Phil Anthos

Syracuse, Reign of Agathokles 317-289 BC AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.14g) O: Wreathed head of Kore (Persephone) right, wearing pendant earring and necklace; KOPAΣ behind. R: Nike standing right, hammer in right hand, erecting trophy; triskeles to lower left, [ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΙΟΣ] behind, all within dotted border. Struck between 313–295 BC. HGC 2, 1536; SNG ANS 670-76; SNG Cop 766ff; Sear 972v; BMC 388v ex Museum Surplus “Kore, the Girl, is so intimately associated with her mother Demeter that they are often referred to simply as the Two Goddesses or even as Demeteres. Kore’s own enigmatic name is Persephone, or Phersephone, and in Attic Pherrephatta. In Homer she is mentioned alone and also in conjunction with her husband, Hades-Aidoneus, the personification of the underworld; her Homeric epithets are venerable, agaue, and awesome, epaine. Her two aspects, girl-like daughter of the Corn Goddess and Mistress of the Dead, are linked in the myth which, though ignored in heroic epic, is responsible almost exclusively for defining the picture of Demeter. The earliest extended version is the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, but Hesiod already alludes to it in the Theogony as an ancient and well known story, and aspects of the later tradition seem to preserve very ancient material.” ~ Walter Burkert (Greek Religion, 1985) Next: Persephone

That's just criminal. 🤨 ~ Peter

Ephesos, Ionia 350-288 BC AE12 (2.09g) O: Bee with straight wings, seen from above; E - Φ on either side. R: Stag kneeling left, looking back; astragalos above. SNG Cop 245v; Sear 4402v; BMC 14,55 ex Jack H. Beymer

Taras, Calabria 290-281 BC AR Diobol (12mm, 1.13g) O: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla. R: Herakles kneeling right, wrestling the Nemean lion; crab above, club behind. D'Andrea XL, 956; D'Andrea Diobols F, 154; HN Italy 976; Vlasto ----; Cote ---; SNG France ----; McGill --- Scarce ex Pavlos S. Pavlou A scarce variety with the crab control mark, unlisted in most major references. Next: more seafood

Taras, Calabria 400-390 BC (Period II - Transitional) AR Didrachm (22mm, 7.74g, 2h). O: Phalanthos riding dolphin left, holding akrostolion in extended right hand; Λ below, all within linear border. R: Naked ephebe holding small shield in left hand, dismounting from horse cantering left; ΤΑΡΑΣ below, all within linear border. D'Andrea XX, 317; Vlasto 309; Fischer-Bossert Group 26, 339 (V154/R263); Evans II, type C; Cote 108; SNG France 1708; McGill II, 13; HGC I, 763; HN Italy 849 ex CNG Next: same

I love that bust. ~ Peter

Interesting. They sure are different in style. ~ Peter

Nero / Hekate Philadelphia, Lydia 54-59 AD (19mm, 4.99g) O: Bare headed and draped bust right; NEPΩN ΣEBACTOC. R: Hekate standing facing, wearing polos and holding two torches; TI NEIKANOP ΦIΛAΔEΛΦEΩN. RPC 3041 "I have done everything that I should, but the outcome is in the hand of fortune" ~ Nero Next: something abstract (hey Celts!)

Cales, Campania 265-240 BC AE 22 (22mm, 6.32g) O: Head of Athena left, wearing crested Corinthian helmet, all within dotted border. R: Cock standing right, star behind; CALENΩ downward to right, all within dotted border. Sambon 916; HN Italy 435; SNG ANS 188; SNG Cop 322; Sear 548 ex Forvm Ancient Coins

Tiberius Laodicea ad Lycum, Phrygia 14-37 AD AE18 (18mm, 5.54g) O: Bare head of Tiberius right. R: Zeus Laodicea standing left, holding eagle and staff; ΛAOΔIKEΩN downward to left, ΔIOΣKOYPIΔHΣ downward to right, [KOP] monogram far right. RPC 2906; SNG Cop 547; Weber 7138 ex Forvm Auctions Next: water nymph

This doesn't surprise me. HGC is a very incomplete resource, imo. ~ Peter

Ditto, but Hieron laureate... Syracuse, Reign of Hieron II 275-215 BC AE27 (17.93g) O: Laureate head of Hieron left; plow behind. R: Horseman prancing right, with couched spear; [IE]PΩNOΣ in ex. HGC 2, 1547; SNG ANS 919v; SNG Cop 833; Sear 1222v; BMC 2 570; CNS 193

This coin is not beautiful, but since there are allegedly only two known with this reverse I figure it must be at least the second best known specimen... Marcus Aurelius / Poseidon Cassandreia, Macedonia 161-180 AD AE21 (21mm, 6.78g) O: Laureate head right; M AVR ANTON AVG. R: Poseidon nude, standing slightly right; trident in right hand, dolphin in extended left hand; COL IVL AVG CASS. RPC Online IV 10319; Leake HN 3722 corr. (same coin); Varbanov III 2791 (R6) var. (Poseidon left) Extremely Rare ex Forvm Ancient Coins One of only two known examples with Poseidon standing right.

Edit file information Delete this file Taras, Calabria 281-276 BC (Period VI - From Kleonymos to Pyrrhus) AR Didrachm (20mm, 7.68g) Nikon magistrate. O: Naked ephebe vaulting from horse galloping left, holding javelin and small shield in left hand; EY above, [NI]KΩN (magistrate) below. R: Phalanthos astride dolphin left, holding ear of grain; API to left, TAPAΣ to right, spearhead below. D'Andrea XLI, 996; Vlasto 703; Evans VI, E2; Cote 342; SNG ANS 1077-78; HGC I, 817; HN Italy 969 ex John Jencek The Tarentine horsemen were renowned throughout the ancient world, serving as mercenary cavalry for many Mediterranean kings including Antigonos I, Demetrios I and Alexander of Epirus. They were so efficient that the term ‘Tarentine Horse’ came to mean any such skirmishing cavalry unit, regardless of their origin. These were not typical cavalry however, but rather "hippakontistai" (mounted javelinmen), or more specifically "elaphroi", light cavalry which throw javelins and then dismount for close combat. The scene depicted here is from an equestrian event of the Hyakinthia (the ceremonial games of Hyakinthian Apollo) rather than actual combat, but celebrates those special skills necessary in war. The armed rider would dismount at full gallop, run along side his horse, and then remount in stride.

I've never seen a better one than this, but then I've never seen a die match either... Thasos, Thrace after 148 BC AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 16.86g) O: Head of young Dionysus right, wreathed in ivy and flowers. R: Herakles standing nude left, holding club and lion's skin; ΣΩTHPOΣ left, HPAKΛOYΣ right, ΘAΣIΩN in ex. SNG Cop 1040; Sear 1759 Inhabited since prehistoric times, the island of Thasos is said to be the mythological home of the Sirens. Phoenician traders occupied Thasos by the late ninth century BC, drawn by her prolific gold mines. A hundred years later Greek colonists from Paros settled on the island and prospered from Thasos’ gold and marble production, as well as her fertile vineyards. Thasian wine was renowned throughout the Mediterranean, for which they honored Dionysus on their coinage. A brush with the Persian army under King Darius at the beginning of the fifth century caused Thasos to increase her production of war ships, and after the defeat of Xerxes in 480 BC Thasos joined the Delian League. However a dispute with Athens over mining interests on the Thracian mainland led Thasos to revolt in 465 BC, only to submit after the Athenians destroyed her ships and razed the city walls. The island was occupied by Sparta from 404 until 393 BC, when Thasos fell to Athens, who eventually granted her independence. Thasos then came under the control of Phillip II of Macedonia around 340 BC, who immediately seized the gold mines. Thasos remained a part of the Macedonian Empire until falling under Roman rule in 197 BC.