The Alphabet game, for anything Greek

[kapphnwn]

Ar Tetradrachm of Alexander II Zabinas Antioch 128-122 BC Obv Head right diademed Rv Zeus Nikephoros seated left holding Nike, SC 2220b HGC 1149d 16.55 grms 29 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Zabinas means "the bought one" alluding to this guys rather questionable qualifications

[Phil Anthos]

I hate posting this one in the wake of the beautiful tetradrachm above, but...

Syracuse, Reign of Hiketas

288-279 BC AE22 (22mm, 7.46g) O: Laureate and beardless head of Zeus Hellanios right. R: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt with wings open; A before. HGC 2, 1449; Calciati 313,168; SNG ANS 799; Favorito 50; Sear 1212v ex Classica Antiquities The epithet Hellanios refers to Zeus’ aspect as ‘Bringer of the Rain’. ~ Peter

[ambr0zie]

I don't have too many options for this letter, but I think this coin has an interesting design, with the sacred stone of Zeus Kasios

24 mm, 12,21 g.
Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Trajan 98-117. Ӕ.
ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙ(Ϲ) ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΡΙϹΤ ϹΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ (ΔΑΚ), laureate head of Trajan, r. / ϹΕΛΕΥΚΕωΝ ΠΕΙΕΡΙΑϹ (or ΠΙΕΡΙΑϹ), sacred stone of Zeus Kasios with fillet attached within shrine consisting of four pillars supporting a pyramidal roof surmounted by an eagle; beneath, ΖΕΥС ΚΑСΙΟС; In field, r., Ϛ.
RPC III, 3478; Wruck 137; CRS 183; McAlee 421(l); BMC 41.

[AncientOne]

Cities beginning with Z.

Achaea. Zacynthus, Island off Elis. Marcus Aurelius AE20. Pan with infant Dionysus

Zacynthus; Achaea; Peleponnessus (District: Zacynthus). Date 161–180. Obverse design laureate head of Marcus Aurelius, r. Obverse inscription ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝ ΑΥ Reverse design Pan standing, r., nebris over shoulders, holding bunch of grapes and infant Dionysus Reverse inscription ΖΑΚΥΝΘΙΩΝ RPC IV.1, 4626   Troas, Zeleia. AE10. 4th c. BC. Obv: Head of Artemis right, wearing stephane. Rev: Ζ E / Λ E. Monogram (or torque) within wreath of grain ears. SNG Copenhagen 503-4.   Syria, Commagene, Zeugma. Elagabalus AE32 temple/capricorn Elagabalus, AE-32. Zeugma, Commagene. 218 - 222 AD. AE32. 20.11g. AVT KAI MAP AVP ANTWNEINOC CE, laureate head right / ZEVGMATEWN, Tetrastyle temple within peribolis, capricorn below. BMC 25. Found in Cumbria a few miles south of Hadrians wall.

[Phil Anthos]

Carthage, Zeugitana

circa 3rd century BC AE19 (19mm, 5.84g) O: Head of Tanit left, wreathed in corn, wearing plain necklace and earring. R: Head and neck of horse right. Sear 6523v (pendant necklace) ~ Peter

[kirispupis]

Not too many coins can claim two Z's... 🙂 

Lydia, Tralleis (as Seleukeia)
3rd century BCE
AE 12 mm, 1.44 g, 11 h
Laureate head of Zeus to right.
Rev. ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕ / [....]ΕΣΙ[...] Zebu bull standing left; below, H; all within maeander pattern.
GRPC Lydia -

[panzerman]

Z=Zeugitania

Zeugitania

AV 1/10 Stater ND

Carthage Mint

[Roman Collector]

Z is for Zoe.

CONSTANTINE VII, Porphyrogenitus, with Zoe, 913-959 AD.
Byzantine Æ Follis, 5.15 g, 23.7 mm, 5 h.
Constantinople, 914-919 AD.
Obv: +COnSTAn CE ZOH b, crowned facing busts of Constantine, wearing loros, and Zoe, wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal cross between them.
Rev: + COnS/TAnTInO'/ CE ZOH bA/SILIS RO/MEOn.
Refs: DOC III 22; Berk 928; SB 1758.

 

[expat]

And on to the next letter of the Greek alphabet, Η η. So far there have been many examples new to me, having a lot of fun seeing them.

Post now

[shanxi]

HPAKΛEIΩN

Lucania, Herakleia
Æ14, 3rd century BC
Obv.: Draped bust of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet.
Rev.: HPAKΛEIΩN, Female(?) marin divinity with human upper part of the body right, round shield in left hand, spear over shoulder; in field left, thunderbolt.
Æ, 2.45g, 13.6mm
Ref.: SNG Cop. 1142, Weber Coll. 724 var. (star on rev.).

[Edessa]

Sicily, Himera. Circa 415-409 BC. Æ Hemilitron or Hexonkion (16mm, 3.92g, 12h). Obv: ΙΜ-Ε; Head of nymph left; wearing sphendone. Six pellets (mark of value) before. Rev: Six pellets (mark of value) within wreath. Ref: Kraay, Bronze, Group b, 3; CNS I, 35; SNG ANS 186-187; HGC 2, 479.

[Sulla80]

H is for Hermaios

https://www.sullacoins.com/post/an-emerging-story

[Deinomenid]

SICILY, Herbessos. Circa 344-336 BC. Æ Litra (18.48 gm). Head of Sicily right, wearing wreath of olive leaves / Forepart of a man-headed bull right. Calciati III pg. 254, 5 OS/14 (this coin); Virzi 1019. VF, green patina, slightly rough surfaces. Overstruck on a Syracusan Æ Drachm, Zeus Eleutherios/Horse prancing left (Calciati II pg. 188, 80).

[Roman Collector]

This is a tough one because the Greek H is NOT the same as the Latin H. The Latin H is represented in Greek by a rough breathing mark, which is written as a ‘ symbol (open single-quote). The Greek H is an eta, the letter indicating a long E sound, not rough breathing (aspiration). Names/words like Hermaios and hemilitron don't actually begin with an H in Greek. They begin with an epsilon (E).

The only thing I can come up with in my entire collection is this one. H is for Ἥλιος (Helios -- the H (eta) being the e in the Latinized Helios; the H in the Latinized Helios is represented by the rough breathing mark in Greek, ‘ ).

Illyria, Dyrrhachium.
AR drachm, 2.95 g, 17.4 mm, 11 h.
Magistrate Zopyros, 80-70 BC.
Obv: Cow suckling calf, owl in right field before cow; ΦΙΛΩΤΑΣ above, head of Helios facing right, top.
Rev: Square with double stellate pattern, ΔΥΡ/ΖΩ/ΠΥ/ΡΟΥ around.
Refs: Ceka 451; Maier 221; SNG Cop 469; SNG Evelpides 1744; SNG Leipzig 715.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Roman Collector
Increasing the size of the previously bifocal-defying font

[Deinomenid]

1 hour ago, Roman Collector said:

rough breathing (aspiration)

These are  tricky on Greek coins, but here's  one with an archaic  aspirate. You see them described or spelled  as  'A which is easily  missed as A. Or as shown on the middle of the reverse below.   It's a decent bet that it was  pronounced H as most English-speakers  would, or close to it.

Described as a refined  H here.

 

Haliartos Stater, c. 525-490 BC, Boeotian shield, rev. re...
Boeotian shield, rev. refined H at center of a quadipartite incuse mill-saw type of pattern

 

[kirispupis]

Ἡράκλεια Ποντική

BITHYNIA, Herakleia Pontika.
Dionysios, 337-305 BCE
AR Drachm 4.4 gm, 12h, 18mm
Obv: Head of young Dionysos, left. Rev: Naked Herakles erecting a trophy.
SNG.vAul.6936

 

Ἡφαιστία

Islands off Thrace. Lemnos. Hephaistia
circa 300 BCE
Æ 12 mm, 2,44 g
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena left.
Rev: ΗΦΑΙ. Owl standing facing.
SNG Copenhagen 974; HGC 6, 289.

 

Ἡραία

Heraia Peloponnesos
ca. 370-350 BCE
Ae Dichalkon 3.0g 14mm
Obv. Head of Athena right, wearing Attic helmet with crest
Rev. Curved-sided H
BMC 24/25
Ex-BCD Collection

 

 

[Di Nomos]

The reverse of this tetradrachm from the island of Chios, struck c.350 - 330 BC, has the magistrates name  HPIΔANOΣ (Eridanos). The obverse a sphinx and amphora.

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Di Nomos

[Phil Anthos]

Here's Hermios, or Ermios, or... screw it, here's Helios...

Macedonian Kingdom, Reign of Perseus

171-170 BC AR Drachm (15mm, 2.81g) Uncertain mint in Thessaly Hermios magistrate. O: Head of Helios facing 3/4 right, hair loose. R: Rose with bud on right; I-Ω to either side of stem, EPMIAΣ (magistrate) above. Price, Larissa p. 241; SNG Keckman 795; Sear 5092 ex Jack H. Beymer ~ Peter

[panzerman]

H=Hekte (1/6 EL Stater)

H= Head

EL Stater ND (377-26BC)

Ionia/ Phokaia

Phokaia Mint

Female Head/ Quadripartite Incuse Punch

[panzerman]

H= Horse Head

Zeugitania/ Carthage

AV 1/10 Stater ND 350-290BC

Anonymous Rulers

Carthage Mint

[expat]

And now we move on to the next letter, Θ θ

Edited October 9, 2023 by expat

[ambr0zie]

I think my Histaia deserves a place, even if a little late 

14 mm, 1,94 g.
Euboea, Histiaia. AR tetrobol. Circa 338-304 BC
Head of nymph Histaia to right, wreathed with vine, hair rolled / Nymph Histaia seated to right on stern of galley, wing on galley around IΣTIAIEΩN.
Cf.S.2496; BCD Euboia 387ff; HGC 4, 1524.

 

For the next letter - a Thessalonika - ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙKA

21 mm, 8,41 g.
Macedon. Thessalonica. Tiberius and Livia AD 14-37. Ӕ.
ΤΙ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ, head of Tiberius, r. / ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΩΝ, bust of Livia, r.
RPC I 1567; Touratsoglou, Tiberius 38–61 (c. 22–3 and later).

 

Or ΘΥΑΤΕΙΡA - Thyateira

18 mm, 3,91 g.
Lydia, Thyateira. Trajan AD 98-117. Ӕ.
ΑΥ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΝ, laureate head of Trajan, r. / ΘΥΑΤΕΙΡΗΝΩΝ, Tyche standing facing, head l., holding rudder in r. hand, cornucopia in l.
RPC III, 1826; BMC 75.

 

Another Thessalonika 

ΘAΣIΩN - Thasos

10 mm, 0,73 g.
Islands of Thrace. Thasos. AR obol. Circa 404-340 BC.
Satyr kneeling left, holding kantharos / ΘAΣIΩN, amphora.
Le Rider, Thasos 27; SNG Copenhagen 1029.

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by ambr0zie

[Deinomenid]

Thurium

Thurium, Nomos, 400-375, head of Athena right, wearing helmeted ornamented with Scylla, rev. bull butting right, θουριων above, 7.63g/8h (HN Italy 1799; Pozzi 620; cf. McClean 1270; SNG Oxford 936-8).

 

Thebes.

Thebes, (Circa 395-338 B.C.), stater (12.17 g),, obv. Boiotian shield, rev. amphora with thymiaterion in field to right

 

[kirispupis]

Boiotia, Thespiai
c. 390-350 BCE
AR Obol 10mm, 0.71g
Boiotian shield.
R/ Upward-facing crescent composed of three lines.
BCD Boeotia 596-601; SNG Copenhagen 401-2

 

Thessaly. Thebai
302-286 BCE
Æ Trichalkon 19.65mm 6.99g
Obverse: Wreathed head of Demeter left
Reverse: ΘHBAIΏN, Protesilaos stepping right from prow of galley, holding sword and shield
Rogers 550

 

Mysia. Thebe (or Hypoplakia)
circa 300-200 BCE
Bronze 10 mm, 1,07 g

 

Akarnania. Thyrrheion
circa 350-300 BCE
Æ 16mm, 2,22g
Head of Athena to left, wearing crested Attic helmet.
Rev. Θ-Y Torch within olive wreath.
BCD Akarnania -. HGC 4, -

 

Theodosia, Cimmerian Bosporus
ca. 360 - 300 BCE
Ae 11.5mm, 1.7gms
Obv: Head of young person left
Rev: OEODO; Forepart of bull left
Ref: SNG Cop. -, SNG BM -  Frolova, Kimmerischer Bosporos Typ VII Nr.13

[expat]

Thrace, Lysimachos, AE 20mm, 5.20 gr. Generous flan. Lysimachia mint. 305-281 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, above and beneath lion leaping right, spearhead and M on O monogram below. Mueller 74.