Taras, Calabria

276-272 BC
AE 14 (13.5mm, 1.85g)
O: Scallop shell with 11 teeth.
R: Kithara with six strings; olive branch to left.
D'Andrea 1309; Vlasto 1850; HN Italy 1092; SNG France- ---; McGill ---; Cote ---
Very Rare
ex Agora Auctions

This very rare bronze is the last 'official' Tarentine coin listed in Vlasto's collection. The lyre is, of course, symbolic of Apollo, and while such a reference is not typically seen on the more common coins of Taras, the cult of Apollo Hyakanthus was strong in the city (as well as in the mother city of Sparta) and may be seen represented on the earliest (and very rare) incuse coinage struck here, as well as various gold issues.

Taras, Calabria

333-331/30 BC
AR Diobol (11.5mm, 1.12g, 1h)
O: Head of Athena left, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla.
R: Herakles standing right, strangling the Nemean lion; bow, quiver, and club to left; K between legs, [|- to lower right].
D'Andrea XXXII, 664; D'Andrea Diobols E, 36 (this coin); Vlasto 1241 (this coin); HN Italy 914
From the David Wray Collection. ex Michel P. Vlasto Collection; ex CNG

Vlasto plate coin, #1241
D'Andrea Diobols plate coin, Series E, Type 36.

Next: another plate coin

Domitian / Minerva

89 AD
AR Denarius (18mm, 3.07g)
O: Laureate head right; IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR [P VIII].
R: Minerva standing right, wielding javelin and holding shield; IMP XIX COS XIIII CENS P P P.
RSC 252 / RIC 137 / van Meter 39-3
ex Tom Cederlind

"There was a raven, strange to tell,
Perched upon Jove's own gable, whence
He tried to tell us 'All is well' -
But he had to use the future tense."
~ Suetonius (The Twelve Caesars)

Next: Galba's second cousin's girlfriend 

Laodicea ad Lycum, Phrygia

189-133 BC
AE15 (15 mm, 2.38g)
O: Draped bust of Aphrodite right, wearing sphendone with hair tied behind.
R: Aphrodite standing left, wearing long chiton and holding dove in right hand; rose to left, ΛAO∆IKEΩN downward to right.
SNG Cop 497; Sear 5156; BMC Phrygia 284, 30
ex Forvm Auctions

Next: a city named for a God/dess

Taras, Calabria

335-333 BC
AR Diobol (12mm, 1.22g, 11h)
O: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with hippocamp; Ξ behind neck-flap.
R: Herakles kneeling right, strangling the Nemean lion; [club] to left, TA above.
D'Andrea XXX, 609; D'Andrea Diobols E, 83 (this coin); Vlasto 1296 (this coin); HN Italy 912
From the M.P Vlasto Collection. ex Pegasi Numismatics; ex MNS

Vlasto plate coin, #1296
D'Andrea Diobols plate coin, Series E, Type 83

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

Next: Spain

Lysimacheia, Thrace

309-220 BC
AE 21 (21mm, 8.14g)
O: Wreathed and veiled head of Demeter right.
R: Nike standing left, holding wreath; ΛYΣIMA[XEΩN] around to left.
SNG Cop 905; Sear 1621; BMC 3, 6
ex Romae Aeternae Numismatics

Next: Sicily

Taras, Calabria

272-240/35 BC (Period VIII - The Roman Alliance I)
AR Didrachm (18.5mm, 6.50g)
Iopyros magistrate.
O: Nude youth on horseback right, placing wreath on horse's head; ΦI behind, I-ΩΠ-YPO-[Σ] (magistrate) below.
R: Taras riding dolphin left, holding cornucopiae and trident; bee behind, Τ-ΑΡΑΣ below.
D'Andrea XLIV, 1371; cfVlasto 855; Evans VIII, B2; McGill II, 99; Cote 490-92; cf HGC I, 889; HN Italy 1029; SNG Cop 919; SNG Cop 919
ex Dr. Busso Peus; ex Germania Inferior Numismatics

Evans calls the insect on this reverse a cicada, a very important symbol in ancient times (see J.C.B Petropolous’ marvelous work ‘Heat and Lust; Hesiod’s Midsummer Festival Scene Revisited’, a very insightful look at ancient agricultural and fertility practices). However Vlasto lists this as a bee, and I tend to think this is likely. It sure looks more like a bee to me.

Next: let's continue with more unusual critters

Smyrna, Ionia

75-50 BC
AE21 (21mm, 7.33g)
O: Laureate head of Apollo right, within laurel wreath.
R: Homer seated left, holding scroll and staff; ΣΜYΡΝΑΙΩΝ to right.
SNG Cop 1207; Mionnet 921; Weber 6138; SNG Tuebingen 3180; BMC 116; Sear 4571v (wreath)
ex Jack H. Beymer

"Whoever obeys the gods, to him they particularly listen."
~ Homer (The Iliad)

Teos, Ionia

320-294 BC
AR Diobol (10mm, 0.92g)
Mentor magistrate.
O: Griffin seated right, with left forepaw raised.
R: Lyre; MENTΩP (magistrate) downward to right.
Kinns 95; SNG Kayhan 611v; Imhoof 126A
ex MRB Coins

Next: an insect, not a bee

Athens, Attica

Eleusinian Festival Coinage
340-335 BC
AE 16 (16mm, 3.65g)
O: Triptolemos seated left in winged chariot drawn by two serpents, holding grain ear in right hand.
R: Pig standing right on mystic staff; EΛEYΣI above, bucranium in ex.
SNG Cop 415; Agora 38h; Sear 2586v

The Sons of Dysaules
The story of Triptolemus being charged with bringing agriculture to man has been well told. That of his brother Eubouleus perhaps less so.
Eubouleus was a swineherd whose pigs were lost when the Earth gaped open to swallow up Persephone.
Pigs were sacrificed during the Eleusinian Rites in a women’s mystery ritual known as the Thesmophoria. The piglets would be washed in the sea during the Procession and then brought back to the Sanctuary and ritually slaughtered.
It is interesting to note that in ancient Greek religion pigs were thought to be able to absorb miasma from humans, making this an even more appropriate offering.

Next: triga

Taras, Calabria

276-272 BC (Period VII - The Pyrrhic Hegemony)
AR Didrachm (20mm, 6.44g)
Apollo(...) magistrate.
O: Helmeted warrior on horse cantering left, carrying two javelins and a large round shield decorated with eight-rayed star; ΞΩ behind, [AΠOΛΛΩ] (magistrate) below.
R: Taras (of the plump Dionysiac type) astride dolphin left, holding bunch of grapes in extended right hand, distaff over left shoulder; ANΘ to right, TAPAΣ below.
D'Andrea XLII, 1203; Vlasto 789-91; Evans VII, F2 or F6; Cote 413; SNG France 1920; McGill II, 84; HGC I, 887; SNG ANS 1131-1133; HN Italy 1013
ex Numisantique

The helmeted warrior shown here behind a large shield is a definite departure from the typical image found on this coinage. The earlier naked skirmishers have been replaced by the fully armored cavalryman presented here. This was of course a gradual process, but the evolution becomes more apparent on later issues where the rider is clearly depicted wearing a cuirass.
This plump rendition of Taras also differs greatly from previous images and is actually meant to represent a young Iacchus, the son of Dionysus and Persephone. Similar images can be found on kraters and terracotta votives found in the region. The attributes of Dionysus which he carries show the foreign influence of the chthonic cult of Dionysus upon the city of Taras. This relatively new mystery cult was introduced along side the earlier ouranic cults of Poseidon and Apollo, and the inclusion of Iacchus here represents a distinct link to the Mysteries of Eleusis.
The distaff, in this context, is probably a reference to Ariadne, a wife of Dionysus, but its’ phallic nature also symbolizes the god of ecstasy Himself.

Next: dove

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.

Athens, Attica

454-431 BC
AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 16.95g)
O: Head of Athena with archaic eye right, wearing Attic helmet decorated with palmette and olive leaves.
R: Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and cresent moon above, AΘE to right, all within incuse square.
SNG Cop 31; Kroll 8; Sear 2526
ex Steven Battelle

Next: another tetradrachm