest Periods) they were usually shown nude when she needed to adorn herself with record of them is probably in the Iliad , or wearing transparent gowns. This was all her female seductions. Their associ - which Homer wrote in about 700 BC. A apparently to indicate that they were ation with Aphrodite is indicated by the little later the Greek poet, Hesiod, men - without pretence. According to S.W. number of coins that featured them tions them in his Theogony . He describes Stevenson ( A Dictionary of Roman Coins , the night festival that celebrated them page 438) they “display as if in a dancing at Orchomenus, a city in Boeotia, where attitude, symmetry of person, combining the oldest sanctuary dedicated to them with elegance of movement, unadorned was situated. (Figure 3) There they were beauty, unconscious of offence to modesty.” worshiped in the form of stones, probably Their number and their names varied meteorites. Their popularity spread to according to time and place. In Sparta other cities, and Aristotle in the 4 th cen - they were two: Cleia and Phaenna. But tury BC remarked that their sanctuary according to the most widely accepted in Athens was in a prominent place. tradition there were three Graces and According to Hesiod the Three Graces their names were Aglaia, Thalia and were the offspring of Zeus, the chief of Euphrosyne. These names are simply the the gods, and Eurynome, the daughter of Greek words for brightness, flower and Oceanus, who was one of the elemental joy respectively. According to F. Guirand forces that had formed the world. The in the Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythol - Three Graces are depicted holding a var- ogy each of the Graces had a specific iety of objects: apples, vases, ears of corn, function: Aglaia was ‘the brilliant’, Thalia Figure 1 – Bronze coin of Aphrodisias, c. 250- 255 AD. 20 mms diam. Bust of Hera on the obverse, and on the reverse Aphrodite stands holding an apple and a sceptre. The apple refers to the contest between Hera, Aphrodite and Athena. A golden apple was the prize ‘for the fairest’. It led to the Trojan War. (Roma Figure 2 – Bronze coin of Aphrodisias. Crispina, the wife of Commodus (177-192 AD), is on Numismatics, Auction May 2013, Lot 477) the obverse, and the Three Graces are on the reverse. (Gorny & Mosch, Auction 126, Lot 1832) ‘charity’, and this has led to the Three Graces sometimes being called the Three Charities, but this is confusing and should be avoided. Statues of the Three Graces were erec - ted in various cities in Greece and the wider Greek world. Most of these no Figure 3 – Bronze coin of Orchomenos, c. 370- longer exist, but some still do. (Figure 4) 364 BC. 14 mms. On the obverse there is a Coins minted at Pautalia in Thrace in Boeotian shield with an ear of grain on it. On about 200 AD indicate that some of these the reverse the star is probably Venus. The statues may have been out in the open, let ters EPXO stand for Erchomenos. (Triton not enclosed in temples. The centre of the IX, Lot 225) city is shown on the coins, and although was ‘she who brought flowers’ and Euph- the statues of Asklepios and other gods rosyne was ‘she who rejoices the heart’. are in temples, the Three Graces are not. The three together were considered the (Figure 5) Mosaics and wall paintings of personification of grace, which is ΧΑΡΙΣ the Three Graces were also popular, and (charis) in Greek. The plural is ΧΑΡΙΤΕΣ they have even been found at Pompeii. (charites ). This Greek word has the (Figure 6) It is interesting the way the sense of ‘favour’ as well as the sense of ideal female figure, as represented by ‘loveliness’. But it is favour to someone the Three Graces, has changed over the that is undeserved, not out of compassion, centuries. When the women in the paint- which would be ‘mercy’. The Greek word, ing from Pompeii are compared with ‘charis’, is the root of the English word, those in a painting made by Rubens in Figure 5 – Bronze coin of Commodus (198- 217 AD) minted at Pautalia in Thrace. It shows the Three Graces in miniature. (Fritz Rudolf Künker, Auction 124, Lot 9282) 1635 (Figure 7) the latter could be an advertisement for Weight Watchers. The current ideal figure, of a very thin teen- ager, could be used in an advertisement for Oxfam. In his excellent book, The Three Graces and Their Numismatic Mythology , printed in 2004, Mark A. Staal listed, many with images, all the coins with the Three Graces on them of which he was aware. They were particularly common around 200 AD, and many cities issued coins with their image on them, either in miniature or as the only type on the reverse. Where they are the only type the images are very similar. (Figures 8 and 9) The Three Graces should not be con - fused with other groups such as the Three Figure 4 – Marble statue of the Three Graces found in Rome but now in the Louvre. Made Figure 6 – Fresco from Pompeii now in the in the 2 nd century AD and restored in 1609 it is a copy of a 2 nd century BC Greek statue. Archaeological Museum in Naples. (Source: (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Wikimedia Commons) Figure 8 – Bronze coin of Gordian III (238-244 AD) minted at Anazarbus in Cilicia. 20 mms diam. The objects on either side of the Three Graces have been described as censers or altars, Figure 7 – ‘The three Graces’ by Sir Peter Pau l but they look like the objects in the statue in the Louvre (Figure 4), which seem to be water Rubens, c. 1635. The painting is in the Prado vessels covered with towels. (CNG Electronic Auction 300, Lot 159) Museum in Madrid. (Source: Wikimedia Danaids or the Three Nymphs. The for - Three Graces do appear in miniature on Commons) mer are shown wearing long flowing tetradrachms minted at Gadara in the gowns and carrying water jugs, while the Decapolis. (Figure 11) Returned and Services latter are shown holding hands. The The cities that issued coins featuring Three Graces are distinctive because the the Three Graces were mostly in Thrace League of Australia centre figure stands with her back to the (modern Bulgaria) and Anatolia (modern (Tasmania Branch) Inc. viewer and her arms around the shoul - Turkey). Tarsus issued a number of them has for sale a surplus number of the 201 2 ders of the others who face the viewer. under various rulers from Maximinus I, $2 colourized “Poppy” coin When they are in miniature it may not be 235 – 238 AD. (Figure 12) There were at original issue price plus postage possible to make a definite identification. probably statues of the Three Graces in Contact Robert Dick (State Presi dent) The three tiny figures that appear on a all these cities, well before the coins were Ph: 0448 889 848 new-style tetradrachm of Athens are issued. Email: [email protected] probably the Three Nymphs. They are What is particularly interesting in all to the right of the owl. (Figure 10) The this, is what influence, if any, the Three Graces had on early Christianity. Saint Paul was born in Tarsus and lived there for several years after his conversion. Subsequently he traveled extensively in Anatolia and Greece, and probably vis - Postal ited cities in Thrace. It is therefore likely that he saw statues of the Three Graces and knew their significance. In his first Bid Sale letter to the Corinthians he wrote, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and We offer regular love. But the greatest of these is love.” sales of 5,000+ (1 Cor. 13:13) Could this triad be related to the Three Graces? Concerning Aglaia lots, including (the brilliant) Paul would have known the World Coins - Most verse in Isaiah (Isa. 2:5), “Let us walk in Countries A to Z (2,000+ lots) in the light of the Lord”, which suggests the all metals including Gold. idea of faith. Concerning Euphrosyne (she who rejoices the heart) Paul would Australia - have known the verse in the Psalms Pre Decimal, (Ps. 31:7), “I will be glad and rejoice in Gold, Banknotes, your love”, which suggests a connection Decimal, between joy and love. But what would Tradesmen’s Tokens (800+ lots) Thalia (she who brought flowers) have to do with hope? The answer to this question Medallions - is found on coins showing hope person - Share Script (Gold Mining) ified as a woman holding a flower. (Fig - World Banknotes - ures 13, 14 and 15) Hope (Spes in Latin Ancients - Roman Coins. and Elpis in Greek) holds a flower because - where there is a flower there is hope of Great Britain fruit to come. In his letter to the Galat- Hammered, Milled & ians Paul wrote, “The fruit of the spirit Figure 9 – Bronze coin of Gallienus (253-268 Modern Coins, Large is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, AD) minted at Serdica (now Sofia, the capi - Selection of Tokens & goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and tal of Bulgaria).
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