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An Etruscan Bronze Masterwork

Etru5can bronze helme!ed uarrlOT in combm, Hearing cuirass with plCT)'ges; cold-worked with Incised decoration _ Umbria, mid·5lh Cen/uT)' B.C Height 9 112" (24 ./ em.) Acquired in the lale ISth CenlHl)' b), M La/aWe; ex Musee La/aille, La Rochelle, France.

Royal-Athena now sells more select works of ancient art than Send for our FREE fu ll -color ZO-pag~ brochure. The following any other gallery, having quadrupled its sales over the past two publicmions arc also available: years. We attribute this rapid growth to over thirty years of ART OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, Vol. IV (1985), internationally acknowledged expertise and connoisseu rship, 679 objects, 192 color plates ($25 overseas) ...... , ,. .... $15 .00 the desire to ex h ibit the widest range of ancient works of art, THE AGE OF CLEOPATRA (1988), currently over 3500 objects, at competitive prices and in an 150 objects, 29 color plates, with price list ,_ 2.00 open ,md friendly atmosphere. We are currently selling to over 800 collectors, colleagues and museums in 20 countries . GODS & MORTALS: Bronzes of the Ancient World Whether you arc interested in a G reek terracotta head for (989), 180 objects, 49 color plates, with price list_ 4.00 S200 or a masterwork bronze for $3,000,000, we would be ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF GREEK VASES (l990), pleased to add your name to our rapidly growing li,t of dients. 185 vases, 49 color plates, with price li st 4.00

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royal-athena galleries new york - beverly hills Established 1942 Jerome M. Eisenberg, Ph.D., Director

153 East 57th St. , New York, N,Y. 10022 3)2 !'\onh Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, C~ , 90210 TeL: (212) 355-2034 Fax: (212) 688_0412 Tel" (213) 550-1199 Fax: (213) 550-1395 Monday-Saturday, 10 to 6 Monday-Saturday, 10 to 6

36, Place des Amiquaircs, 125 East 57th St., Royal -Athma at B.A. Seabi' Ltd. New Yor k, N.Y. loon Tel.: (212) 59]·119) 7 Davies Street, London W1Y ILL, England Mondav-Saturday, II to 6 Tel.. (44) 071-495·1590 Monday-Fr iday, 9:30 to 5 (Send for a free copy of "Antiquities Forum") INSIDE THE CELATOR...

Vol. 5, No. 11 FEATURES January 199 1

6 Political necessity brought Magna Mater from Asia Minor to Rome by James Meyer Publisher/Editor 30 Mythological themes Wayne G. Sayles influenced ancient Greek Page 6 coin designs Office Manager Magna Mater by Wifliam E. Oaehn Janet Sayles by James Meyer 38 Constantine's vision Associate Editor supports new hypothesis Steven Sayles on Roman coin re verse type Distribution Asst. by Oavid Mil/er Christine Olson 30 Understanding Style: Part 4, Art Spiritualism of later Parnell Nelson Roman art became the hallmark of Byzantine style by Wayne G. Sayles The Celator is an independent journal Page 30 published on the first day Greek mythology of each month at 226 Palmer Parkway, Lcdi, by William E. Daehn DEPARTMENTS WI. It is circulated intern ati onally th rough subscriptions and special 2 The Celator's Point of View distributions. Subscrip­ tion rates are $24 per Letters to the Editor 4 year (second class) within the United States 24 Art and the Market and Canada, 26 People in the News $48 per year to all other 28 Antiquities by David Liebert addresses (Air Printed Matter). 23 Coming Events Advertising and copy Page 38 deadline is the second 34 Coins of the Bible by David Hendin Friday of each month. Constantine's vision Unsolicited articles and by David Miller 36 Just for Beginners news releases are welcome. however Coin File - Quotes - Trivia· Humor 39 publication cannot be About the cover: 41 Coming Events guaranteed. Second AE drachm of Antoninus Pius, class postage. permit year 6, Roman Egypt, from the 42 Reference Reviews by Dennis Kroh pending, Lcdi, WI 53555. collection 01 Kerry K. Copyright ©1990, WeUerstrom. Sold December4, 45 Book News Clio's Cabinet. 1990 in CNA XIII 10($3,000 plus buyer's fee. The depiction is the 46 Professional Directory 608·592-4684 seventh labor of Herakles, cap­ turing the Cretan bull. 52 Index of Advertisers - Classilieds

Deadline for the February issue is Friday, January 11 ed itorials, letters, features and art icles. This month you will see a somewhat

Cl~ Cdato! i1 namod (a! and dedicahd to t~ coin diE.-E.n;}'talJ E"u, of antiquity who1-E. a 'tt 'tE.main1- a1 pow,"(uf and appwUn:J toda!) a1 in t~i. timo_

2 The Celator El'ht·sus. Tel radrach lll. Ath~IU, T,·lrad .. chn,. Sold NOWllll){'r 30.1990. S5280. s.,lJd Nov~mh("r 30. 1'i'JQ. S2640.

Christie's Holds Four M;yor Coin Sales EveryYear in New York a nd Many More in London, Rome and Amsterdam Almost al t of Ollr sa les include important ancient coins. If you wish to consign your coins to a Christie's auction or simply need an appraisal, please call James Lamb or Christine l)eussen at 212/546-1056. If you would like to subsc ri bc to Christic's NcwYork or worldwide numismati c ca talogues, please fill in the form below. CHRISTIE'S

Subscribe to C hrin ie's Coin Catalogues D Christie'sNcwYorkCoinClla1ogucs $ 50 Christie's holds sales of COlliS :lnd Numismatic Malnial D Christie's%rldwide Coins Catalogues in four international sal{'s rool1ls: New York. London, (Sales in New York. Lo ndon. Romc & ROllle and Amsterdalll, A subscription allows you to A msterdam). Discount Price S 140 rec{'ivc ealalogu{'s for each auction approxlmatdy titrce Total Order weeks prior to the sale datto. In addition, Christies sends subscribers a lisl of Ihe aCl ual prices realized. cnahllllg T.1X (I~ es i dent$ ofCA, FL, IL, N Y, PA. you to track mark<'l tr{'nds. Fi nally. Auction News TX. DC, MA, NJ. u., Itl add local tax) From Christie's, a lively monthly newslelll'T, IS sent without charge to all caulogu{' su bscribers.To ordcr. TOlal l)ue pkas{' eomplele Ihe form bdow and rCIUTll10: Christie's J>uhlic~tion~, 21-24 441h Avenue, Long Island Cit y, NY o Check or moncy order enclose{i, payabk 10 Christie's 11101. or ca1171f1j7R4-1480 with rour credit end order, D Chaq.;e American Exprt'ss, M;lstcrCard orVisa (circk ont') Namc ______(acCOUll t IlIIl11hcr) Address ______Card Valid through ______

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January 1991 3 This should not detract fromJ. Meyer's greater depth of reasoning_ We hope to theory concerning the "Baths of see this ability manifested more regu­ Constantine", which I find quite plausible. larly. FabioD'Annunzio Mark Thomas Eng/and England (We do not dismiss the problem of forg­ eries in the ancient coin business with any sort ofdispatch, careless orotherwise . The December 'Point of View' soft­ Our opinion is that Mr, Acar is the one soaps the issue of forgeries in the ancient who made light of the danger. This is, coin marketplace, and betrays shallow after all, a "Point of View" and we thank Dear Editor: thinking as far as its criticism of Ozgen you for yours!) Acar' s exposes and its treatment of the The Celator feature article, on the Black Sea hoard. Contrary to what is Gemma Tiberiana, in the November issue written and implied in 'Point of View' by Eric Kondratieff, was surely one of the forgeries continue to be a great danger Your 11 /90 issue was a great one for most interesting, well researched and for dealers and collectors of ancient coins. this reader on two counts. I really appreciated the article on the well written essays that I have read in The most prestigious auction houses are "Gemma Tiberiana~ by E. Kondratieff, years. I have been a subscriber to any veritably flooded by 'consignors' who of­ For years I have seen illustrations of it and all ancient coin, artifacts and arche­ fer excellent examples of the forger's and the "Gemma Augustea" and have ology etc. magazines since the middle craft. Many such forge ries are beguiling sixties. The latesl version of The Celator and masterful works. With respect to Mr. many times attempted to identify the secondary characters. The author ac­ ta kes top spol and articles like the Acar's articles in Coin World the gadfly Kondratieff report help make it so. Thank journalist should be applauded for his complished this with clarity and sound reasoning. I am also a believer that Nero you for your efforts, the results are obvi­ investigative work on the Kalayci work­ Drusus was the natural son of Augustus ous. shop. Mr. Sayles pooh-poohs Acar's and it would be interesting to trace a new writing about roosters digesting coins to family line of descent on this basis. M. Swan give them scratches and patinas, but The Reference Review by Dennis Kroh Canada Dennis Kroh's article in the same issue of is the first practical information on the The Cela/ordiscusses goats being used many numismatic books available that I for the same purpose. have seen. With the high price of these 'Point of View' contains the perplexing books it is nice to known which ones fit I am writing with regard to J. Meyer's declaration that, "The Black Sea Hoard. into one's collecting needs . very interesting and informative article on . . represents original art and reflects the Maxentian folies (Vol. 4, No. 12). talent of a particular celator." The impli­ The so-called arch pictured in Fig . 5 cation is that whether the engraver was Bill Raedy North Carolina behind the Dioscuri is actually the obverse ancient or a Kalayci is irrelevant. It is impression of Maxentius' head, resu lting relevant, and the latest issue of Bulletin from clashed dies. Indeed even the ob­ on Counterfeits should be consulted for verse legend may be read retrograde the elucidation that is absent in 'Point of Certainly it's your magazine and you beneath the reverse inscription. View'. can print what you want to. Your policy Clashed dies are fairly common for The problem offorgeries in the ancient regarding controversy does reflect a cer­ coinage minted ingreat haste and volume, coin business is not one that can be tain lackof editorial courage, but then, we especially for folies of this period. The dismissed with the careless dispatch of live in an unheroic age. Best wi shes for coin illustrated in this article has a much Mr. Sayles' treatment in 'Point of View'. the holidays. cleaner impression than usual, resulting Mr. Sayles has demonstrated in the past Phil Davis in an understandable misinterpre tation. that he can treat serious issues with Illinois

(Dear Phil: Simply being here is some­ what heroic.)

[If you (".HlErl '/1£",1 tf1L QutoCio:p aph:J ofrvatmtinE :D.WQt ..... IjUU au ",iHin,,! on~ of tfu Hat fu.gfii~/J.i of '990. I recently purchased and re ad The dVt)'lll ill a lUfub n~w uliuon of th" ,&60 Engfid, v£t1ion. Best of The Gelator for 1988 and 1989 and was impressed with both editions. I VALENTINE OUVAL: began collecting Imperial Roman silver and bronze coins about three years ago, An Autobio8raphy and have looked for a periodical that dealt with ancient numismatics with no "TIlt' mosl {'nrl'lllIining olld spellbinding non·fictionl hm'e erC/" read". W.C. Sayles success until now. As we say inthe Navy $19.95 postpaid with free bookplate "'Bravo Zulu for a job well done!" ViS(1/Me OK -Deafer inquiries III\'iled. Charles L. Decker The eela!or, 1'.0. Box 123, Lodi, WI 53555 (608) 592·4684 California

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January 1991 5 Political necessity brought Magna Mater from Asia Minor to Rome (The following article is reprinted with a spectator and his attitude to the gods Gauls in the Po valley destroyed another permission from Roman Coins and Cu/­ was understandably impersonal.2 Under Roman amlY, Philip V of Macedonia lure, Vol. 4 , No.1.) such circumstances, there could be no declared waron Rome while Syracuse, a promise of an afterlife other than as a powerful and long standing ally of Rome by J ames Meyer shapeless and wispy ghost, drifting for in , joined the Carthaginians. By M,lgn,1 Mate r, the Great Mothcr god. eternity in a dark underworld. 2 11, Rome itself was threatened with dess of Asia Minor. was a rel:ltively laIc siege. addition to the Roman p:mthcon. She 11-TH E CRI SIS From 210 to 205 B.c., Rome's posi­ had been imported in hastc for reasons The Second Punic War, also known tion slowly stabilized as Syracuse was more political than reli gious. Once the as the Hannibalic War, nearly resulted in recovered. Philip V agreed to a lruceand nature of her cult had been fully under­ Rome's de.