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
GREEK, ETRUSCAN, ROMAN, EGYPTlAN & N EAR EASTERN ANTIQUITlE..';; EUROPEAN SCULPTURE THROUGH 1800· OLD MASTER PRINTS & DRAWINGS ISLAMIC, SOUTHEAST ASlAN & ORIENTAL WORKS OF ART PRE-COLUMBIAN & TRIBAL ART. GREEK, ROMAN & BYZANTINE COINS
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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 ______ C il y Signature Zip ('l:I.--J'''')o(' 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 4 The Gelator FineArts , ,, IER .. A' O"ALa 'HC WORLD'S RECORD PRICE FOR ANY ANCIENT COIN SOLD IN AUCTION WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THIS TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT AND WOULf) LIKE TO T AKE THIS OI'PORl'UNITY TO THANK ALL WHO MADE AUCTION XXV A SUCCESS WEARE Now ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS FOR OUR 1991 AUCTIONS & Numismatic Fine Arts ~.7 tNT~ANATIO NAL I NC 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard. 6th Floor Los Angeles, C A 90067 (213) 278·1535 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 Sicily, 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.Hannibal was still roamingsouthem Italy and her temple were kept under strict at will, with no Roman general willing to government control. Nevertheless, risk a direct confrontation. Magna Mater' remained an indispens In 205 B.C.lhere had been a number able if unsavory deity whom the Ro of bad portents, the most distu rbi ng of rnan .~ felt they could not afford to 1 '7r;1r,~~:;~~~~ which were increasing repon s of ignore (Sec figure I). As the cen , - showers of stones. Livy writes) of turies passed, in spile of the a wave of superst ilion tak ing hold government's efforts to keep the lit Rome. In the minds of the citizens lIway. thc cult slowly people, the gods were obviously anracteddevotees. AI first, the irritated. TIlis was elear from new converts were most ly the long string of misfortunes. slaves but thcse were soon fo l It was imperative, therefore, that lowed by ordinary citize ns . the will of the gods be known Later, in the second century and their anger placated to pre A.D., the cult was to receive vent renewed defeat. Public lmperial . 6 The Celator goddes.r was carried to annual growth of vegetation. For a the temple 0/ Victory primi 1i ve agricult ural society lac king in " on the Pa/m;ne hill. large surpluses offood, the yearly arrival Cifizens -fwarmed fhe or nonarrival of crops was a matter of ' -"~ ~ -... ~ hill bearing giftsfor the great anxiclY, II was believed thai a . PESSI....NUS "', . .. ---. " godde.u. ThatdaY. fhe Great Mother (Molher Earth) was reo .:.; :,.-. ' ...... 4th of April. was COI! sponsible for bringing back 10 life the SELEU CIDK~NGOO~ sidered henceforth as "dead" vegetation each year, just as .... . sacred. A lectis women brought fooh children. For the ternillml I wa.f p('r sUlVival of the community, it was cru cial fo rmed and gamc.I· th at thc Great Mother bc pl acated. known a.f the Mega Women were the obvious choice as the lesiall were estab· spiri tual go·betweens since they hlld so lished. (Book XXIX. muc h in common with the Great Mother. Figure 2 10-14) . The regrened Robert Graves has col Political map of Asia Minor. ca. 204 B.C. lected and analyzed surviving texts which By this time only the coastal areas had been 12 deeply influenced by Greek culture. For the Romans, the conl liin references tothis period. In his introduclion of Magna rcconstructi on, the typical political orga Mater was, in retrospect, nization consisted of a ruling queen and ess obligingly predicted a successful a mailer of greal importance, The same a subordinate king. Originally, he was mission if the Romans would address year (204) a bumper crop re lieved Rome kept for a year and then sacrificed to themselves to ki ng Aualus.s As pre· of food shortages. The following year mimic the vegetation cycle, thereby en dieted , the king received the emb,l.~sy Hannibal was forced to leave Italy, never suring its continua tion. Later, these with courtesy. The great fertility god. 10 return. The year after that, Carthage practices were hu manized and the king dess was known at Pergamon as Megale was fina ll y defeated. To thc ave rage was only sacrificed aft er a Gre.1I Year of Meter which means Grcat Mothe r.9 Her Roman, the fertil ity goddess had indeed len years. Eventually, some king reo temple, the Megalesion, contained a sma ll demonstrated her potcncy. bel led againsllhe whole procedure and a black stone in wh ich the goddess was Rome now had the support of Ihe su rrogate "king fo r a day" was found to sa id to reside (Sec Figure3). Along wit h Great Mother, 11 goddess which had becn replace him. Later, the concept of a the cult stone, the Roma ns also received powerful enough toovcrcome Tanit , the substilU te king was fomllllized into a he r priests (Galli) as they alone would Carth Superior is Now Accepting Ancient Coin Consignments fo r our May 29,30,1990 Auction Consign your ancient as well as foreign coins to Superior's May Sale. Whole Collections & Selected Consignments of: Choice Greek. Roman & Byzantine Gold . Hi gh Quality Greek Silver Republican & lmperatorial Silver · The Twelve Caesars in Gold & Silver Choice Roman Imperial Silver & Bronze · World Gold and World Crowns and Minors Are Now Being Accepted Competitive Commission Rates· Cash Adva nce ments Available ,------1 : (01 (01 ~I (01' (01 H , H • H H H I I This coupon ent itles the owner to consign one Ancient or Foreign Coin to Auction with 3: : Superior Galleries : A [)iv;'ion 01 Su~ r io r Stamp & Coin. Inc. :E I LOT SHALL BE SOLD AT AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER I WITHOUT COMMISSION CHARGE TO OWNER i • An:cplance of 101 Is conditional upOn a~pla,~e of our sla rKI"nI a udion contract by both parties. I • Au ction lui mu st ba,'O! minln.um man.et , ,,,lIue of 52500.00, I • Lib" .... 1 u~h ad,'8 """menlJl a>'I\l lahl", I • Nol >'alid for oalet held o"I~ld ., of CK llforoia. I I ______L o,.@ioI$A.>______H$A.> (01 ______(01 H ~I H H@o,.> Superior Galleries ,\ Division of Supenor Stamp & Coin Co.. Inc. 94;8 West Olympic Uoulcvard. Beverly Iliffs. CA 90212--4299 l 3 .... e"". Go~""'9 (2 13) 203·91:155 • Outside California, (SOD) 421.{)751 • FAX: /2\3) 20;1.()496 I,. Gokll>'''9 M.,k GoldtHl ry CRhlorni January 1991 9 firmly established. A stela of this period images merely copied tra (from Syracuse) depicts a seated Cybc!e, ditional Phrygian dress. By equipped with al111er usual par'lphema~ depicting Attis as a li,l (Sec foigure 6). Phrygian shepherd (Phrygian cap, short tunic and breeches), the artists automatically classified him as external to Greek culture. This ambivalent feeling was paralleled in the Roman world. Magna Mater'sofficial recognition did not extend to her com panion and therefore, Attis remamed an artistic non entity for hundreds of years. 17 WhenAttisfinally did appear in Roman art, he was depicted in the same form previously developed by the Asiatic Greeks (See Figure 7). Vl-THECULT OF MAGNA MATER DURING THE REPUBLIC State Control Figure 7 By adopting M,lgr1 FEATURING: An important collection of Greek and Roman gold and silver including aureii of Pertinax, Maximianus, Tacitus, Augustus, Commodus, Septimius Severus, Trajan Decius, Domitian, Gordian III , Lucius Verus, Diocletian, Claudius, Vitellius, Antoninus Pius, Caracalla, Macrianus the Younger and others. Catalog and prices realized $ 15.00 . PONTE RIO & ASSOCIATES # ¢~ 4' .,,~.#:w.'~ 1818 Robl"nson Ave. "ir:~f''''''' "...~"""li ~ .'II:-',, {{e e. Il:-~ ' ' .. ,•.. . , San Diego, CA 92103 1M 2/6' ~~;~:l"• ''''8R~'dIlP~''ri' 800-854-2888 619-299-0400 Licen$OO arld bonded auction company. Calif. license #968. January 1991 11 - Only on a few specified dllYS would the goddess) and the 10th of Apri l (anni from Cicero's remarks: "women are not the pries! be allowed to beg for alms in versary of the building of her temple). allowed to wi tness the ceremonies be the city.2() These cultic act ivi ti es were collectively c:tuse of the excesses and the multitude known as the Ludi Megalenses (or of slave perfonners".25 In Cicero's time, These regullitions, which effecti vely Megaleses). The Aedilescurales22 we re Roman women were not exeluded from restric!ed the Phrygian cult to the con responsible forthe organizulion of allthe watching gladialorial fights and were fine s of the temple complex, mea nt that games, including the review and purchase thus not unfamil iar with the sight of ap.u1 from the gnmd annual process ion of the plays to be performed. 23 human blood. If the play was a re and a few minor begging expedi tions, enactment of the li turgical myth, the the publi c wou ld be spared the sight if Patrician Activities castration scene would probably have not the sound ofthe foreign cult. Those On the 4th of April, while the plebs qualified as an "excess" unsuited for who passed by the tem ple could still hear were being entertained elsewhe re, mem female viewers. the chorus of discordant voices and Ihe bers of government, pat ricians and other After the play, some patricians (who din of Ihe !ambourines21 but even Ihis unspecified persons, gathered 10 honor belonged 10 a sacred brotherhood) went contamination had been mi nimized by Magna Mater. Except for rilUal feasts, on to celebrate a rilUal feast (Icct is placing the temple in a small and remote the ri tes were held in the temple 's en temium) in honor of the goddess. This section of the Palatine. closureonthePalatinc. The small size of strictly private worship was held at the this enclosure insured that it was a semi house of one of the members. From the The Roman Cult private affai r. Fi rst, in accordance with 4th to the 10th of April, each festive day Under orders from the Senate, the the Gree k ritual24 a virgin ewe was sac was concluded by a rit ual feast. The decenwiri fabricated a Roman cult for rificed to the goddess. Next, a play was activities of the feast must have been Magna Mater usi ng various elements pcrfonned in a temporary theate r erected ra th er sedate as Cato the Elder (a prudish from the Graeco-Roman rel igious tradi around the monumental steps leading to and severe man) was one of the founding ti on . Some aspects of lhe cul t were the temple's encJ,.>s ure (See Figure 10). members of lhe fel lowshi p. Cicero tel ls intended mainl y or completely for the The Senators were provided with us that the feas t was mostly a good oc patricians (the old nobil ity) ,md were benches, the remainder stood. Though casion to gel togethc r and talk among celebrated in a private or semi-private the play was pcrfonned by slaves, slaves friends. As time went on, however, the environment. Other activities were or were not allowed in the audience. The meals became so sumptuous that by 161 g.mized for the plebs. Apan from the contents of these plays are unknown but B.C., a law had to be passed to limit the offerin g of the fi rst fru its, a ll Roman towards the end of the Republic, they amount of money that could be spcnt.26 ee rcmon ies were conducted between the may have included a re-enactment of On the 10th of April fes ti vities were 4th of April (anni versary of the arrival of liturg ical myth . 11115 Clm be guessed closed by another sacrifice which was aga in pcrfonned in the temple's enclo sure. Possibly anothcrplay followed the sacrifice. Plebian Activities The plebs celebrated the goddess by attending the spectacles offered in her honor. These included chariot ra ces held in the Circus Maximus and pl ays held:tl some unknown location. Women were allowed to attend the games.27 In the beginning, there were games only on the 4th and IOthof April but by the end of the Republic, Ihe games ran continuously between Ihese da!es.28 . Jean ELSEN, S.3. Though the location of the plebian I heat her j s unknown, 29 some of the p13 ys have survived. Thanks to the author's • Pll blic All ctions prologue and production notices, we know that comedies of Terence were • Numismatic Literature prese nted at the Megalenses of 166 B.C . (The Woman of Andros), of 165 Cn le • Monthly l/lustrated Fixed Price Lists Mother-in-Law), of 163 (The Self-Tor menter), of 161 (The Eunuch)and of 141 • Ancient, Medieval, Islamic and lvfodern Coins B.C. (Phonn io). The contents of these plays (Roman adaptat ions of the sooC.111cd Greek "New Comedy") were invari:tbly Avenue de Tervueren 65 love stori es woven into a comedy of 1040 BR USSELS-BELGIUM errors. A pcpenory of stock characters assisted the audience in following the Tel : 011-322-734-6356 numerous turns of the plot. 30 These in Fax: 01 1-322-735-7778 cluded the naive son, the rigid fa ther. the cunning slave, the sympathetic prosti tute, the coward soldier. the sponger and 12 The Gelator the slave girl who t urn.~ out to be a free and the menacing blare born citi zen stolen in infancy by pirates! of the trumpets rise ... It is somewhat surpri sing that the contents while Ihe Phrygian beal of these plays have nothi ng to do with of the fillies drives Ih e Magna Mater, but th is was a standard heart wild. The mem procedure at the time. Towards the end bers of the procession of the Republic. some two hundred years are armed wilh pikes. after the fi rst Megaienses, a play was emblem 0/ a rabilJ shown that did have an intimate con frenzy, to frighten the nection wit h the goddess. As the liturgical impious and thanklesJ myth wasslill considered inappropriate, sOll ls 0/ the mob with a a Roman "Miracle" myth was created dread 0/ her power. As and perfonned as a play.)! SOO/I as she isfirst car In addition to the plays, the plebs also ried through the city. the witnessed chariot races. These we re mute slalue favors the held in the Circus Maximus, a race track morlals with a silent sit uated directly below Magna Mater's blessing. They shower temple on the Palatine. Tcn to twelve her pa/h wilh silver an(J races, lasting approximately four hou rs, bronze coins and cover were the mai n attraction. According to the Mother and her /01- Roman ritual, the goddess had to be lowerswirh roses. Now Figure 8 present to enjoy the games. Her image th e armed gang strike Sketch of a medallion of Lucilla. minted in A.D. 164. was therefore carried in a triumphal each otherandjoin in a This reverse shows Magna Mater seated on a lion. procession (the PompaCircensis) through I)'thmic dance ,joyous 0/ The composition matches the statue seen on reliefs the circus and to her seat. Since she was their dripping blood, and mosaics depicting the Circus Maximus. held responsible for Rome's ultimate shaking their heads. The circular object seems to be a wheel. victory over Carthage, she became by th eir/ear.mmecresls. extcnsion a patroness of victory on the (Book 11 ,617-632). race track. A pennanent statue of Magna games call; Romans, come and Mater (seated on a lion) was eventually The display of passion, the disregard watch.' (Fasti. IV, 181-187). erected on the spina near the eastern for pain and the wild music must have obelisk (See Figure 8). been a shock to the Roman eyes. A line Other than the pri est and priestess, from a play of PaUlUS sums up the gen the other participants of the procession The Phrygian Cult at Rome era l opinion in the second century B.C.: (m usicians and dancers) were slaves at "All these tambourine thumpers arc not tached to the temple. The fund!': requ ired Public Appearances worth adam!" A description of the April for the operation of the temple and its As we have noted above, Magna 4th procession. writt en by Ov id around staff were fumished by the Stale. In Mater's Phrygian priests were forbidden A.D. 8, paints a similar scene: addition to the processions, a few times a topraetice theircultin pUblic. They were year the priest was allowed 10 supplemcnt allowed, howcver, one annual proces (on the 4th ofApril) ... immediately the temple's income with door-to-door sion to wash the cult statue in the Almo shall the e/llved P hryg ianj/llle sound begging. During the Republic, little is river.32 This ritual, knownas the Lav'ltio offa nd th e/esfival a/Magna Mater known of these acti vities, but laterauthors (the washing), was also exploited by the be at hand. Eunuchs shall march. such as Juvenali s and Apu leius (both priests as a propaganda tool and a method th umping their hollow drums and writing in the second centu ry A. D.) have of obtaining additional funds. Towards bealing brass against ringing brass. left unfrie ndly descri ptions of these op the end of the Repu blic. another proces Sealed on /l lImanly necks, the Kod erati ons. sion was pennitted on the 4th of April. (Jess hersel/slwll be carried in juhi Wherea!': during the Lavatio the actual larion through the streelS o/the city. The Temple Cult cult stone was transported, the April 4th The Ihealer .slage re.'iOlinds: Ihe During the Republic, litt le is known procession used another cu It !':tatue wh ich depicted Magna Materseated in a bi ga of lions. As this statue appears on a denarius ROMAN EMPIRE, Titus, minted in honorofthe Ludi Megalenses. 79·8t A.D. AR denarius (20 mm it is probable that by the time of Ovid at & 2.9 g). Obv. tMP. TITVS. least. the priest was responsible for CAES.VESPASIAN.AVG: P.M., taureated head 01 transporting this statue (appropriate for Titus to teft. Rev. TA. the races) to the Circus Maximus. A P.lX.lMP.XV.COS. procession3) was first described by VLII .P. P., dolphin coiled Lucretius in his poem "On the Nature of around anchor. Things", written circa 55-50 B.C. To the AIC 26(b) & RSC 3tO. religiously sedate Romans it must have <...::~~!!:~' Toned near EF------$925 been an awe inspiring event: William B. Warden, .J r. Clauical Numi,mw/isl. Sptciali.fl in th t Coi,l.! oftht RanJ(m Empirt Under the; r palms resOJmds the t ig ht P.O. Box 356, New Hope, PA 18938 U.S.A. 1-215-297-5088 skins of the rambOl/ rines. From ev erywhere tile coneal'e cymbal... crash January 1991 13 permit a large (soft volcanic stones) with a superstruc number of per ture of mllsonry in opus incertum. 37 The sons to congre side walls of the complex are 2.8 meters gate in Ihe thick with the back wall o f the temple temple's vicinity proper reaching 5.5 meters. In actuality, (See Figure 10). thi s back wall is a double wall with a Accordingtotra space 1.8 meters wide which may have dition, the temple served as a secret repository for offerings. was adjudicated The facade of the temple is a standard in 204 B.C. but Graeco-Romandesign with six columns was only dedi and a pediment all mllde of tufa. This catedin 191 B.C. material was retained by Augustus in his The temple reconstruction even though he normally burned in I I I used marble. From the surviving com B.c.35 and was ponents, it is clear that the tem ple facade rebu ilt a few wa ,~ of Corinthian style. AU elements years later by bear traces o f a white stucco which Figure 9 MeteHus us ing suggests that the temple facade had been Temple of Magna Mater seen from the back. The high podium public donations. painted. A fewfragment'iofthepediment is built of tufa covered by opus incertum masonry. Visible on The temple sculptures have survived b ut our the left are architectural elements (from the pediment) which burned again in 3 knowledge of it is mainly supplied by a have been gathered in the last century. Photo courtesy of B.C. and was re- fragment of a relief from the altar of the $oprintendenza Archeo/ogica di Roma. s tored to its Pietas, erected under Claudius. Thecen original condi terpieceofthe pediment, if the rcliefcan of the private ceremonies conducted in tion by Augustus. The temple conta in ~ betrusted, features anempty throne which the confines of the temple. This is pre elements of a typical Republican temple symbolized the goddess. Hanging on her cisely what the Senate wanted. Without (the high podium) mixed with temple throne are her veil and turreted crown ... other information, it would be impos building tradi- sible to speculate whether the priest and tions from Asia priestess actually continued the tradi Minor (the inte tional Phrygian cult which included of g ra led court course the cult of Allis. Though Magna yard).36 The Mater WHS a State deity, the unmanly structure is rect Allis was certainly not. No mention of angular with its Allis WitS made during the first hundred length (34.3 years following the bu i Iding ofthe temple. meters) being TEM PLE Archaeology fortunately comes to the twice its width OF rescue with evidence which indicates (17. I mcters). that Attis had always been hiding behind TIle orient .. tion MATER the goddess (he was indispensible to the is north-south, Phrygian CUl t). Excavations made in the w ith the e n ,- cella in 1950 have revealed a number of trance on the terracoua ex-votos wh ich include small south side. \ 4 sta tuettes o f Attis playing his flute lind Monumental 5 small conical objects which may be cop steps by the en 7 ies of the cult stone it self. Most items trance fol low the ~ bear tr.lces of fire which the arch,wolo contouf of the gists believe to have been that o f I II slope. The B.C .. 34 thus it appears that from the start. complex is di the Senate (through the Phrygian priest vided into two and priestess) was serious in its intent to roughly equal honor the goddess in her native way. squares: tho Within the confines of the temple at southern por least. Magna Mater had always had her tion forms an Allis. enclosed court yard while the The Temple of Magna Mater northern por on the Palatine tion, elevated on The firs t and mo~t important temple a high podium, Figure 10 built for Magna Mater was tucked away contains the Plan of Magna Mater's temple on the Palatine. The various in a comer on the P .. 1aline Hill. The temple proper. features of the temple are: 1) the cella; 2) the cult statue temple complex wa~ large enough for the 'I"he fou nd;ltions podium; 3) the secret room between double walls; 4) the goddc~s to be venerliled in a grand style; o f the temple courtyard; 5) the altar; 6) the basin for ritual ablution. yet, being limited on two sides by the lip and courtyard Number 7 on the plan indicates the vie wing angle of of the hill and surrounded on the Olher wall are of tufa Figure 12. Number 8 shows the viewing angle of Figure 9. sides by nearby buildings. It did not lind pe peri no 14 The Gelator C. J. Martin (Coins) Ltd of London, England. As major wholesalers of Ancient Coins and Antiquities of the Ancient World we offer some of the keenest priced coins and artifacts available on the world markel, both to dealers and collectors. If you would like 10 benefit from buying at English prices with old fashioned English grading, then ask for our regular catalogues by letter, fax or phone . This month we offer:- - ---.."~ 'I Ancient Cyprus - Iron Age Amphorae, circa BC 1) 22" high @ $2750 2) 27" high @ $5000 3) 21" high $3250 (price includes sh ipping) Special offer of the standard reference on Cypriot terracotta The Art of Ancient Cyprus Published @ £60 368pp 322 plates colour and black & white C.J.Martin (Coins) Ltd 85, The Vale, Southgate, London N14 GAT. England Established 20 years Tel: (0)81 882 1509 Fax: (0)81 886 5235 Telephone Visa & Mastercards accepted OUR CATALOGUES INCLUDE ANCIENT GREEK BRONZE, GREEK SILVER, ROMAN SILVER & BRONZE, BYZANTINE, CELllC, ANGLO SAXON, NORMAN, HAMMERED MEDIEVAL, ANCIENT ARTI::FACTS., HOARDS £, SPECIAL OFFERS Price s from £5 - £5,000 January 1991 15 Figure 12 Front of the temple as seen from the courtyard. The sma" steps lead up /0 the cella. When excavated in 1872·73, fragments of the columns and pediment were found scattered below the podium. Photo courtesy of the Soprintendenza Arche%gica di Roma. Figure 11 Sketch of a relief fragment from the altar of Pietas, erected under Emperor Claudius. The before I I I n.c. From this To the Romans, the significance of facade of Magna Maler's temple is represented arc;., archaeologists have reo the tambourine was clear. The scepler in a somewhat abstract fashion. The wide steps covered a marble base of an was a standard symbol of domination, do not reflect reality (compare with Figure 10) ot her statue dating from 192 the vei l belonged to all the ma tronly and the projecting waifs on each side of the A.D .. dedicated to "The deities (Vesta, Juno) and the patera could fa cade presented problems of perspective which MotheroftheGods, The Great be held by any god. In the case of the the artist solved by omitting them. In addition, Idean".40 In addition to a few turreted crown and the biga of lions. the the width of the temple was compressed for other inscriptions. the most Romans were unsure of thei r meaning. compositional requirements. Note: the left interesting find is a colossal This encoumged speculation among some side of this relief is a modern res /oration. statue of Magna Mater, dis Latin write rs. The tu rreted crown had covered ncar the large swi r· origin;.ll y been developed by Greek artists way. to adorn the personifications of the Tyche The throne is flanked by two reclining (fortuna/destiny) of cities (G reek cities priests, who languorously lean on tam· were nomlally provided with walls and bou rines. Finally, the corners arc occu· Magna Mater in Republican Art towers). The original use oUhe turreted pied by panthers drinking from bowls. 3K Greek Norms crown was not forgotten even after its At each end of the pediment. Coryb:ul1s Whencver possible. the Romans use on Magna Mater (See Figure 14). in Phrygian dress :ITI: beating swords on were inclined to adopt Greek visual shields. izations of their gods. Magna Mater The room (ce lla ) in the temple proper was no exception. lllCearliesl kn own W;IS nearly sL/uare with a podium at the Roman representati ons include the far end which supponed the cult statue. traditional attributes which had been The inner walls and the statue's podium developed by the Asiatic Greeks. show traces of white plaster. indic:lting Some items. such as the tambourine th:lt these surfaces were probably painted and the lion-pulled chariot. were at some time. As mentioned above, the unique to Magna Mater and can be rear wall of the temple is hollow with:1 traced back to the Phrygian cult which narrow space 1.8 meters wide which in turn innuenced the artist. Other may h,\\'e served as the temple's trea attributes (the veil. the turreted crown. sury. As with IllOst Roman temples. a the scepter and th e occasional piltera) crypt is located under the tcmple 's floor. lire elements borrowed from other Du ri ng the Republic its function is not gods or personificat ions. The earliest known, but in the founh century A.D. it known Roman representation of was used to store the "dead" Attis. Magna Mater appears on a denarius The courtyard was originally filled of 102 RC. (See Figure 13). The Figure 13 with statues and various ex-volos. 111ere tu rreted and veiled bust is identical in Magna Mater on a denarius of nrc reports from antiquity of a statue of composition to the head of the Greek G. Fabius, minted ca. 1028.0. Claudia Quinta39 which had been erected slatuc shown in Figure 6. 16 The Gelator Mother a/the wild species could be considered conical. Apan from anti creator 0/ the human vague natural indentations, the stone was race. It is she that the wise devoid of markings. At least by Imperial poets of anciel1f Greece times (but probably before) the stone hal'e represemedas seared was set inlo a silver frame which fonned in a chariot pllfled by two the head ofan ()( herwise anthropomorphic lions, teaching liS Ihereby statue of silver. A marble statue (see thaI the mst globe 0/ the below) may have first served as the body Earth cannot h(l)'e a globe to the stone. as a supporting pOinr.42 They have yoked/erociolls The Biga of Lions animals to the chariot (0 After Ovid descri bes the 41h of Apri l signify thaI every race, no procession, he then mentions the god mailer how ferociolls it dess in her lion-pulled chariot. This may be, can be molified piece of statuary. if carried in a proces and lamed throllgh the sion. must have been of wood. A denarius goodness and kiminess of of M. Volleius (m inted in Rome ca. 78 parents. (De Natura B.C.) provides the first illustration of this Rerum, If, 598-605). composition. The coin is one ofa series Figure 14 oftive reverses ill ustrating allthe impor Sketch of a denarius of M. Lepidus, minted Thus, Lucretius tells us lant Roman games. The model for this ca. 65 B.C. This obverse shows the Tyche that Magna Mater's lions coin is most likely the biga of lions (=Fortuna) of A lexandria (written Alexandrea). symbolize her power to tame carried in procession to the C ircus anything as she is the mother Maximus (See Figure 15). ofeverything. Ovid prov ides Ovid, in his poem The Fasti, provides the a more vague but similar explanation: The Palatine Statue following explanation: During the excavations of the temple Why doe.s the fierce race 0/ lions of Magna Materon the Palatine in 1872. '!Vhy is her head burdened by a submit their manes 10 the curved Ilirreled crown? Is il because .fhe yoke? .. it i.s Ihought that she gave rowers 10 Iheftrsl cilies?' The molified Ih eir ferocity. Her goddess nodded in assent. (Book (lion-drawn) charior is a leSli IV. 2/9), many. (FastUV,215). Lucretius offers 11 different explana Of course, for the study of tion: Magna Mater at Rome. the origi nal intent is perhaps not as im They cOl'Ned her head wilh a tllr portllOt as what the Romans reled Cl"oll'n because Mother Earth, themselves believed. on privileged heights, carries cities and /orls. (De Natllra Rerum, II , The Cult Stone 606) According to Arnobius, a 4th century A.D. writer, (Book VII. The simplistic symbolism suggested 49), the idol which arrived in by Ovid and Lucret ius may be correct, Rome on April the 4th, 204 n.c. but it could just as well be a ra tionaliza was an irregu lar dark brown stone tion of an artistic canon originally devel of sma!! dimensions and light Figure 15 oped on aesthetic grounds. weight (it could be passed from Magna Maler's biga The presence of the lion-pulled biga hand-to-hand). Its overall shape in Magna Mater's retinue is retrospec tively easier to comprehend. In the b available coin representations (Figures 20and 2 1) and a well preservedstatuene of the goddess (Figure 22). The sestertius of Faustina II (Fig ure 20) gives a good overall impres sion of the statue. Noteworthy details include the unveiled turre ted crown, the tambourine and the two lions which are accuraTely shown liS separate from the seated figure. Also, the position of the thu mb on the ri ght hand ind icates Figure 16 Figure 17 that the palm is upward . Verifiable Statue's left side. Photo courlesy of the Statue's right side. Photo courlesy of the simil arities between the coin and the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma. Soprintendenza Archeo/ogica di Roma. statue include the overall clothing. the flow of the p.a lla. the forward position a semi-colossal marble statue was dis ofthe right leg and the lions. Since coin covered ncar the entrance steps to the representations of seated deit ies were temple'scourtyard(See Figure 18) , Apart al most always drawn in profile. the die from its location, the statue (though engraver made use of stanu.lrd defomla headless) can be identified as Magna tions which increased clarity at the ex Mater by the clothi ng, the footstool and pense of accuracy. In this case, the torso especial ly by the fragments of lions found has been twisted into a near frontal po- nearby (Sec Figure 19). Though devoid silion. the lion on her ri ght has been of inscript ions. the .~tatue·s style sug pushed back to permit a better view of gests that it was made sometime between the body and the throne has likewise the fi rst century D.C. and the fi rst century been modified fo r the same rellson. The A.D. Iron pins and sockets in the stone most notable defonnation is the position ind icate that the statue was not mono of her right ann which has been pushed lithic. The ex ternal pieces, now lost, back into an abnonnal pose, aga in to Figure 20 included the head, the anns. her right provideanunobstructedview. 'TIlCaureus Sestertius of Faustina If foot. and the back, sides and fronl marble ofFaustimt II ~hown in Figure2l features strips of the throne (Figu res 16 and 17). the same composition wit h the same type One in te resting fea ture of thi s statue of distortion except that the lions occupy is the size of the legs. They are slightly a more re.tl istic position and the head has large r than they .~hou l d be in relation to been enlarged for bette r facial detail. the torso. The desired effect was to make Thest:ttuett e in Figure 22. produced a the statue look more massive than it numberof years after the sta tue, has none really was.43 of the di stort ions of the coinage but int ro If the statue dates from the RepUblic. duces some inaccuracies of its own. In the neck socket could have been used to order to represent the statuary group in hold the idol but perhaps it merely ac one piece, the lions have been mod ifie d commodated a head of another type (and so as to co-exist on the same pedestal. color) of stone. It is also possible that the Furthermore. in keeping with thesyncre statue was modified in the second cen tism of Oriental divinites in Rome. the tury A.D.44 so that the head could be goddess h.ts been adomed with the kn ot changed with each new Empress. of Isis. a feature not present on the origi The overa ll appearance of the statue nal. mllst have confomled to the norm estab Figure 2 1 lished by the Greeks but a more precise Roman Myths Aureus of Faustina If reconstruction can be achieved using The Romans. nonnally content to 18 The Cefator Figure 22 Statuette of Magna Mater now in the National Museum in Naples Mater. found in Cicero: Figure 18 AI the I illll: whelll he Stute was exhaustedfrom Ihe Pllnic Marble statue of Magna Maler found on the stairs of her temple Wa,. .. . •. 01/,. ancestors hroughl this goddess (Magna on the Palatine. It had probably been dragged by scavengers Malcr)from Phrygia 10 Rome . .. (Oralio de ArllspicllnJ from inside the temple complex with the intent of making lime, Respol/sis. XIII). Though most of the detachable components are missing, the statue does not bear traces of malicious damage. Diodorus Siculus, Livy 's contempora ry. IC;lve myth m;\king to Ihe Greeks, wcre compelled in Ih e case of Cybele to develop myths more suited to Ih e ir needs. Apart from the Roman miracle myth Figure 23 (which we shall review below) Roman writers began Reconstruction of the carly on (late second to earl ier first century B.C,) to Magna Mater statue from the Palatine. [amper with the ~ t ory of Magna Mater's introduction Compare with Fig. 18. OIl Rome. The Prophecy As noted above. the Romans had sought Magna Mater bcC;Luse of lL prophecy from the Sibylline books. "il le earliest surviv ing version of til is prophecy, reported by I.ivy, 'Llrcady cont,lIlled ;111 e rror. Subsequent reteilings only compounded [he llli~lIndcrs'ilndi n gs. "nle evolution of thc~e distortions vividly illustr;liCs the mechanic~ of legend-making. ,I process which is abo visible in the Roman mir;lc1e myth_ Livy reports the prophecy as such: '1V1lell fill" (,l1elllY oj a jOl"eiWI race will 11(1I'e brollght 11'(11" OlliwJiall .wil. 10 eXI,e! ami de/em him, olle mllJljirsl h,.illgjmm P ('.Uillll.~ to Rome flit' Idocon MOIher." (Book XXIX. 10), The Ph rygian origm of the goddess is also noted in the earliest surviving mention (57 R. C ) of Magn;1 January /991 19 su pplies a different version of the books and said that an object would ing at Pessinus (see Figure 2). The solu prophecy: soonfallfrom the sky at Pessinus in tion to this riddle is provided by Yarro, a Phry ~.ia (where the morher of (he noted Roman ant iq uarian, who gives us The Romans mUSI build a lemple 10 gods is worshipped) and thaI the the unadorned facts: fhe Creal MOliler (Magna Maler) of object should be taken to Rome. Ihe gods and 111[ISI bring home Ihe Soon after, news came that Ihe ob .. . because of the Sibylline books. sacred Ihing of Peninus in Asia ject hadfallen (it was a crude idol) the goddess was brought to Rome Minor' (Hislorical Lihrmy, Book and it was brought to Rome. That from Pergamon after askingfor her XXXfII,33). day remained holy /0 the MOlher of from King Altalus. There, near the flr(' gods. city wall, was Ihe Megale.sion: that Ovid reports this vers ion in a more is to say the temple of the goddess poctic and prophetic tone: Herodian (a third century writer) re from where she was transported to lates: Rome. T he mother is not here; it is the mother Ihatyou must get, 0 Roman; When the Romans had become As Pessinus was Magna Mate r's most SlIch is my command. When she poweiflll. an oracle stated Ihat they important cult center, someone had arrives, she mllst he taken by chasle would hecome even more powerful simply fabricated a pedigree for the cult hands . . Felch the Mother of the If they brought the goddess of stone at Rome in order to enhance the gods on Moul/I Ida.' (Fasli, IV, Pessinus to Rome. (Roman Histo value of that idol. Since the supposed 259). ries. Book I, J 1). origins of the stone given in the various prophecies are wrong, this indicates that Two later reports of the prophecy, Most of these versions claim that the Livy (or the source he used) had merely written hundreds of ye;lrs after Livy, Romans obtained the goddess from tried to reconstruct the words of the include either added elements (Appian ) Pessin us; a few others more vaguely prophecy using whatevcrinfonnation that or forget the circumstances of the event indicate Phrygia but Ovid puts forth was available to him. (Herodian). Mount Ida. In Livy's story, king Attalus Appian (a second century author) had guided the Romans to Pessinus and The Roman Miracle Myth prov ides the following: secured the stone for them. Modem Just as successive Roman authors took hi storians have pointed out that Aualus liberties with the origin of the cult stone, As c('rl(lill t('rrifying portenls senl had no control over Pessinus and that the they likewise tampered with the story of hy .hlpiler fwd OCCllrred at Rome, hostile kingdom of the Seleucids would Magna Mater's introduction into Rome. I he decel!lI·jri conslI fled Ihe .'Ii hylli Ile have prevented Attalus from even arriv- One feature of both Greek and Roman religious festivals was the performance of plays inhonorofthegods. Aswehave seen, the Greeks had provided Magna ANCIENT COIN SPECIALIST Mater and Attis with a genesis myth which attempted to expla in the mechanics GREEK, ROMAN, BYZANTINE COINS of the cult. Though the Greek myth AND CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES provided the cult with a liturgy, its con tents (the castration episode) could never have served as a suitable theme for a public represcntati on.45 In search of a subject suitable to Roman audiences, a minor incident was transformed into a wonderful miracle. As relatcd above, the cult stone had to be received by the most "honorable" persons in Rome. Scipio was a tolerably well known historical figure but Claudia Quinta, beinga woman, was sufficiently obscure to serve as the heroine of fabu lous stories. Though Claudia's miracle slory was already current in Livy's day, his text (as we have seen) omits any SEND $2.00 FOR SAMPLE CATALOG supernatural event. Claudia is portrayed OR $25 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION as a secondary fi gure under suspicion of loose morals. She becomes famous only because of the apparent risks she takes.46 The earl iest known miracle story (ca. EDWARD J. WADDELL, Ltd. A.D. 8) is recorded by Ovid (Fasti, IV, 291-330) but it must have existed in one 79JO Woodmont Avenue, #1104 form or another well before. In Ovid's Bethesda, MD 20814 story the Senate and the people of Rome are assembled at Ostia to greet the god (301) 654-0470 dess. TIle barge containing the deity gets stuck on a mud bank and not with- 20 The Gelator MESOPOTAMIA - Syro Hittite terracott a figurines. 2000 - 1500 B.C. Bird or female heads with sculpted hair and one, two or three rows of neck ornaments. 1. 6.5" hI. 8. 6.75" hI. 2. 6.25" hI. 6. 6" hI. 7. 6.5" hI. $995.00 3. 5.5" hI. $995.00 $845.00 4. 6" hI. 5. 6" ht. $895.00 $945.00 $845.00 $84 5. 00 $895.00 16. Roman lead panel - Temple: with Medusa head to protecl from evil. Custom matte lucile stand. 15. 25")( 15.25" $1 ,500.00 12. 4" hI. 13. 4.5" hI. 14. 5" hI. 15. 6" hi. 9. 6" hI. 10. 5.25" hI. 11. 4.25" hI. $395.00 $395.00 $895.00 $995.00 $995.00 $845.00 $395.00 Bird Head Bird Head Bi rd Head 18a. Phoenician terracotta figurine 01 a PHOENICIA pregnant woman. 600 B. C. 5.75" hI. Beautiful $1,200.00 P.O. eo. 692 Gt_ SIa6on. New York. NY 10028 (212) 722·4603 Large shipments easily arranged. Ph otos represent multipte lots in certain cases. Money back guaran tee within 10 days for any reason. Please add $3 shipping and handling. NY residents add 8 114% sales tax. Prices are suggested retail. Reasonable offers considered on all items pictured. 18b. Phoenician terracolta mate figurine with 17. Ancient pottery: tooO B.C. beard and Osiris type crown. 600 B.C. 7" 300 A.D. Lot 0110 dil!Ofent Beautiful condition. $1 ,200.00 styles. limited quantity available. $270.00 19. Roman lead double panel· Sphinx, Medusa, dolphin and 20. Ancient lerr8cotta oil lamps: 100·600 a.O. lot 01 10 IIIL_,_,,_,_,_m_' _O'_'_"_C_'_'_Io_m_m_'_"_'_'_"_il_'_'_"_"_'_'_' _'"_,_14_"_5_"_'_'_"_'_'_"'_'_ ___'_" _" _"_"_'_'_"_"_'_"_L_'m_iI8_'_ " _'_"_"_" _'_,_'_iI8_b_"_" ____'_'_'_'_"' _'_0 January 199 1 21 Herodian, writing in the early third ccn F()O{notes: lOry A.D., provides us with a later ver I Magna Mater was also known as Cybek. sion. By this time, Claudia has been The Td aean Moth er, The Mother of the transformed into a Vestal Virgin charged gods, The Lady of the Mountain and The wi th unchastity (hence a m uch more se Lady of the axe. 2 The head of the household was expected to rious charge). Now, she manages 10 puU appease the gods on everyda y matters the boat out of the mud not with a rope or such as before plowing a field; however. chain but with her shawl (palla): these interactions were limited to saying thecorrect fonnulae and making the proper A sacred force made the ship run sacrifices. aground. The people of Roma all 3 Titus Li vius (Livy), History of Rome, Book came. . but the ship would not 29, Chapter 10. budge . .. Finally, they brought a 4 A number of new ceremonies had already been introduced at Rome. !·Iu man sacri Vestal Virgin who, th ough umler Ihe fice. normall y abhored, was excep ti onall y \'01'.' ofchm·tiry, was sll-spectuJ ofno emptoyed. Jongerheing.so ... rhe VestaJ hegged 5 The decemviri we re a board of ten men to be jlldged by the goddess . . . She responsible for re ligious mailers. They Figure 24 took offher shawl and threw il on Ihe were the only ones allowed to see and Altar dedicated to Claudia and to the prowofthe ship . . . Ihe ship followed interpret the Sibylline books. ship which carried Cybele 6 The Sibyll ine books were collections of her wilholll difficlIlty. (Book /,11J . prophecies owned by the Roman State. These books were reputed to be: collec tions Sla nd ing I he e fforl s o f the men, cannot be Herodian's version continues 10 be of unerings from the Sibyl priestess at freed. Claud;:I. a beauliful reputedly c iled in the fourlh ccntury by lulian II Cumae, pu rchased by th e semi-mythical unchaste girl, leaves the groupof women. (On the Mothcr ofthe gods) and Pseudo Roman king Tatius. 7 Roman authors, wrl!ing some 200 to 400 dips her hands in the T iber and anoints Aurelius Victor (On Famous Persons) years laler, have recorded a number of herself three times. As the inc redulous but the last transformation o f the myth appears in a late fourlh (or early fifth) versions which agree in general tenns if crowd w:llches on, she gets on her knees not in detail. :md praysto thcgoddess: 'They say I am century poem written by Claudian II A cynic might add: "lhisorJcle wa .~ brough t not ch:lste. I f you condemn me, I will (flourished ca. A.D. 370-404). This time. 10 you by Analus and does not necessarily confess my gu ilt; convicted by the ver the virgin Claudia pulls the boat with her reflect th e views of Apollo". As Analus dict of a goddess. I will pay the penalt y hair! was also in need of allies, and as he man aged to draw Rome into Asia to help him with my life. But if I am free of crime, ... or the virgin Claudia who with figh t his own battles a mere fi ve years give by your act a proof of my innocence, her own hair pulled the ship ofCyhde later, the Pythoness at Delphi may have and chasleas you are, yield 10 my chaste been playing politics as in the past. when it WO.f stuck in the Tiber . .. (in hands.' Taking the rope, Claudia easily 9 Megale Meter is the Greek name from Praise of Serena, 18,28). pulls the ship off the mud bank. which the Romans get Ma gna Mater. Ovid's version, a reflection of the 10 Livy. Book XXtX, 14. As PubliusScipio Ovid tells us that Claudia's miracle was the son of Gnaeus SCipio and the myth's St,ltus in the latc first century was the subject of plays in his time. If the cousin of Scipio Africanus. the choice D.C., continues to be menliolled by subject continued to be used, over the was probably a political one. succeeding .Ul1hors of the firsl and sec centuries one could almost expect a 11 Thc lectislemium was a Greek religious ond century A.D.47 Illustrations of the gradual evolut ion of the story into more cercmony first employed by the Roman State in 399 B.C., in response to a natural myth have survived on medallions as fantastic forms, if only to satisfy the well as on an altarof the second century disaster. In the ritual the gods were pro needs of dramatic entertainment. vided with couches and various foods. A.D. Thisaltar .dedicated to both Claudia Ordinary citizens opened their houses to and the shiplh:tt brought Magna MaleTto ( Tobecontinued. Partflshaflinvestigate strangers, likewise making food available Rome. depict~ the miracle in progress the socio-political history of the cult dur 10 al l. (See Figure 24). Ovid's version, though ing the Republic and its transformation 12 See Roben Graves' TheGreek Myths, pp. well known, did not prevent the story during th e Empire. Photos by Dr. M. 11-24 for a detailed discussion. from changing inlomore (ant,lstic forms. Shepherd.) 13 In Greek mythology, Artemis was re garded as a virgin goddess and this made her a rather unusual cand idate fora fertilit y cull. 14 " ... Men of Ephesus, who of mankind CALVIN J. ROGERS does not know that Ephcsus is the temptc keeper of the great Anemis and of the Classical Nllmismatist image that feU from the sky?" (New Testament, Acts X1X, 35). 15 The mOSI famous Greek mystery cult was Fully illustrated thaI of Demeter at Eleusis. She too was another goddess of vegetation. Demeter's list free upon request cult, however, was free of the sanguinary emotional ism ofCybele. 16 In the third century A.D., when the cult Ancient & P.O. Box 7233 had spread throughout the Empire. the Redwood City CA 94063 mainland Greeks were the last loresist the Medieval Phrygian god. (415) 369-1508 17 The idols of Allis found in Magna Mater's temple on the Palatine we re special ex 'lotos required by the Phrygian cull. Oth- 22 The Cela tor erwise, im~ges of Auis are rarely found ing the games, speaks of a bronze statue. prior to the tirst century A.D. 29 In Republ ican Rome, the the:lIers were 40Corpus inscriptionum Latinarum VI, 3702. I R In religious nl:1!!en; th e Romans were temporary constructions of wood and their 41 Lions were found in Asia Mi nor al least up nonnally quite loleran!. location could be changed if needed from tothesecond century A.D. (ref: Apulieus, 19 Dionysius of Halicam~ ss u s, Book II, 19. year 10 year. The Golden Ass). ~O Cicero, De legibus, II, 9,22. 30 Despite the fact thai Ihe outcome of the 42 The text at Ihi s point seems to be corrupt. I Varro, Eu menides, 33,34. play can be guessed from the opening act, 43 See "Distortions on 4th and Sth century 22 The Aedile~ were magistrates responsible Terence's works are nevertheless quite coinage", RCC Vol. 2, No.3 for examples for m~int:' ining the streets, the w,ltcr sup entertaining even today. The myStery lies of the fin al development of th is trompe ply, weights ~nd measures, and supervi s in finding out how the cunning slave will l'oeil technique. ing religious games. manage, in the face of incredible odds, to 44 During Imperial times, it took a certain 23 The Greeks had developed the idea of help hi s young master obtain the girl of his amount of ti me for Magna Mater to be performing plays in honor of the gods. dreams. come respecta ble enough to appear on The Romans eagerly adopted this fonn of 31 Ovid, Fasti, IV. 326. The myth will be coinage in conjunction with members of piety. considered below. the Imperial famil y. By the second cen 24 1n the Greek sacrifice ritual , the priest was 32 The Almo river was a small stream emp tury A.D., Magna Mater'S popularity had laureate but otherwise bare-headed. In the tying into the Tiber. The junction was increased to the point where she had finally Roman ritual, the priest wore a pan of his located between Rome and Ostia (Magna been accepted by the upper class. She first toga over his head in the so-called Gabinian Mater 's point of arrival). According to appears on Imperial coinage under Hadrian f~shion. Ovid, the priests had bathed the cult stone and then only at the Roman mint in As ia. 25 Cicero, Oratio de Aruspicum Responsis, in the Almo after it had arrived in 204 B.C. On these and subsequent coins, she is 12. Thisritual subsequently became an annual re presented in the same canon developed 26 The limit was 30 sestertii per person, a event. by the Greeks in the fifth century B.C., large sum in 161 B.C. Aulus Gellius, II, 33 Lucretius does not say which of the two thereby demonstrating the durability of 24,2. processions is being described. the noon. 27 Terentius Afer, The Mothc r-in- L~w, pro 34 G. Carelloni, JOllrllU/ of Romoll SlIIriit's, 45 During the declining years of the Empire, logue. 1960, pp. 200-201. the myth was played OUI. 2R The vcry first games, on the 4th of April 35 lui ius Obsequens, A Book of Prodigies, 46 As thecuh stone could supposed ly only be 204 B.c' seem tohaveonly included races. 39. h:mdled by a virtuous person, had Claudia In 191 B.C., the program was extended by 36 This type of courtyard attached to the actually been of bad morals, touching the including th e plays. When the festivities temple is traceable in Asia Minor to the goddess would have been dangerous. At became continuous (4th [0 the 10th of third milleni um 8 .C. (froy, Hallusa). the least, she would have been exposed. April) the races seem to have been pre 37 Opus incertum is a type of irregular stone Livy's expression " in later times" ind i sented on the last day. AI least up to 191 masonry. cates that her fame came long after the B,C" the gmnes were organized by the 38 Cybele was reputedly raised by panthers fact. Praetors, At least by 165 B.C" lhe Aedilcs (Diodorus Siculus, III, 58). 47 Suetonius (Tib" 2), Tacitus (Annals, IV, I;urules became responsible for organiz- 39 In his treatise on Magna Mater, Julian II 64) and Pliny (Book VII , 35). j-{armer ~O kg (ja[[eries presents Ylbsentee Yluction XXXX erasing Late January 1991 Fe(1l11ring (I qllality selec/ion 0/ CI(1ssical Allfiqllilies/rom Egypt, Greece, Rome lind the Ancienl Near ElIS/, Pre-Columbian Art, Tribal ArI.\· Amt'l"ic(1l1lndian and Ethnographic, Oriental Antiques, Ancient Nllmismarics. Calli/agile & Prices Realized - $/5 Harmer Rooke Gall eries 3 E:ts t 57th St., Dept. C New York, NY 10022 Call 212-751 -1900 WATS 800-221-7276 FAX 212-75 8- 171 3 January 1991 23 Art'and the Market Market demonstrates solid confidence amid fears of recession and investor bailout by Wayne (;. Say l c.~ eration with Harlan J. Berkon the evening ing was dominated by collector interest New York is the American coin dealer's of the 29th, was a standing room only and is covered elsewhere in this issue. Mecca and the week of the NY Interna affair. The sale witnessed competitive The evening 01 December 4th marked tional is holy week as the city fairly bursts Iloor bidding among collectors al very the continuation 01the Sotheby's auction at the seams with antiquarians intent on respectable tevels. A gold aureus 01 of ancient Greek and Roman coins Irom capturing rare and inspiring treasures. Brutus, with trophy reverse, brought thecoliectionolNelson BunkerHunt. The The numismatic world could nol help but $195,000 Irom the lloorwhile an aureus 01 series 01 sales, which began in June 1990 wonder whether th e house of cards would Pompey was bid up to $1 05,000 Irom an and had already reached the $1 2,8 mil come tumbling down this year as fears of opening bid 01 $65,000. Conversely, an lion mark, added better than $3 million recession were compounded by a mas aureus of Clodius Albinus which was pur more in this single evening session. sive combination 01 offerings on the auc chased barely six months ago from the Rarities continued 10 stimulate active bid tion block. It took very lillie time, however, Nelson Bunker Hunt collection lor ding, with the rarest and most appeating for the Big Apple congregation to realize $214,000 managed only $160.000 with coins from an artistic perspective bringing that this was going to be the year of the investor money obviously sitting on Ihe predictably high prices. collector, and a bold collector at that. sidelines. The 7910t sale generated over A rare gold stater (lot 31) from Ath With six auctions featuring ancient $1.3 million. Following the Walter collec ens, of the period 407-406 B.C. was es coins, some made the pilgrimage in the tion sale, Stack's auctioned another 275 timated at $50-70 thousand and drew a hope that pockets were too shallow to lots 01 ancients supported by a consis winning bid of $115.000 in crossfire bid absorb the high powered material being tently strong book (mail bidding) as well ding. The very nexl lot. an unpublished offered. In a few cases the logic paid off, as active floor bidding. and unique gold stater Irom lampsaeus as results were mixed and bargains were On Friday, November 30, Christie's brought only half the estimate at $8,SOO. to be found as usual at auction. Unex conducted an auction which included 72 This pattern continued throughout the sale pectedly, those hoping to snag the rare lots of ancients. Collector enthusiam was and seemed to be an indication that "in and popular issues generally sought by once again at a high level as asilverstater vestment money" was not the pace setter collectors were in for a big surprise. Col from Nagidos in Cilicia drew a winning bid it had apparently been in earlier Hunt lectors turned out in legion and brought 01$11,500againstaneslimateof$3,OOO- sales. Other highlights included an EF their Christmas stocking money with them! 4,000. A denarius 01 the Second Revolt, Naxos tetradrachm at $150,000. and the It was a week 01 records at the auction year 2, was bid up to an astounding $3,500, second known aureus of Maxentius with block with the NFA sale on Thursday nearly six times the estimate. lacing bust is EF (Lot 103) at $155,000. (Nov. 29) breaking the ice. The widely Ancient coins led oH the third session The later Roman gold rarities were strongly publicized gold au reus of Brutus sold for 01 the Superior sale on Sunday evening supported, with a Constantine I medallion a record $550,000 to a buyer character (December 2) as the pace continued 013 solidi selling for $90,000 -doubling ized by an NFA spokesperson as "a col strong. Oneofthe standouts in this session the estimate. An exceptionally well ex lector with an eye toward investment.· was a silver stater from Aspendos in EF ecuted die helped boost the price for a Roman coins in the sale generally drew condition which brought $2,000 with an Rhodian tetradrachm (l ot 35) to double heavy competition, while the Greek is estimate of $300-500. Again, a strong the estimate at $26,000. sues mel with less enthusiasm. book and active lIoor bidding kepi prices Many attractive coins sold at or below The Stack's auction of the John at healthy levels. estimate, with some real bargains in Wh itney Walter collection, held in coop- The CNA auction on Tuesday morn- cluded. Overall, the atmosphere was that 01 a Hreal" auction, not as euphoric as last June's sales, but in a way more refresh ROMAN EMPIRE, Oiocletian {j--:- ing. This trend continued into the Byzan 284-JOSA.D., AE Iollis (22 mm ~iP 'l49.J:J. , tine sessions, with coins 01 the William & 7.4 g). PO$! abdicatiOfl V __~ -J ~v. Herbert Hunt Collection garnering mixed issue of 310-311 A.D. ~,.. ~ but generally strong collector support. Several records were set in this sale with <>wmantled. L,"",'" bust /.' :3...... ~; ' ~I ( ' _., two notable examples being a gold of emperor to ri(lht. I, ;:; ~m" -.;. Rev. Providentia & \ I.!I. /) I ~ _.~ . nomisma 01 Zoe and Theodora which Quias stg. facing ~ ~f W -- sold lor $90,000 plus commission, and a ttachother. AntiOCh ~ I, ~ . ~ minI. RIC 149 (Rarily 3). ' --.L. . ~ , bronze 3/4 lollis 01 Constantine IV climb EF, brown patina l! .... Nt ing to $7,000 before the hammer fell. VERY RARE---$395 _J, In spite 01the incredible array of mate rial offered throughout the week, compe William B. Warden, .Jr. ti tion was impressive for nice collectable C/II.w·m/ Nllllli.'mmi. Wetterstrom collection of Roman Egyptian drachms draws intense bidding at CNA XIII Bronzes of Roman Egypt from the Harpokrates nude and squatting on a estimate with choice pieces bringing very collection of Kerry K. Wetterstrom set the lotus flower brought an astounding $1,400 high premiums. A year 6 drachm of numismatic world buzzing on December againsta$350estimate. Anotherdrachm Antoninus Pius, depicting Herakles and 4 as the outstanding collection drew an 01 Antoninus Pius in choice EF condition the Cretan bull (see cover) sold lor $3,000 appropriate response on the auction with the reverse type of Tyche reclining not including the buyers fee. Mythologi block. leading off Classical Numismatic on a couch brought $2.100 against the cal themes were equally strong, with a Auction XIII, the bronzes performed con· $1,000 pre-auction estimate. White the "Judgement of Paris" type bringing sistently well with many achieving record bronzes were very strong across the $3,750. prices. Having sold the lelradrachms board, rarer and nicer types went wild as If frustrated bidders expected a re from his collection earlier. WeUerslrom a number of dealers obviously had "buy" prieve in the seldom touted coinage 01 surprised many in the fraternity by dis orders. The only known example of a the Nomes, they were wrong. Even the persing the bronze drachms which were zodiacal type (lot 158) struck under tiny bronzes of relatively little artistic ap his admitted favorites. Dealers and col Antoninus Pius drew a winning bid 01 peal brought solid competition from both lectors worldwide were quick to seize the $1 ,300, nearly tripling estimate. The very the book and the floor. opportunity of acquiring many exceptional next lot, with a Selene/Cancer reverse The sale of these coins, at this time, and unique pieces as bidding was furious commanded $2,250 which more than was an undertaking certainly fraught with on lot after lot. tripled estimate. II the zodiacal series did risk, butthe underlying strength of collec A year 19 drachm of Hadrian with astOUnding, there are hardly words to tor interest was clearly and boldly dem describe the performance 01 the "l abors onstrated much to the delight of all who Augustus aureus of Herakles". Virtually everything topped shared in the experience. highlights Harmer Rooke sale Are you interested in Babylonian clay tablets and Roman gold and silver coins were featured in CHOICE WORLD COINS? Harmer Rooke Galleries' "Auction XXXVIU" combination mail-bid, lele You should be receiving our publications phone-bid sale which closed November MORE THAN THREE 8th. Among the Babylonian clay tablets in MAIL BID CATALOGUES ANNUALLY the auction, one example came from Ur, "Land of Abraham", III Dynasty. ca. 2,000 B.C. The inscription in Cuneiform writing Featuring RARE and CHOtCE gold and silver coins of records the receipt of 30 oxen. The price the world as we ll as ancient co inage and wo rld paper realized was $308 including the 10% buyer's premium. money. A sample catalogue is $15.00 postpaid. The key Roman coin offered in the sale was a gold aureus issued under Includes Prices Realized AugUSIUS Caesar (27 B.C. -A.D. 14). with a laureate bust of the emperor on the An annual subscription is also available. The cost is $45 obverse and Caius and Lucius Caesars depicted on the reverse, Sear #470; within the U.S. and $60 outside the U.S. Graded Very Fine, thecain realized $885. A rare silver denarius of Claudius (A.D. 41-54), with laureate bust and the reverse Ponterio & Associates, Inc. inscription SPOR P.P" OBCS, with the 1818 Robinson Ave. strike slightly off-center, brought $231 in San Diego, CA 92103 Finecondition. For further information about Harmer 1·800·854·2888 or 619·299·0400 Rooke"s upcoming sales, contact them at Licensed Aue/ioll Company 1/968 3 East 57th Street, Dept. C, New York, P.N.C. #308 Richard H. Ponterio • President L.M.#2163 NY 10022, phone (212) 75 1-1900, (800) 221-7276. or Fax at (212) 758-1713. January 1991 25 People in the News Erik Gold joins RCCA as chief cataloguer Dr, Arnold R. Saslow, owner of Rare Gold has the somewhat unusual hobby Goins & Classical Arts lid. of South Or of "historical re-enactments" and is a ange, NJ and Palm Desert, CA. has an Corporal, Major Richard l. Ford's Com nouncedthe addition of Erik J. Gold to his pany, the 23rd Regiment, Royal Welch staff. Fusiliers (in America) . This famed unit Gold, a native of Plainview, NY, ma fought in many of the major battles of th e jored in Archaeology and Fine Arts at American Revolution including Bunker Adelphi University and is a graduate of Hill (where it was decimated). and as a the Parsons School of Design. Unlil participant in this unit, Gold had the honor recently Gold was Assistant Director of of being presented to H,M. Queen Eliza Numismatics at Harmer Rooke Galleries beth of England when his unit partiCi in New York City. pated in a historical review in England in At RCCA, Gold will be in charge of 1989. catalogue production wh ich will include In addition to this, Gold collects Revo cataloguing of ancient and other coins, lutionary medals, tokens, buttons, and coin photography, and catalogue design military memorabilia 01 this period_ Due ERIKJ. GOLD and layout. He will also supervise cata to his addition, RCCA will, in the future, logue production which will be done at an he very interested in purchasing material Gold stated that he "looks forward to outs ide lacility. His other duties will in of th is period from numismatic to military. a long association with RCCA and is very clude being Of/ice Manager ol lhe New He is a member 01 E.A.G., A.N.A., enthusiastic about the market potential Jersey offices and he will attend major F.U.N., and a number of Revolutionary for ancient coins". national coin shows on beha!! of RCCA. War affiliated organizations. He can be contacted at RCCA, P.O, Box 374, South Orange, NJ 07079, phone: (20 t ) 761-0634, Fax: (201) 761-8406). JrofHtz iu Album addresses ~umlzmditz ONSmembers Dr. William Hunter Ancient silver coins from the time of Tamerlane were the topic of an address given to the Oriental Numismatic Society Willnml!ullIer was born in Scotland in 17]8. December 1_ The Society held its regular Following ,[ well established anliquari,m Ir,. meeting in conjunction with the New York dilion, he buill a huge collection of ancient International Numismatic Convention at and medieval coins, especially of the British the New York Hilton Hotel. Isles, which he bequeathed upon his death in Album presented his analysis of a 17M3 to Ihe University ofGJasgow. The collection is generally referred 10 a ~ the recently discovered hoard, which shed Huntcrian Collection and is housed in a Nco-c1assicitl museum orthe same name. new light on the movements of the Mongol A cal;ilog of Hunter's collection was first publi shed In 1782 by C harles Combe leader and the bureaucratic system which under lhe title Nlllllnlol'llm Wlt'rum. and again more re cently by Dr. George he set in place in the area which now M"cDon"ld, cu rator of the Hunlerian Coin Cabinet at the University of Glasgow. comprises the country 01 Iran. Hunter was ,In anatomist of some di stincTion, and belonged to the Society of Also, at the ONS meeting, Mr. P.P. Ku lkarni reported on the first ONS Con Anliqu:\rics in Edinburgll, SC.Qt land, which benefited ~tlso from his generous gifls_ gress held in India October 27 to Novem J-Iunrc r's collect ing habi l.\ were Iypical of the group of eighteenth century rrofes ber 2. The event was very wett attended siOilals. ~cntry, ami ckrgy who .t lmost single-handedly buill Ihe collec[ions which and it is hoped that the Congress will be formc(1 a basis for [he Unilcd Kingdom's many important cabinets. They were continued, perhaps in the Un ited States among lhe cr,\\ mO,' t famous collectors, and were able to amass great quantitic.~ of in 1991. trul y exceplional coins. building lasting monuments to their connoisseurship. Individuals interested in obtaining in formation aboulthe ONS may write to the This fe ature is provided courtesy of U,S. Representative, Mr. William B. War The C,B. Byers Corporation, Newport Beach, CA den at P.O. Box 356, New Hope, PA 18938. 26 The Celator WARNING!!! If you have received mailings offering rare coins at incredibly low prices - beware! Check out the source before you fall victim to a scam. FOR YOUR INFORMATION: *The mailing list of The Celator has never been released to any other party for use in any way. * The Celator has not authorized the use of photos from published articles or advertisements in any case. *The Celatordoes not endorse any promotions, advertisers, products or individuals beyond the stated policies of The Celator which control the acceptance of advertising. THINK BEFORE YOU ACT! January 1991 27 Antiquities Fig seen as "king of all fruit trees" in Holy Land by Da vid Liebert Naturally the fruit of the fig tree was The fig was an important symbol of The fig tree Ficus Carica W,lS indig highly prized in the ancient world, and it the Holy Land, although it was not as enous to the Holy Land and grew wild is often represented in al1 . for example in common as other symbols such as the there in pre-historic times. [n fact, it was Egyptian tomb paintings like those at grape, with which iswas associated. The probably domesticated in the Holy Limd Beni-Hassan. two were often planted together, the vine when early man chose the best varieties growing on the tree. for cultivation. Although some authori The high repute in which the fig was ties place its origins elsewhere in the held was well deserved, for it was a Near East, what is certain is that both staple of the common people's dice, be wild and domesticated variet ies of the fig ing both cheap and plentiful. It lllso grew tree continue to flourish in the Holy Land throughout the year and it could be dried to this day. and pressed into cllkes, which could sus In the excavations at Gezer figs were tain life in times of siege and on long found in layers da!inglo Neolithic times, journeys. and the Bible is replclc with references to Fig tree seen on ancient fragment The fig was also an ingredient in the fig . The shade it provided was pro ancient medicine. and many place names verbial in the hot Mediterranean climale The best figs in antit/u ilY were deemed in the Holy Lllnd commemorate the fig, and the oft quoted phrase "Every man to come from the Levant. Even though such as Beth Pllgi (house of green figs). under his vine and his fig tree" is found many fine varieties of fig grew in italy, Thus the fig clime to represent to the in several places in the Bible including Pliny tells us that Rome imported fig ancients, as Josephus tells us. the very the book of I Kings, Micah, and trees from Israel in hisHistoria Naillralis. "king of all fruit trees". Zechariah. Indeed, the fig tree is the first During the reign of Vel usia nus, in the frui t mentioned in the Bible (Genesis third century A.D., a fi g tree appears on 3:7) '';tnd the eyes of them both were a bronze city coin of Acre. The tree and Reiter takes over opened and they knew that they were its fruit also appear in ancient Jewish art, naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, as in mosllics found in ancient syna as Editor for and made themselves aprons". gogues and on oil lamps. NLG Newsletter The Numismatic Literary Guild has The announced that it will not be mailing dues notices for the coming year. Ac Time Machine Company cording 10 the Guild, newsletters were is always eager to aid beginning co/{ectors with moderately priced coins and not published in 1990, and they will have antiquities. Gall David Liebert direct to discuss your interests and needs. sufficient funds for 1991. Ed Reiter has stepped forward to be come the Executive Director and Editor Roman Egyptian for the Newsletter. The Newsletter is pottery heads. expected to be mailed in early February. Applications for membership to the various deities, Numismatic Literary Guild will be for all Fine warded (0 Reiterforprocessing. Hemay or better be contacted at 12 Abbington Terrace, Glen Rock, NJ 07452. He mlly also be condition. contacted by phone at (201) 612-0482. Only $1 8 each or five for $75. Please . .. Supplies limited . Check your mailing label: If the address is not correct, send us a correction notice We have many more in teresting antiquities and ancient coins in stock. immediately. When the postal If you are not on our mailing lis /, you are missing some of the best buys in service sends us your address ancient art. Send for your free catalog today. For more information contact: change they rip the label off your Celator, send it to us with a The Time Machine Co. change notice, and throw the P.O. Box 282, Flushi ng Station, rest of the journal away. Adding Queens, NY 11367 insult to injury, we have to pay (718) 544-2708 them (postage due) for this disservice. 28 The Gelator Museum Qyafity S erections SOME AMAZING GREEK RARITIES I II Greek, Thrace, Ainos, c. 380 B.C ., AR telradrachm Greek, Sicily, Syracuse, c. 405 B.C., ARtetradrachm, (14.95 gms.). Obv: Head of Hermes facing 3/4 to L in the style of Eucleidas, (17.1 gms.). Obv: Fast wearing a petasus with a beaded rim. Rev: AINON, quadriga driven to I. by slg. female charioteer, Nike goat stg. to r., to the r. a wreath. BMC 17 (var.). flying above to r. to place wreath on the charioteer's Grade: abt. extremely fine. A magnificent coin and head, dolphin in ex, Rev: Head of Arethusa to I. a high point of the celator'S art with perfect eves and wearing a spiral earring and plain necklace, hair held a haunting expression (compare a sim. example in by a broad diadem, around four playful dolphins. Hunt, 1219010134, at $24,200). These are probably Grade: abl. extremely fine with excellent detail and the most affordable of the large facing head Greek strike. Sim. Dewing #858 Cost-$5,500 tetradrachms. Cost - $13,500 III IV Egypt, Ptolemaic Kings, Berenice II, 247-221 B.C., Greek, Sicily, Syracuse, c. 310 B.C., electrum 100 gold pentadrachm (21.4 gms.). Obv: Veiled bust of litrae, (6.55gms.). Obv: rYPAKOtJnN, laureate head Berenice to r. wearing a beaded necklace. Aev: of Apollo to I. with long hair, behind a tripod. Rev: 8 EPEN IK HE 8 A EIA I HHE cornucopiae bound with ffiTEIPA, diademed head of Artemis 10 r. wearing royal diadem between two six-pointed stars, E be earring and necklace, quiver over shoulder, tripod low. Grade: choice extremely fine, Alexandria mint, behind. Grade: exlremelyfine (small striking crack). Svoronos #973 (this coin), Boston #2279. The~!:! S.N.G. Locket\#992. Note: ex Leu Auction 18, 1977, known example and extraordinarily rare. Notes: ex Lot 81 where it sold for Sf 39,050equivalentto$31 ,240. Rothschitd Sate, Sotheby's, London, May 1900, Lot An extraordinary rarity and the first we have ever 474; ex Leu, 1981, Lot 220. Cost - $22,000 been fortunate enough to own. Co st - $13,000 Please note: all coills have original surfaces alld foning alld are totally "unimproved". THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAY SEASONS FROM ARNIE, ERIC, AND CHARLY 'LJ,. eIf,notd cR. c!)a,[ow - cRa 7£ Coini & C[aiiica[ eIf,t, 1!td. P.O. Box 374, Soulh Orange, N.j. 07079 Phone (201) 761-0634 FAX (201 ) 76 1-8406 All coins guaranteed genuine, we accept Visa & Mastercard, shipping postpaid, N.J. residents add appropriate sales tax. If you enjoy this quali ty of ancient coin but have ot her needs give us a call. January 1991 29 Mythological themes influenced ancient Greek coin designs by William E. Daehn ge ms, and olher works of art including topic for a coin from Thasos. The list The design stamped onto a coin scr.'c.~ coins. Collectors of Greek coins arc could go on and on. The impact of an important purpose - it fa ci li1 Jillcient (jree/0. Boeotian stater with shield In most cases, even these s imple de tJ?jJman & 'Byzantine signs held re ligious significance to the ancient Greeks. Hill wrote, "owing to the extraordinary penetration of religion COINS into all the affa irs of life among the Greeks and Romans, it is by no means entirely unscholarly to read a religious sense into what often at fi rst sight ap pears to be something very different."2 In these instances, the deitie.c; are not represented directly, but their presence is indicated by symbols or attributes. For example, Zeus, the ruler of eanh and sky, is assumed to be present wherever his thunderbolt is found. The decora tive thunderbolt often seen on the coins of Olympia represents the weapon of Zeus with a dan (It one end. flames representing Send Today For Free Illllstrated List ) the fl ash of light ning. and wings tOCllITy ( it through the sky.3 Li kewise, the shield on the Theban stater "may be that of Ares, god of war, TOM CEDERLIND for his statue was the starling point for the horse races at the Pan-Boeotian fes P.o. Box 1963-C tivals."4 The com-ear at Metapontum symbolizes the fenility of the eanh and Portland, OR • 97207 honors Demeter, goddess of the corn fields. 30 The Gelator be a major influence on most Greek coin head. :tnd a pouch in which to carry the designs. even when that influence is not severed head . Athena also gave Perseus rcadily appa rent. let's examine two her highly polished bronze shield. With popu lar myths to see how the die en the winged shoes. Perseus swiftly pu rsued gravers al various cities adapted these Medusa and . using the shield as a mirror fascinating stories to serve as coin de to guide h im (thereby avoiding Medusa' s signs. Let's start wilh the slory of Per de'ldly gaze). he cut off her head. He seus. gave the gorgon's head to At he na who Coin of Ephesos with bee Perseus was the son of Zeus and placed it at the center of her aegis. the obverse and stag reverse Danae. His grandfather was alanned by protcctive goat-skin she wore on her an oracle which had told him that his chest. daughter's child would murder hi m. To The story of Perseus became a com The bee on the coin of Ephesos re avoid the danger. he put Danae and her mon theme in Greek art and coinage. lates to the worship of Artemis. the son Perseus into a chest and set them The gorgon head appears on the coins of daughter of Zeus. When Zeus asked her adrift on the sea. The chest was found by many city-states includ ing Parion and what gifts she would like from him. her a fishennan and was presented to king requests included the gift of eternal vir Polydektes. Years later. after Perseus ginity. nnd a bow and arrow. Thus. she was fully~grown, the king fe ll in love bcellme known as the virgin huntress. S with Danae and he feared that Perseus In ancient times. bees were thought to wou ld interfere with hi .~ plans. Togetrid reproduce without mating, and so they of him. the king senl Perscus on a mission sign ified virginity and became the sym to kiJlthe gorgon Medusa. Medusa was bol of Artemis. 6 A bee decorates the side once a beautiful woman. bUI Athena. of:t first centu ry c.E. statue of Artem is jealous of her beauty. depri ved Medusa fo und at her temple at Ephesos, and the of her channs. giving her a hideous face bee bee:tme a standard feature on with large teeth .md s n a k e.~ for hair. She Ephesian coinage. becameacmcl monstcrwhosc look would Gorgon head on coinage o( Parion The st.tg on the reverse of the coins lurn 'l1lyone 10 stOrle. originates in the story of Artcm is :lIld To assist Perseus with his challeng Neapolis. The aegis of Athena appears Aktai on. Aktaion happened to pass a ing tas k, Athena and Hermes gave him on coins from the cities of Ami sos and fountain whcre Artemis was bathing. winged shoes, a helmet which made him Kabc ira among others, and is shown as a Naturally, he stopped to watch. When invisible. a sword to CUI off the gorgon's small symbol behi nd Athena's head on Art e mi .~ di scovered him, she transfonned him intoa stag. and his own hunting dogs pursued him and tore him to pieces.? Other coins with no apparent rel i gious connection are the agonistic types Miinzen und Medaillen AG - those which be:lr designs rel;tted to For 45 years we have been servillg it thletic contests such as a quadriga. a race-torch or a pair of wrest lers. "Dul collectors of Anciellt Coins ... the~e instanccs constitu te no real excep tion to thc rc li gious character of Greck and we would like to serve you too! coins. For in early days at :111 cvents agonistic festivals had an intensely rel i gious tinge. and the honou r of the god to whom Ihey were dedicated was the chief object sought by the competitors and thought of by thc presiding magistrates." a ~ Gardner states. 1I Even thc so-called punning types . • Monthly Illustrated Fixed Price Lists· thosc wh ich fonn a play on words. can • Public Sales· Appraisals· somelimcs be lIlterpreted as religious in • Large Stock in All Price Ra nges · [WI lire. The rosc which is a fix ture O il the coinage of the city of Rhodes and the • Buying and Selling . mclon on the coins of Melos itre often assumed to have been adopted because Please send us your want lisl. We will/ill it! of the punning allusions to the cit y names. However. Gardner argues just the re Please con tact: verse. He be lieves the types were not adoptcd as puns on the city names, but Miinzen und Medaillen AG in~tc:ld. the cities took their names from a relic of a sacrcd legend. In many cases. P.O. Box 3647 • Malzgasse 25 there may have been a religious tale CH . 4002, Basel, Switzerland connecting the symbol lIsed on the coinage with the history of thc town .9 Tel. (061) 23 75 44 Now that relig ion has been shown to January 1991 31 some staters from Corinth. Other Bellerophon to death. A sure way to do Corinthian staters show the sword Perseus this was to send Bellerophon to battle the used to cut off the gorgon's head. deadly Chimaera, and this is just what Getting back to (he slory, when Per {he king ordered. seus cut off the head of Medusa, the Before setting oul on his mission, winged-horse Pegasos sprang from the Be llerophon consulted a soothsayer who body of the beheaded gorgon. Pegasos told him to catch the winged-horse plays an important role in the story of the The Chimaera on a coin of Sikyon Pegasos to aid him with his challenge. hero Belierophon and another ferocious He was told to spend the night in the monster, the Chimaera. local king sought help in eliminating the temple of Athena. He did so, and as he The Chimaera was a fire-breathing menace. Just then, a young warrior, slept, Athena appeared to him in a dream monsler with the fore-part of a lion, the 8ellerophon, came to lawn bearing a and gave him a golden bridle. When he hind-part of a dragon, and a go,lt 's head letter from the king's son-in-law. awoke, Athena led him to a fountain ncar in the middle of its back . It was causing Bellerophon was unaware of the letter's the city of Corinth where Pegasos had havoc in the re gion of Lycia, and the contents which instructed the king to put stopped to drink. At the sight of the golden bridle, Pegasos came to Bellerophon who mounted the horse and . - Bank Leu Ltd Zurich >. > .• ~ :: Numismatics Pegasos depicted on Corinthian• coinage flew into the sky. Soon they came upon the Chimaera. Flyingabove themonster, Bellerophon wa~ able to kill it with a Thrust of his spear. After several other amazing accom plishments. Bellerophon became a bit too proud, bringing upon himself the anger of the gods. When he tried to ride the horse up to Mt. Olympos. the home of the gods, Zeus sent a fly to sting Pegasos. The horse bolted, throwing Bellerophon to the ground. Blind and lame, he wan dered the earth until his death. Pegasos continued on to MI. Olympos, where Zeu~ made him the bearer of his thunder bolts. 10 Pegasos became a well recognized symbol on the coinage of Corinth and is portrayed in a variety of poses on the staters. Sometimes he bends to drink from a fountain, and sometimes the hero Bellerophon is shown riding the winged horse. Every year we have an auction of very imporlant ancient coins Although Aphrodite was the chief in spring. deity of Corinth. the Corinthians chose We issue occasionallisls. Athena to grace the reverse of their Our stock ranges from Hemitartemoria to Dekadrachmai, and coinage, honoring her for the assistance from Quadrantes 10 Multiple Aureus Medallions. she gave Bellerophon in capturing We actively buy and sell at all price levels. Pegasos. Various symbols related tothe BclJcrophon myth, including the Chi maera, can be found behind Athena's head on Corinthian staters. At times, the Bank Leu myths alluded to by the coins reflect reality: Bellcrophon 's foe, the Chimaera, Numismatics is a standard feature on the coins of Bank Leu Ltd Sikyon, a near neighbor and deadly en In Gassen 20 CH-BOOI Zurich Switzerland emy to Corinth'!' Telephone (from the US) 011 41 1 2192406 Telelax 011 411 219 3306 By the late fourth century B.C.E., royal p0!1raits began to displace the gods 32 The Celalor on the obverse of Greek coins. The as the gaze of the gorgon could tum a were paraphrased from Alexander S. process begins with the tetradrachms of man tostone, sothe gl impse of an ancient Murray, Who's Who in Mythology, 1874 KingPhili p ll ofMacedon. Phi lip put his coin with its thundering god, brave hero, (rpt. New York: Crescenl Books, 1988), own ponrai t on his si lver coins, setting or hideous monster, can send the numis pp. 214-224; and Thomas Bulfinch, the direction for much of the best coinage mati .~ t into a trance as he begins his Buffinc},' sMylhology,(New York: Avenel of the Hellenistic age. t2 While life-like odyssey through mythological lands. Books, 1979). pp. 115-117 and pp. 124· ponraits of kings and queens began to 127. occupy the obverse of coins, the reverses II Coin designs related 10 th e Bellerophon continue to bearreligious types although Footnotes: myth are discussed by Jean 8. Cammann, more conventional in style. Barclay 1·lead e.H.V. Sutherland, Ancient Numismat Numismatic Mythology, (New York: auributes this decline in originality on ics: A Brief IlIIroduction, (New York: Wayte Raymond Inc., 1936), p. 13. the pan of the die engravers to the urgent American Numismatic Society, 1958), p. 12 In referring to the image on the tetra demands by the growing economy for a 28. drachms of Phil ip II as a portrail of Philip plentiful and uniform coinage, allowing 2 G.F. Hill, Ancient Gruk and Roman as opposed to that of Zeus, I am following less time for creating inspired works of Coil1s: A HUl1dbook,(Chicago: Argonaut, Ihe conclusions reached by AI N. art. 13 1%4), p. 169. Oikonomides, "New Evidence on the Coin But the Greeks' changing attitudes 3 Charles T. Seltman, The Teml)le Coil/sol Portrait of Philip II of Macedon", Per toward religion and society also played Olympia. 1921 (rpt. New York: Attic sl,ectives ill Numismarics, ed. Saul B. an important part in this transition. "With Books Ltd., 1975), pp. 105-1 09. Needleman, (Chicago: Ares Publishers, the dec3y of political power and the 4 Nonnan Davis, Greek Coins and Cities, 1986),pp.3-1 1. waning influence of the state religion in (Londo n: Spink & Son Ltd., 1976), p. 47 . 13 Barclay V. Head, Historia Numarum, th is age, individualism came to dominate 5 Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, (Lon 1911 (rpc Chicago: Argonaut, 1967), p. Greek thought and action. Sculpture don: Penguin Books. 19(0), p. 83. lix. showed the influence of this change in 6 J.e. Cooper ,All fl/us/rated cl1cyciolJOedia 14 Gruk Gods and Heroes, (Boston: Mu the llltention paid to ind ividual portrai ofTraditiollal Symbols. (London: Thames seum of Fine Arts, 1962), p. 14. ture."14 The coinage of the Hellenisti c and Hudson Lld.,1978),pp. 19-20. kingdoms refle cts these changes as well. 7 Gmves, pp. 84-85. And the fine portraiture begun by the 8 Percy G:lrdne r, Archaeology and the Say you saw it in Greeks was continued and perfected on Types (fGred COhlS, 1883 (rpl. Chicago: the coinage of the Romans. Argonaut, 1905). p. 44. The age in which the legends of the 9 Ibid ., p. 45. rrhe Ce[ator gods were written is long gone. But just 10 The myths of Perseus and Bel 1erophon 16th ANNUAL CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL COIN FAIR March 8-9-10, 1991 Hyatt Regency Hotel 151 East Wacker Drive Featuring: a major auction of world numismatic material presented by Pontcrio and Associates. Plan now: 10 altend the First Big World and Ancient Numismatic Convention of 199 1, featu ring more th an 120 participat ing dealers from around Ihe world. Bourse: Kevin Foley P.o. Box 573, Milwaukee, WI 53201 (414) 282-2388 January 1991 33 Coins of the Bible Monobaz I founded great Jewish royal family by David Hcndin knownst to Izates, back home in A new ly discovered bronze coin of Adiabene his mother Helena had also Monobaz I of Adiabcnc was recently been won over by the Jewish religion. sold by the G e rma n February 27,199 1 An important coll ection of Greek and Roman coins February 28, 1991 A large selection of interestin g and historical Celtic, Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins with many rare Iypes in attract ive condition at accessible prices Catalogues available from NUMISMATICA ARS CLASSICA AG Niederdorfstrasse 43 CH-8001 ZURICH Telephone 01 2611703 Fax 01 261 5324 January 1991 35 JUST FOR BEGINNERS by Wayne G. Sayles Questions Answers What is the difference Although we lend to associate the term between Imperial "lmperialH with Roman political power starting in and Imperatorial? 27 B.C., the term is much older and broader in The term Imperial scope. The "Imperium~ was originally a form of ANCIENT is also used with royal authorily over aU members of the Roman Greek coinage. state and was conferred on th e newly elected king by the comitia CUriala. an THOMAS P, MCKENNA P.O. Box 1356-K STEPHEN M. HUSTON Fort Collins, CO 80522 C(assica{ 7\Cumismatist 303-226-5704 P.O. Box 193621 San Francisco, CA 94119 USA (415) 781·7580 furycoiniUustratdactuafsiu. 'Write for a copy ofour net.! catafcgue. 36 The Gelator THE NAME YOU KNO W THE NAME YOU TRUST DAVID R. SEAR The nallle which has been in the forefront of ancient Greek and Roman numismatics through five decades - the 50s to the 90s The author of the world famous standard collectors' handbooks on G reek, Roman and Byzantine coinage is pleased to announce the inauguration of a unique service to classical numismatists The ANCIENT COIN CERTIFICATION SERVICE (A.C.C.S.) Over the past quarter of a century ROMAN COINS AND THEIR VALUES, GREEK COINS AND THEIR VALUES and othertilles in this celebrated series have established a worldwide reputation as the principal guide~boo k s for collectors of ancient coins. Many notable numismatists had their first introduction to the subject through the pages of these catalogues and new recruits to the hobby are still being recommended to acqui re a copy before starting their collection. Now, a certification service for ancient coins meeting the very highest standards of professionalism is being offered by the author of these publications. Each genuine coin submitted will be authenticated, photographed, fully id entified and graded, and will receive an individual assessment of its historical and numismatic significance. And each ce rtificate of authenticity will bear the signature of David R. Sear. The regular fee for this comprehensive service will be $25.00 per coin, but as a special introductory offer your tirst consignment will be handled for $20.00 per coin (limit 5 pieces). WE (j'W'l!!(Mo(J'E'ETHAT YOU WILL BE DELIGHTED WITH T HE EXCELLENCE OF OUR SERVICE When submitting coins please be sure to use Certified or Registered mail, and to add sufficient to your remittance to cover cost of return postage. To receive furth er infonnation regarding thi s and other num ismatic services offered by David R. Sear, write: A.C.C.S., Post Office Box 5004, Chatsworth, Ca. 91313, U.S.A. or FAX us at (818) 993-6119 January 1991 37 Constantine's vision supports new hypothesis on Roman coin reverse type by Dayid Miller What then does this coin show and see what hedid and ... they unanimously In the year A.D. 319 the min! of why was it struck? For the answer we declared that they could ... The following Thcssalonica produced a bronze coin. must go back to Spring 312. Constantine, night while he slept he saw Christ who 111is issue, relatively small in number, whose father, Constantius Chlorus, had directed him to make a standard to the was struck by Constantine the Great in died in 306, had had a rather chequered pattern he had been shown." Scholarticus, his name and those of his sons, Crispus political career. Having beenelevated at a Christian writer, is of course writing his and Constantine II. He also struck them York on his father's death to the Imperial version some 150 years after the event in the name of his recent enemy Licinius purple, he was demoted to Caesar at a and from his own religious point of view . and his son. Licinius II . The coin, a conference of the various Emperors and Nevertheless, Constantine saw a great X reduced follis, has on the reverse a Caesars at Carmentium in the following superimposed on a pillar of light, thus standing figure of Sol standing on an X ye'lr. In 309 as his power grew he was making a Chi-Rho symbol. This was made of four parallel Jines and with the recognised as Augustus and gradually later ndopted as a recognition sign for his lege nd V1RT-EXERc' (i.e. the coinage gained control of Sp,lin, Gaul and Brit lroops on their shields. of the army). Precisely what this coin ,11 n. III 31 () he bcsieged his father-ill-law, represented and why it was struck was the emperor Maximianus in Marseilles unclear. So much so that since the J 9t h and, having captured the city, had him century, and perhaps earlier, numismatic put todeath. Constantine now controlled catalogues have described this co in as most of West em Europe except Italy and Sol standing above a plan of a Roman North Africa. The emperor Maxentius C'Hllp. who controlled these was highly un popular and was having to suppress up ri sings in North Africa. Constantine, real ising that his time had come, made an alli ance with Licinius. a co-emperor and Inscription on shields cont ro llcr of the Balkans and Greece. of Constantine's troops Havrng ~cc ured his flank, Constantine Constantine at this moment was not a lIlVaded Italy. He used the well·worn Christian. It was fashionable in the up path of nil invaders of that country and per classes to worship a monotheistic llIarched from Colmar on the French God, the Summus Deus or Supreme God Swiss border ncar Basel through the Al who was often considered to be Apollo pine passes and on to the plains of North or the unconquered Sun God. It is prob Reverse of a bronze reduced (ollis Italy. able thai both his parents, Constantius of Constantine the Great, minted in Chlorus and Helena, subscribed to this Thessalonica, with Sol standing on an thinking which paralleled Christianity X made of four parallel lines .. Cala~ ,lIld often !cd to it. While crossing the logued as a plan o{ a Roman army Alps the X in the sky could have been camp, the X may be a representation created in two ways, either by the sun's of Constantine's vision. rays hitting ice crystals in the atmo sphere or being deflected by the dust Since the Roman army started mov ing out of the Italian peninsula in the first century B.C. almo~t evel)' camp built by them has been square or rectangular. From Scotland to the Dead Sea these Labarum or Chi-Rho monogram '\1/ camr~ have survived. Theirearthworks Between Colmar and Rome some arc intact and. with the few exceptions thing hnppened that was to change the o where rl<11ur<11 contours have slightly bent complete courseofhi story. Constantine the sh'lpe, all !he c,mlps are of the same had a vision. Many versions of th is design. Why then should this coin always vision have been written. Tn some his . , bedescribeda~aplanofacnmp? In IRX.': vision came as a dream and in others as /rl~ Cohen described the corn a~ such in his a phenomenon as his troops marched on monumental work ,\1()llllaies SlIr {' empire the road south. Socrates Scholarticlls, a Romaine TI-1ROWN OUT D January 1991 39 Understanding Style: Part 4 Spiritualism of later Roman art became the hallmark of Byzantine style by Wayne ( ~ . Sayles approach was the depiction of figures emotionali sm , or creativity. Many of In these four short discussions. we with ex,lgger,lted eyes. The eyes were these elements are present to one degree have viewed art a.~ ;) reflection of style thought of as a window 10 the soul and or another in utilitarian or "minor" art. It during a period of approximately 2,OC>O the emphasis on the fonner alluded to a is, however, in the most conservati ve of years. Over the 1,000 year span from the sort of spiritual purity that was becoming art fonns, Ihe coins. that we find these beginning of coinage (0 the fall of the to the individual being represented, at elements conspicuously lacking. Roman Empire, marking the fi rst half of least from the "official" point ofview Strangely enough, the only real di Oll r survey. we can Ir.lCC a remarkable which was also the church hie rarchy'S vergence from this rigid canon came in political phenomenon affecting not only point of view. the provinces of eastem Anatolia and numismatic art, but art in general. Mesopotamia during the 12th century. '111 C coins of the Greeks reflected, jf At this time, one of those strange and sornewlwt conscrvCltively and slowly, ironic quirks of fate resulted in the con changes in the art world of which (hey vcrgence of a humanistic renaissance were a part. Coins are perhaps the most with a change in political fortunes. The conservative art medium [h;1I we arc ex rigid Christian bureaucracy gave way to posed to, and change usually come," only ;Ill llnny of Turkoman conquerors who in evolutionary patterns. When 11 stylis embraced the legitimacy of andent mo tic change occurred on Greek coins, it tifs and gave free reign to a community Justinian fI (2nd reign) , had alre'ldy been a part of the art worl d of artists long stitled by the Byzantine A.D. 705·711, AU solidus. order. Thisenigmatic renaissance lasted for some time. In short, the images on The eyes were considered coins were;L COl1scrv,ltivc reflection of a window to the soul and abou t 100 YClirs until the Mongol inva the art world at large. dominated Byzantine portraiture. sions extinguished its flame. At the pe,lk of Roman powcr. coins The study of ancient coins cannot be stIli reflected the art of lhei r world but ,Ht complcte without a study of the images clement of poli ti cal in tluenee is easily The frontal depiction was also less found on them. To this end, it is impor detected and politics clearly began to tlattering physically, and therefore the t,lnt th;ll we understand something of the Sh;ll >C the official art of the empire. preferred mannerof represent;ltion. From differences we refer to as "style". As a When we look at style in Byzantine ,I technica l perspective, the frontal im point of departure I would liketorecom· coinage. we see virtu'llly total domina age was very prone to wear and facial mend three distinguished works which ti on of polit ical influence in orticial an. features quickly deteriorated when any shed mllch more light on the subjecI than The only serious patrons of art after the sign ificant amount of relief was employed this rluthorcouldeverhopcto. Aboutthe fall of Rome were the BYlantine court by the die-engraver. These consider art on coinage of the Greeks, no one ha s and clergy. The only Illiljor art was ations all worked hand-in-hand to sup written more elot[uently than Charles religious art, :md therefore, the spiritual press artistic virtuosity and develop a Sellman in his book Approach /0 Greek ist ie representation was the only poss ible rigid canon of religious (official) art. Arl (E.P. Dutton, 1960). TIle subjects, representat ion. UnderSllch repress ion, It ,md therefore the images, featured on was rare to find creative artists and even Roman Coin.f were skillfull y presented more rare 10 find creative art on the most by 11:lTold Mattingly in his book of th;lt conserv;lt ive medium ~ coinage. Al title (Durst reprint 1987). And finally, though the manner of represeilliltion treating all three fields of Greek. Roman ch,mged somewhat. the essence of Byz and Byzantine coinage, is one of the antine art remained (with the exception mosl valuable books that acollectorcould of a brief renaissance during the 12th and should own. c.I-I.Y. Sutherland's century) unchanged for the next 1,000 Leo III, AD. 717-741, AU-Solidus. Ar/ ill Coinage (Batsford, 1955) is a years. Line rather than form masterpiece of clear concise thinking, Where the Greeks h,ld pl'lced great is the dominant characteristic impeccable logic, and skillful observa· emphasis on physic;d dlmcnsion, the of Byzantine slyle. tion. Byz:llltine model COnsCIOUS]y eliminated As a final comment. it seems peculiolf any reference to the corporeal or physi that after2.000 yearsof artistic evolution c,l l aspects of humanity. The invention We do see isolated instances of por the linear and rigid fonnula of archaic of solid gold backgrounds, for example, trait-like representations, especiall y Grcek art had become the linear and rigid removed all sense of depth and reduced among the coinage of the earlier Byzan fomlula of Dyzantine art. The reasons the image to 11 two dilllensio",,] object. tine emperors. These are essentially a fo r each of Ihese styles existing in thei r The use of line ratherth;1Il fonn was also fom) of archaizing similar to that dis own time arc very much diffcrent. but to a technique wh ieh reduced the emotion;d cussed in earlier installments of this ar the observer living in the 20lh century, aspects of the subject and allowed for a ticlc. It would be unfair and inaccurate to looking at art from an entirely different concentration on the spiritual aspects. suggest that all art of the Byzantine world perspective. they are not so very much The most obvious manifestation of this lacked the elements of idealism. verisrn, different after all. 40 The Celator Discussion of ancient art is topic of January symposium Coming Events •••• On Friday, January 11, 1991, aninler Jan. 3 - 5 F.U.N. Show. Orlando national symposium will be held al the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York Jan. 25 - 27 Golden State Coin Show, Pasadena City. The symposium, which is to be held in Jan. 25 - 27 20th Int'I Co in Fair, Basel the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, is org anized in conjunction with the exhibi Feb. 6 - 10 Long Beach Expo tion "Glories of the Past: Ancient Art from the Shelby While and leon Levy Collec tion. The exhibition has been on view at Feb. 9 London Coin Fair, London the Metropolitan since September 14th and will continue until January 27th. Feb. 18 - 29 Gorny Auction, Munich Various topics relating to ancient art will be discussed, including ancient Near Feb. 20 - 22 Hirsch Auction, Munich Eastern, classical bronzes, the Levy Euphronios krater, and the rulers and Feb. 23 - 24 NAB, New York citizens 01 ancient Rome. Admission is free with museum ad Mar. 1 - 3 ANA Midyear Convention, Dallas mission. Forlurther information, contact the Office of Academic Programs at (2 t 2) Mar.7-10 CICF, Chicago, Hyatt Regency 570·3710. Mar.15-17 Northwest Coin Show Application deadline Brooklyn Center, MN for ANS fellowship Mar. 20 - 21 Glendining's Auction, London awards is March 1 The American Nu mismatic Society awards fellowships each year for ad 0;------___ 0 vanced studies in numismatics. The Graduate Seminar is open to graduate students who have at least one Spink year of graduate studies and attend a school in North America. The instruc· ti onal program concentrates on method· The oldest ology and directed research. It will be established held at the ANS in New York City from • June 11 through AuguSll0. com The Graduate Fellowship award is given to an individual who has attended a in the, Graduate Seminar and has been ac cepted to Ph .D . studies. The use of numismatic evidence must be a major part of the student's dissertation. Coins from ancient [Q modem bought and sold, The Frances M. Schwartz Fellowship FrCX' verbal valuations ' Expert impartial advice given is awarded annually to an individuat with Coins bought outright, or sold on commission' a B.A. degree and centers its attention on Regular auctions held - please send for our currem list museum practices and curatorial assis Publishers and stockists of numismatic books' tance. Publishers of The Numismatic Circular since 1892' Advice and The application deadline for all three purchase at auction sales on collectors' behalf - all major sales anendcd. awards is March " 1991. For fur/lrer infanna/ian on ancient coins contact John Pell or Laura Slren'dan. Quote The Cdator for. f= edition of tile Numismatic Ci~ ul llr, Our fixed {'ric.: list of coins of all series and a forom of numiSmJlic debate. Subscriplion «5 ( 10 ISSues). Say you saw it in rJ/ie Ce[ator 0'-______--'0 January 1991 41 Reference Reviews Greek Coins: Handbooks & General References by Dennis Kroh hut it makes no claims on completeness or recommended, but it is rather tough to find Thu~ au 20 times mort! Tt!JeTt!nce wQrks and total accuracy. The valuations (calculated in the U.S .A. alhu boob on Ancitnt Coins olloilablt! ICNUry over 14 years ago when th e £ was S2 .40) Ihan juSl twmry yt!OfS ago. Vt!ry Jew numis are barcly useful as an indication of relative Carradice & Price /rIa/isu know how 10 ulilizt! IMU references, or rarity and certainly cannot be taken as "gos "Coinage in Ihtt Greek World" (1988)*** is a tvtn whut! /0 slar/ looking for cerlain iUm!. pt:I". It does have a good (if rudimentary) Many of Ihe Sl!' booA:.s a f t! essential for Ihe rather brief survey that contains many valu introduction to collecting and quite a few able connections bctween th e historical and Colleelor /0 own, Olhers worthy oj one ft!oding ill ustrations of the major types. This should (and au " t! va again consu/led), and some are metrological data available. Written by two only be a start to building a decent refer obsolt!le and ponderous aercists in fuIiliry. of the British MllSe Um'S most knowledge ence library. In Print, S45 per volume. This momh/)' column up/arts moSI ufertnces able experts, it contains 154 pages of very 011 Anci.. m Coins (by city-stalt! or fimt! pt!riod), readable text, and 24 plales illustrating over $zah'ert/Sear and will raft /ht!m according to Ihtir uufuI **** 300 coins. The scholarship is very up to ntIS, darity, ilIus/rarions, and availability, This is basieally the German language ver date, and this is quite inexpensive at $30. ulililing a fivt!-slar sysltm similar 10 thm uud sion of the above (also in two volumes. !Of lnoviu, UJlaur(lfllS, ondhOlels. Prices art 1980 & 1983), but it is arranged differently Uistoria Numorum ***112 abo givtm wherever (wailabit!. It is highly in that the coinage of each city-state is This is one of the besl books ever written on rtcoltllMndt!d (hm aI/taU 10% of),o14T COlltel presented strictly chronologically. One of Greek coinage, and has been the inspiration ing budge/ hI! inVtt$lttd In rt:jt:rt:nct: boob. the lim itations of the English version is that fo r all othcrs that have followed. Authored it lists the Arehaie coins, Classical precious by Barclay V. Head in 1911 (the second, *** metal coins, and base-metal coins separately and best, edition), its 1,100 + pages arc full -Greek Coifl$ &: n,ttir Valut:s· by David R. (which means you have to look in three of insight and infonnation that cannot be Sear appeared in two volumes in 1977-9. It different places for each city) . There are easily found elsewhere. Although it certainly replaces the 1959 si ngle volume work of the also quite a few additional coins listed and contains inaccurate and outdated information sa me name (revised in 1966 & 1975) by illustrated, which required a different num (particularly in dating) and very few linc U.A. Seaby & Col. J . Kozolubski. which bering than -Scar", but the "Sear" number drawn illustrations, it still stands on its own. was much \css inclusive and listed Greek and valuations in OM (calculated 4 to the £) In Print @ S70 & wo rth it. Imperial coins as we ll . This handbook is are included, as well as actual prices-real essential for all collectors of Greck Coins, ized from auctions for many coins. Highly ** '12 -A Guide 10 Ihe Principal Coins of Ihe Grub, c. 700 BC 10 AD 270" (brued on Ihe If you aren't seeing this symbol on work by Barclay V. Head) was published by the British Museum in 1932, with a 2nd catalogues you are currently receiving edition in 1959. The value of this work is principally in the 52 plates of ill ustrations from the trays of th e BM. It is Out of Print, but occasionally available in the S50 range. Colin Kraay's • Archaic and Classical**** Gruk Coins" (1976) is an exceptionally we ll done work, whose depth and grasp certainly supersedes nearly any other general work that exists fo r the period. Arranged fi rst by geographical areas, and then chronologically by period. it has 64 plates of illustrations, and makes a better study than a reference. OriginalS are in the S150 range, but a Durst repri nt in early Spring 1991 will be $80. Kraal' & lIinner "Greek Coins" was published in***** 1966, and is the ULTIMATE "coffce-table· book, certainly the finest work on Greck Coins Write for our membership list ever printed. It is lI1 ossh't in 5i7.e, and con tains many fantastic enlargements of the best Jean-Paul Diva Greek Coills you arc ever likcJy to see. The text (by Colin Kraay) is very well wrillen. Secretary, I.A.P.N. and the photography (by Max Uirmer) is L6wenstrasse, 65 truly incredible, even by today's stnndards. CH-8001 ZOrich, Switzerland Long out of print, this is the most sought after book and sells for S400-5OO. 42 The Gelalo( Jenkins ****'1.1 SlIn on Ih e Coins", and "Greek Kings and dealers Stanley Gibbons. It is a pretty basie This "Ancient Greek Coins H book by Ken pelty mlers". There arc very many photos in but vcry readable account with adequate neth Jenkins (fonner keeper at the BM), was its 208 pages. Ca rdcover reprint about $ 10. illustrations. Now out of print, it is around part of the ~ World of Nllmismatics ~ series 52-3 or so when found and makes nice gifts. and was published in 1972 on very high Va n Mt'tt'r **** quality paper and is about three inches th ick. ~ Collecl ing Greek Coins~ by David Van 310 pages oftcxt, with 679 excellent highly MeIer (1990) is subtitled "A Comp/ele Guide "Greek Coinage" (1983) is a 56 pa ge*** book enlarged photographs, many in full colour. 10 Beginning and Enjoying 0 Col/ection oj containi ng 15 plates of photos, published by Classical Greek Coins~, lind while it cer Scarce, this easily sells for SI75-200. Shire Archaeology in Britain. Authored by tainly does not live up to this "hype\ it is Nicholas K. Rutter (of the Royal Seollish Jenkins Rtvised an elementary and readable account of thc Museum in Edinburgh), it is very infonna **** coinagc that contains much practical infor This revision of the above, published by tive Dnd well-written. Cardcovcr, about S8. Seaby in 1990, is much smaller in size than mation. 143 pages contain I I chapters, and its predeccssor mainly because the reduction its 18 plates illustrate 187 coins. Only the last chapter, ~ Vailling Ancilnt Greek Coins " *** in the number of ph()tograph~ . The revisions ~Royal Creek Portrail Coins " by Edward T . has very little merit. Cardeovcr, $17.95. in the text arc mainly to changes in dating. Newcll (1937) is a 125 page book that is in 182 pages, with 439 black & white enlarge Anthony essence a biography of the Hellenistic ments spaced throughout thc tcxt and 35 This cardcover book by John Anthony,*** also Kings, illustrated by many coin-photos. It is colour cnlargemcnts on 8 plates. Not a bad entitled ~ Coll ec l ing Greek Coins " (1983) is in the process of being reprinted by Du rst in buy at $60, and highly reeommcnded. really a co ll ection of 42 articles which were eardeover (lan 1991) with a $12. price-tag. published in Britain's "Coin Mo n/h1y ~ over *** a period of years. Each is accompanied by ** "A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Coins" 5everal plates of illustrations (532 coin · Por/rails ojRoyal Ladies on Greek Coills ~ (1986) by John Mclville Joncs is an A to Z photos altogether) and several excellent by Leonard Forrer (1969 reprint from the approach to describe virtually all of Ihe maps. The text focuses more on the people 1938 Num ismatic Chronicle) is a 77 page gods, deities, subjects, topics found on who struck the coins than about the coins treatise that publishes over 225 coins thai Ancient Greek coins, as well as other infor themselves. 301 pages, cardeover, $15. feature portraits of queens or princesses of mation (such as denominations) that is not the Greek Hellenistic Kingdoms. Around easily accessible. 248 pages, 5 tables, and S15. Sr,l r ** many illustrations throughout. $40 This "Collecting Greek CoillS" is a 32-page pamphlet wrillen by David R. Sear, and "Greek Coin TyptS and Their Identification****" Seltman ** '1: published in 1977 by the British stamp (London, 1979) is an indispensable book "Greek Coins, a History oj Metallic Cllr rtncy and Coinage down 10 the Fall oj the Hellenistic Kingdoms" is a very good survey which reached its third edition in 1960, and Important New Work on Greek Coins No w Available was rcprinted in 1965 (the best) and 1977. 64 good plates of photos, 311 pages of very A Catalogue of the readable (i f not a bit outdated) tex\. S40. Calouste Gulbenkian Collection This monumental 9-volume work by ***Ernest of Greek Coins Babelon, "Traili des 1Il0nnaies grequlS et Robinson, E.S.G., Italy, Sicify, Carthage, Part I of rOlllaines" was written between 1901 & A Catalogue of the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection of Greek Coins, 1932, and reprinted by Forni in 1967 & Lisbon, 1971. Two vols. 136 pp. text and a portfolio of 42 plates. 1976. It's title is a bi t of a mi snome r Previously out of print. Clothbound. $150 though, as it is an IInfinished work thai mainly deals with the Greek Coinage from Jenkins, G.K. and M.C, Hipolito, Greece to East, Part II of Archaic to the 3rd Century B.C., and so A Catalogue of the Cafouste Gulbenkian Collection of Greek Coins, never reachcd the Roman period. [Is 3340 + Lisbon, 1990. Two vols. 220 pp. text and a portfolio of 56 plates. pages (five volu mes) of French lext is vcry Clothbound. $250 well supplemcnted by the 355 plates of photographs in four volumes. It isn't very 80th Volumes $350 easy to use, however (bcing arranged chro One of the most beautiful books ever produced on Greek coins with sig nologically within eaeh small area), the nificant text and extraordinary photographs of some of the linest Greek research is outdated, and it is quite expen coins extant. sive (around S800 for the reprint, originals totally unobtainable). Please illc/lule $3.00 per mIl/me for postage. Books for Beginners EDWARD J. WADDELL, LTD. Klawans ** '1.1 7910 Wood mont Avenue, Suite 1104 -An Olltlint ofAnciarl Creek Coins" (1959) was written primarily with the novice in Bethesda, Maryland 20814 mind. lis major sections are "Guide to .5)'m Phone: (30 I) 654-0470 Fax: (301) 654-0730 bois and City Name$", "PU$ons and IJring$ January 1991 43 which ut ilizes many thematic drawings with 34 DOMITIAN DENARfI FOR SALE a "key" to identify otherwise mysterious coins . 343 pages, hardbound, around S30. G to aVG $2S@ • ASC #47 (3). 49V, 397A VG 10 aF $3S@ ASC #287, 290, 399A, 573, 577 (2) avg Fine $45@ RSC #210D, 250, 253, 259, 260, 263, 283, Richard 1. Plant's "Greek, Semitic, Asiatic 283b (2), 397a, 573, 575 Coins and How 10 Read Them" (New York, aVF $75@ ASC #201 v, 215a, 235, 250, 263, 264, 271, 274,278, 290. 381a 1979) is not companion book to the above, Full refilm prillileges· Next monlh: TITUS but is much different in that it concentrates on the coins th at have legends in alphabets Photos: $1 per 5 coin s - VHS Videotape of other than Latin or Greek. Included arc Vespasian (iasl month). Domiti an, & Titus (next month): $10 Jewish. Phoenician , Iberian, Sasanian, ·R~Jn~"r.. 10 Ro",,,,, Sill'.. r Coi,u by 11.11 , S('lIby Arabic, Indian and Chinese. It is a text Michael & Sandra Wolf - (602) 772-7144 book, but is wrillen with a fun and very P.o. Box 233, Dewey, AZ 86327 readable style. There arc many \·ery practi caf cxerciscs (mini-tests) includcd, and is full or excellent line-drawin gs 10 help you alo ng. 257 pages, maroon cloth. Now out of print, it can sometimes be found in the $50 range, and is very highly reeommendcd. NEXT MONTH: Rcview ~ of most PI/blished Col/eclion.f oj Greek Coins (such as B.M.C., Weber, elc.). Dennis Kroh is a full-time dealer of ancienl coins and books about th em, as well as a free-Itmce catalogue writer wh o maintains a very large working library and lIIiliz es many coin references el'ery single day. Qu eries Clo.,,;r,,/ N"nri.''''''lis f. S,H'ciali. ., in 11r.. CoillS oflb.. Roman Eml';l''' and commenls concerning Ihe subject of Ihis P.O. Box 356, New -I PA IH93R U.S.A. 1-215-297-5088 column are welcome. Please enclose SASE ami write clo TIre Ce lalor. S UBSCRIBE TO THIS IMPORTANT NEW PUBLICATION NOW! The Iniernalionallli-Monthly Review of Ancient Art & Archaeology • MINERVA is an illustrated news and review magazine, appearing bi-monthly (6 issues per year), devoted to ancient art, antiquities, archaeological and numismatic discoveries worldwide from prehistory to th e 18th century. With regular contributors from around the world, MINERVA, published in England, is truly international in style and coverage. Feature articles will emphasize newly discovered works of art and objects of archaeological and numismatic importance leading to a beller understanding of the past. A bi-monthly numismatic column, by Dr. Arnold Saslow, will furnish readers with a lively review of th e ancient coin marketplace. Regular excavation reports will include prehistoric, classical, early Christian, medieval, Egyptian, Biblical, Near Eastern, Asian, Oceanic, African and American findings, as well as reports on underwater archaeology. Liberally illustrated with full -color and black and white photographs, it will impress you with the breadth of its coverage, the forcefulness of its reporting, the knowledge and wit of the feature writers, and the sheer usefulness of the many reports and listings for museum and gallery exhibitions, auctions, fairs, conferences , meetings, as well as th e abstracts and book reviews. Jerome M. Eisenberg, Ph.D., Editor- in-Chief Professor Barri Jones and Peter A. Clayton, Editors SUBSCRIPTIQN RATES Surface Mail Airmail 1 year (6 issues) U.S. $27.00 U.S., $39 .00 2 years (12 issues) U.S. $54.00 U.S. $77.00 3 years (18 issues) u.s. $76.00 u .s . $110.00 Payment may be made by check or by Mastercard, Visa or Access cards (please give account no. and expiration date). 7 DA VIES STREET LONDON WI Y ILL, ENGLAND Telephone: (44) 71·495.2590 Fax: (44) 71 -4 91-1595 44 The Gelator Book News Fisher translation of Ding's Chinese Coin Catalogue is published George A. Fisher, Jr. has published a companying map and list of Oing Dy Ding's catalogue and notes explaining translation and working aid of Ding nasty mints.] differences are placed in the text. Fubao's Chinese Coin Catalogue. The To lurlher aid collectors, Fisher has The loose-leal photocopy production catalogue was original published in 1940, put together a concordance of Schj6th is entitled "Fisher's Ding". It consists of and catalogues 2,7 49 Chinese cash coins. catalogue numbers with his own num 253 pages, weighing nearlylhree pounds. This version was printed in Chinese. bers for Ding's rubbings. Prices for hun II is available from the authorat 10749 W. Fisher has transliterated the names dreds of coins are also included here. Saratoga Place, littleton, CO a012710r and legends of all of the coins in Ding's The pre-Din Volume I 01the Zhongguo $30 plus $2 postage. Foreign sunace catalogue, as well as adding coin num· Lidai Huobi Oaxi (Great Series of Chi postage and packing is $5. Copies bers, and he gives issue dates where nese Dynastic Coinage) and Zhongguo punched for Ihe U.S. standard 3-ring known. He tr anslates the 1940 values of Gu Cian Pu (Il lustrative Plates of Chi binders will be sent unless an unpunched the coins in Ding's catalogue, and has nese Ancient Coins) are compared with copy is requested. also translated notes in the lext, as well as redrawing some characters which were unclear in the rubbings used in the origi Periodicals on Arab studies offered nal edition. E.J. Brill is currently oHering periodi tive writing in verse and prose. Several useful appendices have been cals relating to Arab and Islamic studies. Yearly subscriptions to their publica added by Fisher, including a thorough Arabica concentrates its attention on tions are offered, with first time subscrib index, conversion tables from the mod ern pinyin transliteration system to the multidisciplinary studies of ancient and ers receiving a 40% discount on sub Wade-Giles system, and a section on contemporary problems laced by Arab scription orders. For more information counterfeit coins. Furlher new informa societies, while the Journal of Arabic Lit contact E.J. Brill, 24 Hudson Street, lion consists 01 tables on Manchu writing erature deals with Arabic literature as Kinderhook, NY 12106, orcalitheirWATS and the Manchu minlmarks, with an ac- literature in the narrow sense 01 imagina- line al (800) 962-4406. I MAGNIFICENT NEW BOOK FROM LAURION!! I '. - _E •. em ,~. ¥ , ... "TH E COINS OF THE TWEL VE CAESARS' Bf Da ~jd Van M ei er \;;'~' This comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book is the ',> framework for unders tanding and enjoying a co llection of ." Imperatorial and early Imperial era Roman coins! This work , ''<: will breathe new life into your collection, and give you an excellent workillg knowledge of the role coins and their designs played in this epochal era. 7JJe Coins or 77J~/rQ.JdJJ;WlCY" combines ca reful history r and fascinating biographical insights to explore the significance . of this ever-popular series of coinage. Includes a deillilcd and thorough survey of types, and illustrates how they shed new light on the publicity, propaganda, economic and artistic conccrns of each successive Imperial admin istration. Further, this book ... • breaks new ground by analyzing coin designs and legends 10 give us an understanding of how the different emperors viewed OTH E R BOOKS FRO M L AU.B..l.QN themselves, their powers, and their fellow Romans. This book ·CoIIQCtingRom8nCoins~...... $14.95 also fea tures a fully illustrated study of the development of art styles, especially portraiture, on Roman coins. You will also ·CollectingGreekCoin$ ~ ...... $17.95 benefit from: 'Classical Numismatics • Data on mints, issues, authorities, denominations & cirClll ation f AndCommon Senso · ...... $ 15.95 • A detailed chronology. history and interpretative essays for c;.ch ruler's coinagc • A political. financial and art istic oyclView of each reign. A treasure trove of information for numismatists and historians! 200 pages, over 200 coins photogra phed. Enhance your knowledge and enjoyment of your collection ! Order this va luable book today! Only $19.95 • . , January 1991 45 Professional Directory (_ __~A~ n~t~iq~u~it~i e~s __~) C___ ~A~n~t~iq~u~it~ie~s __~) ( Coins & Books ) ~..r...-,;_.;>.\) - - + ...... _-""-,::-.. :2 Aigai Numismatics is wrrmlly offerillg tll ~ I Ancient Coin s & Antiquities /illest allcirm Grui:. Roman alld By:antillc > EGYPTIAN &. CLASSICAL 1 numismatic art jn III" martetplau roday. I Buy, Sell & Auction ANTIQUITI ES I Btfort yOU buy. lhink qualily and rcmml~r ~. ~ .... Qua/if)' is our busj,,~u 1 II<;! offer the rollector a varied ~le'ti01l 1 • Ancient, Medieval & Modem Coins \l of fine quality Ancient i\brld All! Il • Pre-Columbian An , Rare Books A IG.AI I I • Weapons, Orientalia, Old Maps .. " ""'" $ "" .... T' < $ I I ~ Iv- • • Seeking coins, artifacts, books and nW more for upcoming auction ;,. \,. .. E"" .... 10.. <;I1EEK 2800 S. Ulli"er~ity #22 Dem·a. CO 80210 It • JtWtLRY • S(ULPTl'Rr • 5RONU !\ JOEL MALTER & Co. (303) 329-5922 9:00·5:00 M·F • • POTHRY • Wu,rOMS • !\I1UttTS ~ i 16661 Ventura Blvd., Suite 518 , ttlustrated Price lists + • FREE: Calalog No. CI91 upon request + Encino, CA 91436 USA , Want list Search Service {:I (jal/ery by Appointment . (2fl) 724-94.5.5 0 • Auction Representation MAIL : P.O.Bo~ 777 , Market Price Comparables ~ ANCIENT IVORLD ARTS, LTD. ~ Encino, CA 91316 USA I 50 \\Ie..st 76th SI. • New York 10023 ~ (8 18) 764-7772 FAX: 784-4726 ' " A.N. i. SAN :"0 ...... : j }"t.,. -"~ ~.;;I.\) _ ~ +"""' __ M_ L 20 ye8rs serving you .. '- --W:' WritcJoryour Te1tILaCMa complimC1l1ary copy of our: Ancient Artitacts '-,-t:-P' • ANCIENT COINS Always Moderately Priced ' Free Catalog • Q/I{/I"Ierly illustrated a/lciem cma/og • MEDIEV AL COINS David Carvalho P.O. 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I\Z. 86327 New York 10590 Westminster, MD 21157 (602) 772·7144 :FI'JIf..'lJ fll3{{:I'E'JIf..'I JIncient .9lrtifacts ~mpirr (!loins P.I\.'E5lS'll'1\.'E5 & Coins Ancient Coin Specialists • Buyillll ' Sclling • Want Lists · BOOks MEHRDAD • A!,pr~lsals • Consignments· Referrlols ./'\Jj it • Allcndancc at all major Shows and Sales SADIGH • E~elusivc Auction Bidding Service • Sound Advice based on long experience • Subscribers receive six fully iIlum~ted The Time 303 5th Ave. rixcd price catalogues or ~ncient coins and books about them. aod two mpjor Machine Co. Room #1603 auction sales per ye3f. • Periodic rererellCe book lists & ules Fine Archaeological New York NY Empire Coins, Inc. j Art and Coins 10016 .~ ! SOl w. O,,,,,ad. Blvd. Suite:\O~ P.O. Box 282 - Flushing Sta. Ormolld BelICh. FL 31174·8278 USA ~ Queens, NY 11367 800·426·2007 I'hooo (904) 677.7)14 lif...... Ortie. hOU ri 9·~. M·F (718) 544~2708 1'"" t\1(4)677·n.l4 '(MNII' 212·725·7537 ~~ 46 The Celator Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) GREEK, ROMAN, CELTIC, Ancient & World Coins DA VID P. HERMAN BYZANTINE, and BRITl S l ~ Classical Numismatist HAMMERED coins. PONTERIO C LASSICAL ANTIQUITIES AI/ractivl! coills 01 reasonable prices Over 500 items per ~xlellsiv~ly & ASSOCIATES, INC. Write for your sample catalog: iIluslnuc:d ellalogue including [rade offers. With fair grading & reasonable prices 1818 Robinson Ave. 1322 35th 51. we are major suppliers 10 many US dealers. Why nOlI!), us? San Diego. CA 92103 Suite 101 Payment accepled by US dollar cheque, Visa Orlando, Fla. 32809 and Ma stercard. Members of Ihe British (407)422-59 15 Numisn,alic Trade A NUM(SMATICA ARS CLASSICA AG 39 WEST 55th STREET N .....rdorl_oc41 Il001 ZORICH. SWI'I2EJtl.ANO NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019 ToltphontOI 261 110) F.. 01 261 n 24 AREA CODE: 212·246·5025 For Srrious Col/n;lors· Duosiollo/Lists WILLIAM 8. WARDEN, JR. P.O. BOX 356 Our unique mail bid auctions NEW HOPE, PA 18938 (2 t5) 297·5088 allow you to PAY THE PA ICEYOU WANT TO PAY ANCIENT COINS our flllly il/uslrored moil bid oou;liOtu AND ANTIQUITIES cOlI/oin ov.". 500 loIS of o/win" coins. oll/iquiliu 01U1 "ltliq"rs ilt 0/1 • Buy, scll. trade ancient Harlan 1. Berk, Lid. priu rongu. Fur frrt: CQlu/Og <"0.,1.,("1; coins and anliquities Six buy or bid sales per year • All coins and art ifacts Write orcal/ for 'ree catalogue Colosseum fully guaranteed Coill Exchallge, Illc . • Write or call for free ill ust rated price list .•~t~~~~ .3::t,;2,·~6609~:.oo~~'6 "!10h.(4 P.O. Box 21CL 31 N. ClarkSI. ~, ~~ Hazlet, NJ 07730 P.O. Box 1969, Visalia, CA 93279 Chicago, IL 60602 ' . (908) 264·1161 (2 09) 636·0945 January 1991 47 Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) C~=:c~o~i~n~S~&~B~OO~k~S~~) ( Coins & Books ) f~ ~~~ EURCWE'S MAIN Greek, Roman, Byzantine SPECIALIST DEALER: IN & Medieval Coins , Arthur J. Link ORIENTAL C()INAGES ~ for the Connoisseur ancie nt coins Occasional Catalogues Write/or illustrated catalog VIKEN M. HAVANDJIAN RFD I, nox 240 P.o. BOX 50417 AUSTIN, TX 78763 Walli S, TX 77485 Fru illu$Irlll/"d sale .• list (409) 478·6796 o\'(,flable " 11 request. (5 12) 250·1931 R.C. SENIOR LTD. Glenn Schinke BUilcigh Court Tower Fred B. Shore Nllmismafi.'i;/ BUllcigh Glastonbury Somerset OA6 RSA Engl 48 The Cefatof Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) Ancient Greek & Roman Coins Specialist in Ancient Coins and books about them ANCIENT .... _ Fuc snmplc catologs o/~o slock World MiflOr Co;"s. M ~"ols. Cro ..."s. A.ni/oclS, Boob ond Coin cosu Thomas P. McKenna P.O. Box 1356·E COINS . '- 1.~ Ou, invcnlO<)l i ••"",n, \be fin ..,;n Amerk•. Fl. Collin., CO 80522 (303) 226·5704 FixeD PR ICE LISTS ~h~ due 10 m . i~ ..jnin,.he mo,n "",ive conven,ion ochcdulc of.1I oncient coin deale .. , CATALOGING SERVIC ES ...., buy ltId sell . ~menoo.... selection COUNTERFEIT ALERT of all lypeS 0( numismatic material . BOOKS ESPECIALLY NEED T houghtful catalogs Gold and Sil vtr of Ihr 12 Carsars THOMAS D_WAL KER Thoughtrul professionals W ••1I0nd and will rep<'''''' you a. mojor .uc.ions. P.O. Box 29188 Dept. C Ancient and British coins In the put Iwo years we hove completed fiv . sets of San Antonio, TX 78229 the 12 Caesars in gold. Da vis$ons, Ltd. (512) 696-5393 GEORGE M . BEACH Cold Spring. MN 56320 Nu m iscella neous Subscriptions: one year. at least 4 61 2-685-3835 p.o. BOll 113. Owosso. MI 48867 issues, $15.00 U.S. &Canada. $25.00 (517) 634.5415 Fore ign. Write for a complimentary Over 20 years in husine,s copy if you haven', seen my lists. Visiting: Jonathan K. Kern San Francisco? RARE The Silicon Valley? Bachelor or Arts Numismatics Stanford University? COINS Specializing in the Ancient, Medieval, Early American Numismatics TREASURE Coinage ofJllda ea Visit ... ISLAND * Ancient We carry a large inventory of Ancients as well as * Medieval the largest Philatelic stock in the Bay Area . * Modern TREASURE ISLAND William M. Rosenblum 91 Town & Country Village P.O. Box 355 444 S. Ashland Palo Alto. CA 94301 Evergreen CO 80439 Lexington, KY 40502 (41 5)326-7678 (303) 838-4831 (606) 269-1614 ISLAMIC & INDIAN ECONOMOPOULOS Pegasi Coins COINS ENTERPRISES P.O. Box 4207 From the earliest times CLASSICAL to the present day Ann Arbor, MI48106 NUMtSMA TlSTS Phone: (313) 434·3856 C1assiclll numismatists serving Greek beginners Ihro advanced collectors Roman Classical Greek, Roman, Byzantine Byzantine, and Medieval Price lists issued regularly, Bought & Sotd Coins, BooKs & Antiquities availabk upon request Nicholas T. Free illustrated catalogs STEPHEN ALBUM Economopoulos Specify: Ancient or Medieval P.o. BOX 7386 P.O. Box 199 Wanr lislS serviced. COrlsull January 1991 49 Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) c Coins & Books ) Lucien Birkler ILLUSTRATED & Co. PRICELISTS Professional Numismatists Greek Roman ffit'~~ Wr;~ ~:Yrs~~ ~ Byzantine !- •. Greek. i ~";.1;r ':~ I Roman, RequesT yours Toda y! l. (;t /J Dr. Hubert Lanz ~ Byzantine, Luilpoldblock, MaximiliansplalZ 10 Wayne C. Phillips and Medieval coins D-8000 Miinchen 2, Germany We aI/end most major auctions ~ Te l. (49) (89) 29 90 70 ",.. ~ , 8·A Village loop alld will r epresent ),011 ~.@';v Fax. (49) (89) 22 07 62 1P.~ Suite 125 -..:.17 ~ ~ Phillips Ranch, CA 91766 1707 l. St. NW Suite 250 (714) 629-0757 Washington D.C. 20036 Send a copy of Ihis ad for a FREE s~mplc of one of our lalest auction catalogs Serving the collector since 1959 202-833-3nO and tell us what you are COlte.:;ling. ORACLE AMPHORA FRANKL. ANCIENT COINS Jewish' Biblical KOVACS Allracti.'t Ancienl Gretk Ancient Coins And Roman Coins Greek· Roman .'or The ColI ~ctor Coins ' Weights & Antiquities Affordable Prices · Free Lists Small Antiquities For Seriolls Collectors Conservative Grading Free mils/rated lisl 1./," 539 - 62 St. available upon request Brooklyn, NY 11220 "fiW'>"'rill "We wrote the book "?' on Biblical coins!" P.O. Box 25300 Say you saw it in The Celator! San Mateo, CA 94402 AMPHORAe · - .,... . ~ pono"ro-; - · .>~\ti (4 t5) 574-2028 - '!: ' Nyack. Iff tClQ60 ~. ~r. • Q14·JS8-7J64 . FAX (415) 574-1995 . . ~ c Equtp , & Supphes ) ANCIENT ROMAN COINS PHOTOGRAPH Roman coins are our only business For Ihe fillest of -Nice coins al realistic prices· numismatic art, COINS & BILLS Mike Rubin Send for froe list • Instant Polaroid Prinls Box 316, Netcong, N.J. 07857 write/or a • Color or Black & While ~ ~ complimentary copy - Same Size or Enlarged ~. ancient & rare coins of ollrfixed price ~ @ claude amsellem catalogue. ~ p_", b" , .\1017. Q 4:. n . ~ . ItISHIl Call or Send for Free Brochure r---- 'oCr-ill)! dc~lcr'. ,·"Ik-dnT', ill'"C,h'r, DI~. P,wL RY!1 E,\I~SOIl ~'. we need 10 buv P.O. Box 2937 0 Greek· Byzantine Redwood Cily, CA 94064 " ;l~ " Roman· Judaean tf'~'%:. 1'.0 .. 80,4009 " W.lIl11o.h ",-1"..1,. "~of' ,,'~d. 14 -d"y r~!ur" ,/0 'iI I'f!v,kf'-, All ,,~'" ~u.'r"'''"d ~,-"u" ..' ' ~~ ~~ Mahbu w,!I""u ""'~ 1i", ;L ' ~ ~;l' California 90265 , I'PIARIES PHOTOGRAPHIC phune : (914) 939·20SH (415) 854-7662 mcmhcr: an ~ 1m 14"6. ans, Ina, anla 50 The Gelator Paid AdVertiS8me<11 THE BACK PAGE did not seem to be setting any records in buying, although Dear Celator Reader: the sale certainly had a very enthusiastic participalion from As I am writing this, it seems like I have just gone through American collectors. an endless series of viewing coin lots, attending auctions, Since Christie's, NFA, & Stack's auction sales were all setting up, looking at coins, buying coins, selling coins, and held mi2!: to the actual start of the show, the Mbig moneyM had talking coins endlessly. Wait a minute! I have! I jusl been spent in many cases. The Hunt Sales, which would M completed the ancient coin dealer equivalent olMHeli Week , drain away targe sums, were held after the show. This left the N.Y. International. the show in a good position strategically. You know it is starting to get real bad when you realize Once you got past the actual show location, which looked that you are dreaming about bidding at auction and selling like an unused parking garage, the actual show was really M coins. Even in your sleep you are so Mwi red from the day's quite good. Most 01 the usual International dealers were on activities, that you are doing deals. the ground floor with the MnewcomersM on the upper lloor. My personal reaction to what has just transpired is that Unfortunately, many show anendeesapparenlly never made you can only cram so many activities into a limited number it upstairs. The idea 01 a two floor show obviously is one of hours, and one would hope th at in the future some sanity which does not work very well, although th e idea had would intrude and that a dealer or collector coming to New potential. York would not have to plan to spend 9 days there to handle Ileit that we had a very good Internalional, certainly not all the activities and that we will never see again a convo· really different from the ones we have had in 1988 & 1989. cation of 10 major auction sales including coins, antiquities, Roman bronzes were certainly very strong as was Roman and books all at once. gold. Rare Greek silver was also in demand and we sold On top of it, we have been having some sort of "bug" "pilesH of lower·grade collector coins which had come oul of going around so that within 48 hours of arriving in NYC, I various collections that we had bought and were very noted quite a number of dealers with headaches, runny popular in ·you·pick-emMtrays . Well it is now behind us so eyes, runny noses, and just generally feeling miserable on to other things. trying to cope with what was going on and also be ill at the same time. By the end olthe show, it seemed like about 50% FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY I WILL BE of the dealer/collector aMendees had caught it, a sure way to IN CALIFORNIA & ERIC WILL BE IN N.J. dampen the proceedings. Having exhausled exhaustion, leI us proceed to the ·slate of the marker. Upcoming Shows: In one word, it appears to be excellent. A lolof dealers The F .U.N. Show - Jan. 3rd·6Ih, in Orlando, Florida allhe had expressed fears prior to the show that the deluge of Orange County Convention Center. Wewill have table#1002. material which was about to hit the NY marketplace would This is a really major show and we hope to see many of our both in undate the collectors so that they could not participate clients from the "Oeep South H who we only gel to see once in the actual show and also drain the buying power of the in a while. Show hours basically 10-6 (4·day show). dealers in attendance so that they could not absorb the San Jose, CA - Jan. II-13th, at the ~ San Jose Con amount of material that was entering the marketplace all at vention Center al San Carlos & Almaden. This is a really once. excellent show, so try to attend. We will have a CQrner table Apparently neither event happened. As fo r the collec and my older daughter Julie will be home from college and tors, from what I could see and interpret from the various helping me out. Show hours are 10-7 (10-5 on Sun.). auction sales, many collectors had simply stayed out of the marketplace as so much 01 the material being offered was Golden State Show - in Pasadena, CA Jan. 25th-27th at MSO powerfur that il did not fit into the collecting goals or the the Pasadena Centeron E. Green SI. Should have the dead budgets of many of the normal buyers. It is hard to get roses cleaned up by this lime, so come on out to a ~ excited about coins in th e $20,000 . $200,000 range il you sponsored show. This is the 2nd year, and last year was very never buy coins in that range, nor anticipate buying coins in good. Show hours are 10·7 (then 10·6, and finally 10·4 on that range. Obviously the Europeans were extremely slrong Sun.). Eric gets to stay home, So Charly will be there with in the auclion rooms. They had to be for a number of me. reasons. Their money was basically at a IO·year high Seasons Greelings & the Happiest of New Years against the dollar which gave them tremendous leverage to all of our readers I!! when competing against American buyers, and the rarity 01 much of the material being offered obviously attracted many European collectorslinvestors to give strong "buy" orders for the sale. Having said thai, there was no indication of the Europeans simply Mthrowing their money around". If coins Rare Coins & Classical Arts Ltd. were found to have problems which were not described in "Specialists in Museum Quality Coins" the catalogues or if the grading was found to be "a bit over Member: ANA, ANS, SA N, AINA, INS, Fellow RNS enthusiastic" as it was in some of the sales, they simply did not buy or cancelled th eir commissions. From whall saw, P.O. Box 374 P.O. Box 699 they were very strong buyers in the NFA and Hunt sales, and South Orange, NJ 07079 Patm Desert, CA 92261 "lukewarm" in the others. The famous "Men of Rome" sale Phone: (2 01 ) 761-0634 Phone: (619) 345-7161 held by Slack's had all the "names" in attendance, but they FAX: (201)761-8406 January 199 1 51 INDEX OF DISPLAY Celator Classifieds ADVERTISERS Aiga; Numismatics Rates: Album, Stephen " $S.CO for the first 20 words, 20e each additional word. AmphOra " Amsollem. Claude 34,50'" Ancient WOf ld A"s, ltd. The other ancients: Africa, Mideast, India, Mahogany Coin Cabinets custom made for Anything Anywhere " Southeast Asia, th e Orient. PrimiTive Mon your coll ecti on by the same hands which Ar ies Photographic " Bank Lou ltd '" ies. Books too. Free li st. Semans, Box build cabinets for the British Museum. Full Bay State Coin Show "52 22849P, Seanle, WA 98 122. color brochure on request. David McDonald, Ooa<:h. George M. 196 East Main: Westminsler, MD 2 11 57, Berk, Harlan J. Ltd. Cover, "47 Gr«k, Roman, Medieval coin s. Month ly Birkle,. L u~n & Co. catalogs with very reasonable prices and dis (301)857-3775. BIom. Christian ., t:ounls issued for 23 ye ars. Francis 1. Ralh, Byors. C.B. Corp. '" CO NDOMINIUM FOR RENT in the Sooth Box 266, Youngstown, NY 14174. Cederlind, Tom "JO of France in the Graeco-Roman town of Ceiator 4,27 Chicago International Coin Fair India, China, Persia , Europe, Ancient and Antibes. Within daylripdislance of many of Chris\!e's "3 Medieval period~. $ p:tyment f:aci lity. List: France's grealest ancient ruins. 4 blocks from Classical Numismatic Group Co~ef Robert Tye. Loch Eynon, South Uist, West the Med it erranean Sea and 5 minutes to Coen, Joel D. ., Colosseum Coin Exchange ., ern Isles. PA RI 5S1, United Kingdom. Cannes. Furnished with antiques. Sleeps 4. Cummings. John Ltd. N umislllulic C I!rfJllicie '7l'1 -'RO, '811; $19 ea\:h. $500-.$650 weekly. (617) 354-2942. Davissons Ltd. Economopoulos Enterprises " ANS Museum Noles # I 0 ( 1962) to #32 ( I987); Hooks Wanted - Original Brilish Museum Elsen. Jean SA $16 each, except #\0-1 1, $24 each. ANS " catalogues of Greek coins from: Sicily. Empire Coins Inc. " CelJlel1nio/ Publication (1958) $45. 10rdan Grealer New York Numismatic Conv. "52 Thmce. Seleucid kings, Macedonia. Pt ole Hamidi. Omar .. W:agner, P.O. Box 189. Boo ton MA 02195. maic king.... Central Greece. Crete, and Parthia. H,IImer Rooke Galiories (617) 895-256X. Please add S4 postage and Top prices paid. Alsowant any Greek Impe H1Ivand!l an. Viken M. insurance. Hetios Ok! WOfId .." Antiquities rial pe riod coins from Cyzicus. Roger L Herman. D"vid P. ., ZOO "cry fin e steatite scarabs and plaques. Liles. 10165 BoulderKnolls, Escondido,CA Huston. Stephen M. 36,48" IAPN Many are important nnd hi storic. $65-$400. 92026. Imperial Coins If, Antiquities .," Al so. 200 L,iencemnulets of all sizes, colors. Kern, J0I10lhan K. Hnd ~ubjecls . $10-$250. Forfree list write to: Late Roman bron7.es, Fine or better. 5 diff. Kovacs, Frank l. $29: IOdiff. $55; 25 mixed .$ 125. po~trnid; Lanz. Huber1 " R.E. Cook, P.O. 13 o~ 3259. W. Sedona. AZ '" uu th enti eity und sat isfaction guurant ced. MCI L:mnon Numismatics '" 1'6340. (602) 21'2-2196. Link. Arthur J. Visil OK. Write for current li st. Ely~ian .." Heuutiful uncient EI;)'pti:ln amethyst. rock london Coin Gallerie s 17.52 Fields. Box 35. Horicon, WI 53032. Malloy. Alex G, 1m;. cryst:a l, camel i an and other gemstone scarabs Malter. Joel /I. Co. " :and:amulets. Egypt'sMidd1e Kingdom, 1963- Manln, C.J. (Coins) Ltd. 0' Ancient coins. Greek, Roman. Some an tiq McCaniels, Bin .." 1650 B.C. cr. Bourriau Pharoahs and Mor uities. Many items for the budget-minded McKenna, Thomas P. 36,49 tals. pp. 167-168. $95-S350. Authenticity collector. List ayailable upon request. DoI Minerva guaranteed. Write to: R.E. Cook, P.O. Box larsare taken. Stuart Rainford , 53 Broadway. Munzen UM Medaillen AG " M /I. R Coins " 3259, W. Sedona. AZ R6340 Greasby. Wirral. Merseyside 1A9 2NQ En Numismatic Fine Ails 5 gland. NumiSm 52 The Gelalor CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC GROUP, INC. QUARRYVILLE, PA BEVERLY HILLS, CA 1991 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC REVIEW Publislred Quarterly January IS , 1991 April IS , 199 1 July IS , 1991 October IS , 1991 CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC AUCTIONS, LTD. Sale XV March 20, 199 1 Sale XVI August 16 . 1991 (During the 100th Convention of th e ANA in Chicago) Sale XVlJ November 20, 1991 CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC LITERATURE Sale III Jul y 1991 Classical Numismatic Group is onc of the most active firms in the market place today. We offer an exciting array of material for the quality conscious collector. We offer important selections of collector coins in the specialized series (Byzantine, Greek Imperial, Alexandrian, Parthian, etc.). OUf publications arc a must for collectors of Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval European & English Coin s. \Ve also mainta in an active stock of related numismatic literature. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION CHARGE $40.00 in the United States $50.00 outside of the United States SAMPLE UPO N REQUEST SUHSCRJPTION I NFOR('I'1 ATI ON S ubsc riptions arc ."ailablc 10 all oyr publications. In Ihe US 540.00. O"cncas $50.00. 111;S includes Auc tions ~nd all l'hcd price lisls. A free copy of OUr quarterly list is available upon request. Th311k you. Offiee hours ~re frolll 9:30 AM • 4 1'1>1 Monday-Friday. CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC GROUP INC. Box 245, Quarryville PA, 17566-0245, USA (717) 786-4013 CAR TONNA GE BREAST COVER This cartonnage breast cover, composed 01 stiffened, gessoed, and painted linen cloth, once adorned a mummyofthe Ptolemaic era (300·30 B.C.). Th is work, an outstanding example of the age's artislic style, is one of many cartonnagcs executed for the wealthy, The primary function of the cartonnage was to invoke, th rough painted images, the gods 01 death and re,birt h. Their aid was essential in reaching the afterlife and reviving the senses. Many of the symbols, moreover, served as reassurrance that this transformation, already apparent in natural phenomena, would take place, Three winged figures, dominating the composition, represent the heavens, fl ight, time, and cyclical events. Atthetop,most cenler, a solar disk flanked by uraci and with outstretched wings represents Ihe sun's cyclical journey across the sky, bringing warmth and light, and bearing the energies of the gods and the spirits of ancestral kings. At each shoulder are hawk·headed symbols of Ihe ris ing sun associated with the gods Re and Horus. A flying beetle, at approximate midsec tion, is rendered as the power behind the sun's daily movemenl between an eastern birth and western death. In this funerary context, th e beetle endows the mummy with an eternity of ris ings and renewals. The sky goddess Nut. in the lower section, with the sun disk and wings to indicate her ce lestial nature, holds th e feathers of justice in each hand. These are the symbols of a balanced universe, created when Order was imfXlsed upon Chaos, and the world was set into motion. Two Eyes 01 Horus, each pair above the two lower, winged figures, generally represent the sun and moon, but the Eye also figured in the mythical battle between Horus and Sel. in which the former's eye was struck out and then magically restored by the gods. In this context, it is a symbol of the god's power over all earthly destnJction. Two figures, of human-headed Osiris, and hawk·headed Horus, on either side, serve as reinforcement 01 the mythological connection between the two as father and son. Below Ihe winged beetle is a scene of ritua l. The mummified body, represented generica lly as the god Osiris, the tirst to have undergone the process of mummi fication, lies on a lion-headed bier, a type of furniture associated primarily with embalming. The fig ure wi th the jackal's head is the god Anubis, who oversaw not only the preservalion of the remains, but acted, through a priestly representative, in Ihe ritual of revivification, tOUChing the centers of each sense with a ritual adze and pronouncing the necessary spells. Sister-goddesses Isis and Nepthys, identified by their crowns and respectively, are witness 10 the scene, and were the first embalmers in the myth of Osiris. At the lowest section, tour figures were painted, having the heads of human, jackal, babboon, and hawk. These are the Sonsof Horus, the pr01ectors of the vital organs: the liver, stomach, lungs and intestines respective ly. These organs, crucial tothe body's functioning in life were preserved in death forthe benefit of the newly awakened soul. Colorful bars and stripes fill out the composition between scenes and give balance to the piece. Price: Twelve Thousand Dollars J. BERK, LTD. 31 N. Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602 (312) 609-0017 FAX: (3 12) 609-1309 #1 78