Greeks vs Romans: The Coin Game

[kirispupis]

Hello everyone,

So, which ancient coins are better: Greek or Roman? Now's the time to find out, in a fun way.

The rules of the game are simple:

• Posted coins must alternate. A roman post and a Greek post.
• A single post may contain one or more coins, but they should all be from the same person or place.
• Coins may represent either a person or a place (city or country)
• Anyone may post on the Roman side, the Greek side, or both
• The term 'Greek coin' is relatively broad including all Greek/Phoenician/Persian settlements in the Mediterranean and the hellenistic and later kingdoms that arose after Alexander's empire (including Baktria and India) up to roughly 600 AD. Just for fun, we'll include Celtic coins here.
• The term 'Roman' coin may refer to republican, imperial, imperitorial, late Roman, and provincial. It may also include Byzantine.
• In terms of Roman provincials issued in formerly Greek territories, if the legend is in Latin, then it counts as Roman. If in Greek, it counts as Greek.

The following is how the game goes. Someone posts a coin, and the next person must post another coin where the person or place did something better than the previous one. There are no judges and humor and creativity are most definitely allowed. Note that the person or place must be better, not the coin. The goal here is to have some fun and learn a bit of history at the same time.

Here are some examples:

• Roman: Trajan. Greek: Demetrios I Poliorketes - "at least Demetrios could survive a boat ride"
• Greek: Demetrios I Poliorketes. Roman: Tiberius - "managed to stay on Rhodes without besieging it"
• Roman: Tiberius. Greek: Seleukos I Nikator - "actually led troops as king"
• Greek: Seleukos I Nikator, Roman: Julius Caesar - "at least he saw the knife as it was coming"
• Roman: Julius Caesar. Greek: Alexander the Great - "even Caesar would have obliged this one"

I'll start it with this one (Demetrios I Poliorketes)

Kings of Macedon. Pella. Demetrios I Poliorketes 306-283 BC.
Tetradrachm AR 30 mm, 17,12 g
Diademed and horned head of young Demetrios right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ, poseidon standing left resting foot on rock, monograms at either side.
Newell 90
Ex Savoca

[Ryro]

At least Tiberius was able to get into Rhodes, a city that the famous besieger himself couldn't infiltrate:

[kirispupis]

Ptolemy I Soter didn't have to execute any of his sons.

[ominus1]

keep playin' those .....ok...twofers....Valerian l & ll..Grandfather and Grandson..becoming emperor was a bad idea for the continuation of family..esp. in the 3rd century...uh...am i playing this right?!?...9_9 6_6

Edited October 12, 2022 by ominus1

[Deinomenid]

Continuation of family was a great not a bad thing.

Hieron I succeeded his brother Gelon and brought new glory to his family name and new home city.

(I too  hope  I'm doing this correctly!)

Sicily Syracuse, AR Tetradrachm, ~478AD, Archaic bust of Arethusa right, Diademed, necklaced, with "All seeing" eye type, 4 dolphins around, ΣVRΑKΟΣΙΟΝ in retrograde around, rev Charioteer driving slow quadriga right, holding reins and kentron Nike flying above, wings outstretched, crowning the horses, Beaded border around

[Al Kowsky]

[Ryro]

1 hour ago, Deinomenid said:

Continuation of family was a great not a bad thing.

Hieron I succeeded his brother Gelon and brought new glory to his family name and new home city.

(I too  hope  I'm doing this correctly!)

Sicily Syracuse, AR Tetradrachm, ~478AD, Archaic bust of Arethusa right, Diademed, necklaced, with "All seeing" eye type, 4 dolphins around, ΣVRΑKΟΣΙΟΝ in retrograde around, rev Charioteer driving slow quadriga right, holding reins and kentron Nike flying above, wings outstretched, crowning the horses, Beaded border around

WoWiE! Welp, that ends this game... oh wait, except it's not about the most pretty coin it's about superiority!

Great coin!

And thanks Al. Glad to be back on the Greek side...

Antigonus Monophthalmus didn't die in a wimpy hunting accident like TheodosiusII. He died in his 81st year via a VOLLEY OF SPEARS AND ARROWS while attempting to win back and consolidate all that Alexander had conquered, like a legend!

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Ryro

[ominus1]

39 minutes ago, Ryro said:

. Glad to be back on the Greek side...

..yes...you lQQked like a lawyer there Ryro...able to switch sides and not bat an i -0...

[kirispupis]

I'll switch sides too.

Titus had both of his eyes.

[ominus1]

16 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

Titus had both of his eyes.

...yeah, maybe so, but the meanest mofo's i've ever known didn't need but one..-0

[Roman Collector]

3 hours ago, ominus1 said:

...yeah, maybe so, but the meanest mofo's i've ever known didn't need but one..-0

But were they capable of delivering 12 children in 11 pregnancies??? No. Wimps!!!

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman AR denarius, 3.10 g, 17.7 mm, 5 h.
Rome, AD 161.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: TEMPOR FELIC, female figure, standing left, holding an infant in each arm; at either side, two children standing.
Refs: RIC 719; BMC 156-157; RSC 221; RCV 5263; CRE 179; MIR 31-4/10a.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Roman Collector

[Cordoba]

taking the greek side. attalos I didn't have a son that heralded the end of pax romana

Kingdom of Pergamon, Attalos I AR Tetradrachm. Struck in the name of Philetairos. Pergamon, circa 241-197 BC. Laureate head of Philetairos to right / Athena seated to left, resting elbow on shield, holding transverse spear and crowning ΦIΛETAIPOY to left with wreath; palm branch to outer left, monogram to inner left, bow to right. Westermark Group VIA; BMC 40 (Eumenes II); SNG BnF 1621. 17.04g, 27mm, 11h.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Cordoba

[shanxi]

AP became two years older than Attalos 

 

Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD) 

Denar 154-155, Rome

Obv: ANTONINVS AVG-PIVS P P TR P (XV)I / Head

Rev: COS IIII  / Annona standing facing, head left, grain ears in right hand, left hand on modius at right on half-seen ship

RIC III, 221 / RSC 290

AR, 3.31g, 18.6mm

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by shanxi

[KyNumis]

3 hours ago, Cordoba said:

taking the greek side. attalos I didn't have a son that heralded the end of pax romana

Kingdom of Pergamon, Attalos I AR Tetradrachm. Struck in the name of Philetairos. Pergamon, circa 241-197 BC. Laureate head of Philetairos to right / Athena seated to left, resting elbow on shield, holding transverse spear and crowning ΦIΛETAIPOY to left with wreath; palm branch to outer left, monogram to inner left, bow to right. Westermark Group VIA; BMC 40 (Eumenes II); SNG BnF 1621. 17.04g, 27mm, 11h.

Nice! I have yet to own a eumenes. Top 5 bucketlister

[Al Kowsky]

4 hours ago, Cordoba said:

taking the greek side. attalos I didn't have a son that heralded the end of pax romana

Kingdom of Pergamon, Attalos I AR Tetradrachm. Struck in the name of Philetairos. Pergamon, circa 241-197 BC. Laureate head of Philetairos to right / Athena seated to left, resting elbow on shield, holding transverse spear and crowning ΦIΛETAIPOY to left with wreath; palm branch to outer left, monogram to inner left, bow to right. Westermark Group VIA; BMC 40 (Eumenes II); SNG BnF 1621. 17.04g, 27mm, 11h.

Lovely portrait ☺️!

[Al Kowsky]

10 hours ago, Ryro said:

WoWiE! Welp, that ends this game... oh wait, except it's not about the most pretty coin it's about superiority!

Great coin!

And thanks Al. Glad to be back on the Greek side...

Antigonus Monophthalmus didn't die in a wimpy hunting accident like TheodosiusII. He died in his 81st year via a VOLLEY OF SPEARS AND ARROWS while attempting to win back and consolidate all that Alexander had conquered, like a legend!

 

Living to be 81 years old in ancient times would be equivalent to 150 years old today 🤔!

[Al Kowsky]

How about this guy with the long nose 😜.

Antioch - Syria. Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypos), 121-96 BC, 3rd reign at Antioch (c. 109-96 BC). AR Tetradrachm: 16.24 gm, 28 mm, 1 h. Ex Grand Haven Collection; Ex Pegasi Numismatics; Ex NFA XVII, lot 439, June 27, 1986.

[Roman Collector]

1 hour ago, Al Kowsky said:

How about this guy with the long nose 😜.

Antioch - Syria. Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypos), 121-96 BC, 3rd reign at Antioch (c. 109-96 BC). AR Tetradrachm: 16.24 gm, 28 mm, 1 h. Ex Grand Haven Collection; Ex Pegasi Numismatics; Ex NFA XVII, lot 439, June 27, 1986.

You call that a nose?

Nerva, AD 96-98.
Roman AR denarius, 2.65 g, 17.1 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 18 Sept - Dec AD 97.
Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P II COS III P P, radiate head, right.
Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA, Liberty standing left, holding pileus and scepter.
Refs: RIC 31; BMCRE 61; Cohen 117; RCV --; ERIC II 83.

[shanxi]

Nerva had only one general as successor, measly, Alexander had four.

Alexander the Great
AR Tetradrachm
312-311 B.C., Ake-Akkon mint
Obv.: Herakles head right,. clad in lion's skin.
Rev.: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter, Phoenician letters ayin, kaph, three horizontal and five vertical strokes below arm in left field = Dated year 35.
Ag, 16.94 g
Ref.: Price 3291
Ex-CNG

[kirispupis]

Augustus ruled for more than thirteen years.

AUGUSTUS (27 BCE-14 CE)
Denarius. Lugdunum.
19mm 3.77g
Obv: CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE. Laureate head right.
Rev: AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT / C L CAESARES.
Caius and Lucius Caesar standing facing; two shields, two sceptres; lituus and simpulum above.
RIC² 209
Ex Numismatik Naumann

[Deinomenid]

That's so cute Gus! 40 years of rule  is  beginner level.

I reigned 270-215BC.

Signed  Hieron II

SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron II. 275-215 BC. Æ (26.5mm, 17.57 g, 1h). Struck circa 230-218/5 BC.
Metal : bronze Diameter : 27 mm
Orientation dies : 12 h. Weight : 17,58 g. Rarity : R1

 

[Ryro]

This thread is hilarious and amazing! I don't know where you got the idea @kirispupis but I'm LOVING it!

Hieron II ruled part of a tiny island and nobodies telling stories of how debauched he was (though, we know he was).

Now give me a deceptively innocent nickname, something like, oh, I don't know, little boots or in Latin, Caligula. And then make him out to be a complete psychopath in put him in charge of the known world!

Ps, I do not believe the hype about Caligula (as much as Ilike to), his murder and post becoming a god besmerching of his name with fantastical stories are all derived from the same group, the Praetorian Guard. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Ryro
Add dopeness

[kirispupis]

2 hours ago, Ryro said:

This thread is hilarious and amazing! I don't know where you got the idea @kirispupis but I'm LOVING it!

Thanks! Fun threads like these allow me to dry my tears from my auction losses. 🙂 😞 

Caligula (allegedly) lusted after his sister.

Ptolemy II married his.

Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos
AR Tetradrachm. Tyre, dated RY 30 = 256/5 BCE
14.01g, 25mm, 12h.
Diademed head of Ptolemy I to right, wearing aegis around neck / ΠΤΟΛEΜΑΙOΥ [BAΣΙΛEΩΣ], eagle standing to left; monogram of Tyre above club to left; Λ (date) above monogram to right; A between legs.
CPE 577; Svoronos 657; SNG Copenhagen 488; DCA 20
Ex collection of R. N. Draskowski;
Ex Ephesus Numismatics, North Carolina, USA

[Ryro]

Ptolemy son of Lagos. Who the hell is Lagos? A basic ass tribal chieftain. 

His dad was Marcus MFing Aurelius:

Oh and he got to dress up like Hercules Ptolemy's king also did... I've never seen Ptolemy dressed as Alexander's kin Herakles

[shanxi]

Pathetic wannabe Hercules. This is the real one.

Calabria - Tarentum
AR-Diobol
Obv.: Helmeted head of Athena left
Rev.: Heracles strangling Nemean lion
Ag, 1.20g, 12.1mm
Ref.: Pausanias V, 25, 8