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First purchase of 2023


zadie

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After having endured a significant cistophori-drought in the latter half of 2022, the market seems to have finally rewarded my patience with new targets. Bidding at Heritage tonight I was able to secure my first cistophor since May last year:

 

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Promagisterial Cistophori. Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther as Proconsul of Cilicia. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Laodicea on the Lycus, 56-53 BC. Artemidoros son of Damokratos, magistrate. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / P·LENTVLVS·P ·F - IMP. Two serpents entwined by a bow case. In the left field, ΛΑΟ. In the exergue, APTEMIΔOPOΣ / ΔAMOKPATOY. Stumpf 77.

 

Lentulus is one of those individuals for which we have an abundance of historical records. He's mentioned directly by both Caesar and Cicero, and his distuingished career as a roman politician gives us great insight throughout his entire climb up the cursus honorum. Beginning public life in 74 as Quaestor Urbanus, Lentulus would go on to serve as Aedile during Cicero's consulship in 63. Roused to action against the Catilines attempt at usurping the Republic, Lentulus supported Cicero as consul in supressing the conspirators. Climbing ever higher up the cursus honorum, Lentulus was elected as Praetor in 60, and finally Consul in 57. During his year he successfully lobbied the senate to recall Cicero from his exile. After serving his term, he was alloted the proconsular command of Cilicia for a term of two years. Early in his tenure, he was hailed as Imperator by his troops. The overwhelming amount of coins issed by Lentulus during his command of the province displays the title IMP or IMPERATOR, only two different dies are known in which PRO·COS is used.

Edited by zadie
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What an unusually long legend. Interesting. Usually there are only monograms like on this one:

normal_G_270_Pergamon_fac.jpg.9f59bcedca3d83e7656d36d87748b9ee.jpg

Mysia, Pergamon
Cistophoric Tetradrachm
Obv.: Serpent emerging from cista mystica with raised lid, all within ivy wreath with fruits.
Rev.: Bow case between two coiled serpents; to left, monogram of Pergamon; to right, NI
Ag, 29mm, 12.26g
Ref.: SNG France 1709

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4 hours ago, shanxi said:

What an unusually long legend. Interesting. Usually there are only monograms like on this one:

normal_G_270_Pergamon_fac.jpg.9f59bcedca3d83e7656d36d87748b9ee.jpg

Mysia, Pergamon
Cistophoric Tetradrachm
Obv.: Serpent emerging from cista mystica with raised lid, all within ivy wreath with fruits.
Rev.: Bow case between two coiled serpents; to left, monogram of Pergamon; to right, NI
Ag, 29mm, 12.26g
Ref.: SNG France 1709

Absolutely and furthermore, they're bilingual! Legends in both Greek and Latin

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A little bit of an idea by me  on academia.edu  based on Ashton  and using Mullers dating ideas.

 

Crown of Iset-Reviewed

The Impact of Jorge W. Muller’s re-dating of the Ephesian cistophori brings its Isiac symbols to a post-Rhodian epiphany date. A previously unrecorded year 42 Ephesian cistaphorus is published. The title has been changed because the original attracted the wrong sort of browser.

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The one  Cistaphore that every Greco-Roman wants........ Tullius IMP. Old Cicero himself , Imp awarded for a battle he won in Cillicia during his governorship.  Very rare.  This example from the Hierprytena hoard found 1933.  A mixed hoard with lots of post Sullan NewStyles and the last ever new NewStyle ever found: Apollo with Lyre. It is overstruck on a posthumous ATG of some type.

 

 

    

image.jpeg.a8557fd9cb5a8e6353dc6a9f4bfe24ee.jpeg

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 Cisto

[IMG]
Mysia, Pergamum (Pergamon) 85-76 BC
Cista Mystica or Cistophoric Tetradrachm
AR Tetradrachm 12.46 x 26 mm (tariffed at 3 Denarii)
Obverse: Cista mystica with serpent; all within oak / ivy wreath
Reverse: bow-case with serpents, PRE monogram to left, KP / PRY monogram above, serpent-staff right.
Ref: Kleiner 36

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