A New Coin of Colossae

Figure 1 –The mound of Colossae in Turkey. (Photo courtesy of Todd Bolen / BiblePlaces.com) 3), while the numeral-letter on a coin minted at Antioch in Syria by Philip II is clearly Δ (Figure 4), and it is identical to the countermark on Volusian’s coin. Note the bars on the points of the delta. To understand why the number 4 appears on this coin of Colossae one needs Figure 2 – Bronze coin of Colossae. Obverse: bust of Volusian with a countermark on his head. Reverse: Artemis Ephesia with stags. HE city of Colossae is of particular The bronze coin is 29 mms in diameter Tinterest to Christians because in and weighs 9.59 grams. On the obverse about 61 AD Saint Paul wrote an inspir - there is a laureate, draped bust of Vol- ing letter to the Christians there. The usian, who was the Roman emperor city was abandoned in the 12 th century from 251 to 253 AD. The Greek legend and today its remains are buried in on the obverse is Γ (Gaius) O (Vibius) A a great mound of earth. (Figure 1) The (Afinius) Γ (Gallus) O (Vendumnianus) mound had been building up over thou - OVO ΛOVCCIANOC (Volusianus). [OV sands of years as different inhabitants was used in Greek for the sound of the demolished old buildings and built new English consonant ‘v’ and for the vowel ones, or as buildings fell into disuse and sound in ‘you’.] On Volusian’s head there were quarried for other projects. Any coins is a large countermark, and at first it from Colossae that exist today are of was thought to be A (alpha), which in value to historians because they can Greek is used for the number 1. It was provide information about the life of the the Reverend Russell Atherton of Dallas, city. In a previous article, ‘Colossae: The Texas, who realized that it was Δ (delta), Buried City’ ( CAB , July 2013), some of the which is used for the number 4. This is coins of the city were illustrated and obvious when the countermark is com - described. They are all very rare. Recently pared with numeral-letters on coins Figure 3 – Bronze coin of Neapolis in Samaria. St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane acquired minted at other cities in the 3 rd century. Obverse: bust of Elagabalus (218-222 AD) with a countermark on his neck. Reverse: four a previously unknown coin of Colossae For example, the countermark on a coin horses pull a cart carrying the sacred stone of (Figure 2) and it provides some very in - minted at Neapolis in Samaria by the Elagabal. An image of Mt Gerizim is to the teresting information. emperor Elagabalus is clearly A (Figure right of the stone. (Gemini Auction XI, Lot 472) Wonders of the World. (Figure 6) She wears a large, T-shaped headdress and at her feet two stags look up at her. She frequently appears on the coins of Colossae, but she does not appear at all on the coins of Laodicea, which was only twelve miles down the road, and this suggests that there was a degree of re ligious rivalry between the cities. No doubt there was an impressive temple to the goddess at Colossae. In the exergue on the reverse of the coin the Greek word KO ΛOCCHN ΩN means “(a coin) of the Colossians.” Reading long Greek inscriptions or legends is a tricky business because Figure 4 – Bronze coin of Antioch in Syria. Obverse: bust of Philip II (247-249 AD). Reverse: bust there are no spaces between the words, of Tyche. In the left upper field the numeral-letter Δ = 4. With the epsilon in the right upper field it probably means “of the 4 eparchies.” (Classical Numismatic Group, eAuction 368, lot 269) which are often abbreviated, and the forms of the letters can vary considerably to know something about the economic Volusian’s coin is not the only coin of depending on the current style and that situation of these cities at that time. In Colossae with a countermark. There is of the engraver of the die. For example, the 3 rd century the Roman authorities a coin of the emperor Geta (209-212 AD) the letter on the coin to the left of the stag were continually reducing the amount of that has the countermark CAPB (Figur e on the left looks like I • I , but it is H and silver in the denarius and the antonini - 5). It has been interpreted as an abbrev- is a form of the letter that was common in anus, and this led to inflation, i.e. the iation of the Greek name of the city of the 3 rd century. So to correctly translate price of goods would go up. Purely bronze Sardes (CAP) plus the numeral-letter B the legend on this coin of Colossae was coins, however, tended to hold their value (2). Sardes stopped minting coins in about difficult, but fortunately an Australian and were continually needing to be re - 253 AD and used the coins of other cities, scholar, Dr Alan Cadwallader, was up to tariffed at higher valuations. According but countermarked them with the name, the task. He is Senior Lecturer in Bibli - to Kenneth Harl ( Coinage in the Roman Sardes, and the local, current valuation. cal Studies at the Australian Catholic Economy , page 141) in order to combat What is particularly interesting about University in Canberra. He sees the inflation, “Some cities backed up retar - Volusian’s coin is the long, Greek legend name of the magistrate as AV[PH ΛIOC] iffing by countermarking coins with on the reverse. It is the name of the MARKIANOC E ΠAΦPA CTE ΦANH ΦOPOC , de nominational marks of ten, eight, six, authorizing magistrate and it surrounds which he translates as “Aurelios Mark- four and three assaria.” Therefore, it is an image of Artemis like the idol that ianos, son of Epaphras, Stephanoph- likely that the denominational mark on stood in the great temple of Artemis at oros.” [EΠAΦPA is the Doric genitive of Volusian’s coin increased its value to four Ephesus, which was one of the Seven EΠAΦPAC .] “So what!” I hear you say. assaria. Well, for Christians it is significant be - cause it is the first time that the name Figure 5 – Bronze coin of Sardes in Lydia. Ob - verse: bust of Geta (209-212 AD) with counter - Figure 6 – Statue of Artemis in the Ephesus Figure 7 – Silver tetradrachm of Antioch in mark CAPB. Reverse: Artemis Ephesia with the Ar chaeological Museum. It would be similar to Syria. Obverse: bust of Trajan Decius (249-251 legend KO ΛOCCHN ΩN. (Image courtesy of Tom the idols of Artemis that stood in the temples at AD). Reverse: eagle with wreath in beak. Vossen at Vcoins.com) Ephesus and Colossae. (Wikimedia Commons) (Image courtesy of Lucernae at Vcoins.com) MAKE YOUR FIRST CALL TO THESE SUPPORTING ADVERTISERS (AND PLEASE TELL THEM... YOU “SAW IT IN CAB”) ANDA . .35 Figure 8 – Silver tetradrachm of Antioch in Syria. Obverse: bust of Trebonianus Gallus (251-253 AD). Reverse: eagle with wreath in beak. (Image courtesy of Athena at Vcoins.com) A.N.S. .53 ‘Epaphras’ has been discovered in any sends greetings. He is always wrestling inscription, originating from Colossae. in prayer for you, that you may stand Chris Rudd . .59 The name does occur in some ancient firm in all the will of God, mature and inscriptions, but not from Colossae. The fully assured. Of course, the ‘Epaphras’ Coin Trends . .27 name ‘Epaphras’ occurs in two places in on the coin is not the one in the letter, but the New Testament: in the Letter to the he could well be a descendant. The ‘Epa - Coinworks . .9 Colossians and in the Letter to Philemon. phras’ on the coin was a stephanophoros, In the Letter to the Colossians we read i.e. he had the right to wear a crown or Classy Collectables . .59 in the first chapter: All over the world wreath on civic occasions. This means this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, that he was an important person in the Downies . .7 just as it has been doing among you since community, just as the references to the day you heard it and understood Epaphras in Paul’s letter showed him to Drake Sterling Numismatics .26 God’s grace in all its truth. You learned have been. Because the name appears it from Epaphras , our dear fellow-ser - on the coin around an image of Artemis vant, who is a faithful minister of Christ it does not necessarily mean that he was Edlins of Canberra & Yass . .19 on our behalf, and who also told us of a pagan. As a magistrate it would have IAG . .D . .A . .T . E. .1D0-11 your love in the Spirit. And in the last been his civic duty to authorize the coin, BE UP chapter we read: Epaphras , who is one even though he might be a Christian TO of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, himself. Klaus Ford . .38-39 Actually, when this coin was made it was a dangerous time to be a Christian. mossgreen AUCTIONS . .15 When Trajan Decius (Figure 7) became emperor in 249 AD he began a general News Limited . .3 persecution of Christians throughout the empire. He even executed the bishop Noble Numismatics . .2 of Rome. In 251 he was succeeded by Trebonianus Gallus (Figure 8) who con - Numisbid . .31 tinued the persecution. He ruled jointly with Hostilian, but after a few months Hostilian died of the plague and Trebo - Padstow Coin Centre .

Load more